Dive Details

Location

Date

Saturday 21 July 2018

Time

10:30am - 12:33pm

Details

I had planned a double dive today, starting at The Leap and followed up by The Monument. Nicolas and Lena, and Charlie and Duncan joined me for the first dive. Conditions looked pretty good and it was slightly calmer than yesterday.

We jumped in and swam out on the surface. When we were all ready, we descended and swam at around 30° towards the sand line. We arrived at the north-western end of the amphitheatre near Bob and Lucy Rock. The visibility was around 5 metres with some suspended matter in the water. The water temperature was between 14 and 15°C. There was some surge. We turned left and headed towards The Steps.

We swam along the sand line past Seahorse Rock and on to the flat rocks with sponges. I looked under the overhang but did not see any weedy seadragons. A little farther along, in the gap between the large rocks I found a male weedy seadragon with eggs.

We continued on towards Southern Cross Rock and I found weedy seadragon, probably a female, on the sand between Bent Stick Rock and Southern Cross Rock. There was another weedy before we reached Southern Cross Rock. We looked around Southern Cross Rock but found nothing of interest.

We swam on to Seadragon Alley. I started to look for the juvenile weedy seadragon but found an adult instead. It looks like a male. I kept hunting around and found the juvenile. I showed it to Nicolas and Lena but realised that Charlie and Duncan had gone on ahead. I swam on to find them and brought them back to the juvenile.

We continued on to the end of Seadragon Alley and I found the two red Stigmatopora pipefish. Just like yesterday, the original larger one was in one alga and the smaller new one was in the next alga. I took some photographs and then showed them to Duncan and Charlie. They took some photographs and then indicated they needed to keep moving so I said farewell. When Lena caught up I pointed out the red pipefish. Just past the pipefish was a lone striped catfish.

We continued along the sand line to Big Rock. We looked around Big Rock but didn't find anything of interest.

We headed to the rock with the one-eyed seahorse. I had to make a few circuits to find her and then I pointed her out to Lena and Nicolas.

We continued along the top of the reef towards Diversity Rock. I found my grey red-fingered anglerfish in the same spot I'd seen it yesterday. I pointed it out to Nicolas and went over to the basket star, knowing he'd show Lena.

I went on ahead to Diversity Rock to look for the pygmy pipehorses. I didn't find any before Nicolas swam up and I still didn't find any after he swam up.

I moved over to the juvenile orange painted anglerfish. I took some photographs and pointed it out to Nicolas. While Lena was photographing the anglerfish I looked for and found the male weedy seadragon with eggs.

We swam on to Little Big Rock. I found the salmon red-fingered anglerfish low down on the rock where it was yesterday.

I headed up to the rock behind Little Big Rock to look for the new pair of pygmy pipehorses. I managed to find them before Nicolas and Lena swam up. They weren't together as they were yesterday.

I continued past Di's Rock staying only as far ahead of Nicolas so we could still see each other and he could see Lena. I dropped down to the nearby rock with pygmies. I found the female straight away but it took me a while to the male. I took photographs of them while I was waiting for Nicolas and Lena. When they caught up I looked around the area for the yellow red-fingered anglerfish. I didn't find it.

When Lena was done photographing the pygmies we swam on to the orange red-fingered anglerfish. I took some photographs before pointing it out to Lena.

We then headed for the boulders and ascended to 5 metres. We were almost at Split Rock already and waited there until my safety stop was done. We then swam to the exit and got out.

Buddy

Lena Remy, Duncan Heuer, Charlie Elliot, Nicolas Remy

Seas

Slight

Visibility

5 to 10 metres

Duration

122 minutes

Maximum depth

20.4 m

Average depth

13.6 m

Water temperature

14°C

Dive Profile from Garmin Descent Mk1

Tides at Botany Bay AEST

Note that tides at dive site may vary from above location.

High

2:53am

1.35m

Low

9:07am

0.55m

High

3:44pm

1.53m

Low

10:12pm

0.68m