Dive Details
Location
Date
Saturday 29 December 2018
Time
10:08am - 11:57am
Buddy
Rob Fonseca
Seas
Some current and surge
Visibility
5 to 20 metres
Duration
106 minutes
Surface interval
Maximum depth
21.1 m
Average depth
15.1 m
Water temperature
14.2°C
Dive Profile from Citizen Hyper Aqualand
Tides at Botany Bay AEDT
Note that tides at dive site may vary from above location.
High
2:45am
1.40m
Low
8:31am
0.58m
High
2:44pm
1.59m
Low
9:25pm
0.38m
Details
Rob joined me for my first dive today. It would be a repeat of The Leap dive yesterday only after yesterday's very cold day I'd be in my drysuit. The north-easterly swell was resulting in very cool water and I knew today would be much the same.
The swell and tide was low enough that we could get in from the low platform. We swum out on the surface before descending. We swam at around 60° towards the sand line. There was a bit of current and I had to keep correcting our bearing. We arrived in the amphitheatre. The visibility was incredible and up to 20 metres but it was cold, very cold, around 14°C. There was some current and a little bit of surge.
I located the first rock in the Field of Pygmies which I know to have pygmies. I swam straight to the first female pygmy (IL2018110201) as she's been in the same spot for the last few dives. I then spotted her partner (IL2018110202) who also appears to hardly moved. I pointed them out to Rob and then looked for the pair at the other end. I found the female (IL2018110302) first and then the male (IL2018110301). While this pair has moved around a bit, they have been in the same spots for the last couple of dives.
I then swam over to the sand line to look for the pygmy that Matt found yesterday. I found the male (IL2018122801) he found yesterday and then looked for a partner which I didn't find yesterday. I found her (IL2018122901) not far from the male.
I looked for the cryptic male on the rock behind the rock with Matt's pygmy. I found him (IL2018121101) and then his partner (IL2018121001).
I headed over to the large rock up from the first rock. I looked for and found the red male (IL2018122602). I had to hunt a bit for his partner but found her (IL2018122601).
I started looking on the next rock for the tiny juvenile pygmy (IL2018??????) when Rob pointed out a male weedy seadragon with eggs on the sand next to the rock. I made a note of where the weedy was and finished searching for the juvenile pygmy, which I found. I then took photographs of the weedy.
We continued along the sand line. I looked for and found the small red female (IL2018112401) on the rock just before Bob & Lucy Rock. I pointed her out to Rob.
I swam on to Bob & Lucy Rock where I found the red male pygmy (IL2018110204) and his pink female (IL2018110203). I pointed them out to Rob while I looked for the juvenile that had been on the same rock.
We followed the sand line to Ian's Pygmy Rock. I found the red male pygmy (IL2018120101) on the adjacent rock but I couldn't immediately see his partner. I looked on Ian's Pygmy Rock and found the small red male (IL2018122302) and then his cryptic partner (IL2018122301). I looked again on the adjacent rock and found the cryptic female (IL2018120201). I pointed them all out to Rob.
We headed past Seahorse Rock and on to the low flat rocks with sponges. I spotted the female weedy seadragon and the male, "Clyde", in the gap between the rocks. I had to look around in the kelp to find the male with eggs. There was a fourth weedy there, too.
I ascended to the top of the rock and found the red male pygmy (IL2018080801) and the pink female (IL2018080802) in their usual algae. I then found the lower male (IL2018092903).
We swam over Southern Cross Rock and through Seadragon Alley without seeing anything much of interest. Rob had indicated he was going on ahead but I kept with him until Big Rock. After Big Rock I looked at the base of the rock below Hand Rock. I found the female pygmy (IL2018 first and then the male (IL2018111001). I then found the juvenile pygmy (IL2018122402). I showed them to Rob while I looked for the juvenile on Hand Rock. He then left. I was not able to find the juvenile on Hand Rock.
I looked around the area near Big Rock for more pygmies. I had found 24 which was one less than yesterday. I didn't find any pygmies but I found a Nembrotha sp. nudibranch.
I headed past Sponge Hollow and on to the rocks I'd seen the grey red-fingered anglerfish yesterday. It was in the same spot.
I swam past New Basket Star Rock and on to the basket star. I looked around Diversity Rock for the male weedy with eggs. He was just above Diversity Rock.
I continued to Little Big Rock and spotted the large yellow red-fingered anglerfish it its usual spot. I headed up to spot where "Petra", the white pot-bellied seahorse, has been. I couldn't see her but I found a new male, "David". He's a lot smaller than "Petra" but has a well developed pouch so should be ready to father some seahorses. I looked around for "Petra" but was not able to find her.
I had a look for the rock that Roney had mentioned where there is another pair of sawtooth pipefish but I didn't find it.
I swam along the sand line to the rock where "Jodi", the yellow pot-bellied seahorse has been. I found her in one of the sea tulips. I looked around for "Stephen", the brown male, but could not find him.
I dropped down to where the small orange red-fingered anglerfish has been and found it in the usual sponge. I took some photographs before heading to the exit.
I swam over the kelp and ascended to Split Rock. I did my safety stop and then swam underwater to the exit.