Dive Details

Location

Date

Monday 10 December 2018

Time

11:23am - 12:56pm

Buddy

Steven Walsh

Seas

Slight

Visibility

5 to 10 metres

Duration

93 minutes

Surface interval

Maximum depth

14.9 m

Average depth

11.0 m

Water temperature

15°C

Dive Profile from Garmin Descent Mk1

Tides at Botany Bay AEDT

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

Low

4:23am

0.56m

High

10:58am

1.74m

Low

5:41pm

0.39m

High

11:37pm

1.26m

Details

Dive 2 for the day was at The Steps to cover the ground we'd missed on the first dive.

We jumped in and swam out but didn't go out very far because I wanted to try to find the juvenile weedy seadragon I spotted on the first dive. We descended and I cruised around the weed for a few minutes looking but I was not able to find it.

We then descended to the kelp. The visibility was 5 to 10 metres and the water temperature around 16°C. There was barely any surge and not much current.

I looked around for the orange red-fingered anglerfish with dark eyes. I checked the usual rocks but could not find it. I did find an octopus.

We swam on to the seahorses. I found "Jodi" on the green finger sponge between the two rocks. I looked all around for "Stephen" but I could not find him.

We headed along the sand line towards Little Big Rock. I looked in the hole of the pipefishes but was not able to see any of the pipefishes. As we continued on towards Little Big Rock the temperature dropped to 15°C. I was sort of grateful I was in my dry suit.

I found the large yellow anglerfish on the rock near Little Big Rock. I pointed it out to Steve. I then went up to the large rock behind Little Big Rock and looked for the pygmy pipehorses there. I could not find either of them.

We headed back to the sand line and followed it to Diversity Rock. I looked around for the male weedy seadragon with eggs but could not find him.

We continued along the sand line towards Big Rock until we reached the rock below Hand Rock. I looked for the pygmy pipehorses there. I found the female first and then the male. After taking some photographs I pointed them out to Steve.

While Steve was photographing the pygmies I looked around the area for more. We then turned and headed back towards The Steps. We stayed in the middle of the reef and swam past Sponge Hollow, New Basket Star Rock and on to the basket star. I looked around Diversity Rock for the male weedy seadragon with eggs and found him just above Diversity Rock.

We swam back via Little Big Rock. I looked for the salmon red-fingered anglerfish without success. The large yellow red-fingered was still on its rock.

We followed the sand line towards The Steps. I spotted an octopus on the way. I took a few photographs before continuing. I thought Steve was just behind me but buy the time I made it to the seahorses I'd lost him. I expected him to catch up but didn't see him again until the exit. "Jodi" was on the same sponge as earlier in the dive but I still wasn't able to find "Stephen".

I swam towards the exit looking again for the orange red-fingered anglerfish with dark eyes. I didn't find it. I ascended to Split Rock and did my safety stop. I then swam around the shallow weed near the exit looking for the juvenile weedy seadragon again. I spotted Steve here. We then got out at The Steps.