Dive Details

Location

Date

Sunday 13 January 2019

Time

9:11am - 10:37am

Buddy

Matt Smith, et al

Seas

Slight

Visibility

10 to 15 metres

Duration

86 minutes

Surface interval

Maximum depth

13.5 m

Average depth

11.0 m

Water temperature

20.8°C

Dive Profile from Citizen Hyper Aqualand

Tides at Botany Bay AEDT

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

High

1:59am

1.30m

Low

7:38am

0.70m

High

1:48pm

1.44m

Low

8:29pm

0.52m

Details

My first dive today was the second dive with Matt Smith and his Introduction to Underwater Photography students. My aim, again, was to find suitable subjects for his students to use for practice with their photography. I hadn't found any weedy seadragons yesterday but I had a much better chance today. There was also a couple of red-fingered anglerfish, a seahorse or two, and the basket star.

We got in at The Steps and swam out on the surface. Once everyone was ready, we descended to the kelp. The visibility was 5 to 10 metres, perhaps even better. The water temperature was around 21°C. There was only a slight amount of surge. We headed over the kelp and then turned right along the sand line into a gentle current.

I stopped at the small orange red-fingered anglerfish and pointed it out to the others. I then looked on the next rock for "Jodi", the orange pot-bellied seahorse. I hadn't seen her in over a week. I extended my search to the adjacent rocks while I was waiting for the others. I found an octopus which would have made a great subject but I wasn't able to attract anyone's attention.

I slowly made my way way along the sand line ahead of the others and quickly came across a weedy seadragon. I took a few photographs and then headed back a short way to get Matt's attention. I kept my eye on the weedy so I wouldn't lose it. Once Farres started photographing it I moved on.

I stopped at the hole with the pipefishes. I could just make out one of the sawtooth pipefish and I took a couple of photographs. It would be a very difficult subject so I didn't point it out.

I swam on to the second pair of sawtooth pipefish just before Little Big Rock. I saw the male with eggs but I couldn't see the female.

I spotted the large yellow red-fingered anglerfish in its usual spot and took a few photographs. I then spotted "Petra", the white pot-bellied seahorse, in the sponge on the rock I first saw her. I looked around for "David", her partner, but could not find him. I did find a Atagema intecta nudibranch.

The others still hadn't caught up so I swam back to look for them. Matt came along and I pointed out the anglerfish and "Petra". Slowly the others caught up and started photographing the anglerfish and the seahorse. I pointed out the nudibranch to Fabrice.

I slowly made my way along the sand line looking for the male weedy seadragon that used to have eggs. He wasn't below Diversity Rock or at least I couldn't see him. I visited the basket star and then I spotted the weedy seadragon just past Diversity Rock. I took a few photographs and then headed back to find Matt.

I found Matt and by the time we got back the weedy had moved farther towards Big Rock. He almost got kicked by a spear fisherman who dropped right on top of him.

I showed some of the students the basket star before Matt and the others left.

I came back slowly via "Petra", the anglerfish, and the sawtooth pipefish in both locations. I stopped at he rock where "Jodi" has been and had another look for her but couldn't find her. I visited the small orange red-fingered anglerfish before heading for the exit.

I swam over the kelp and then ascended to Split Rock and started my safety stop. I took some photographs of the hingeback shrimp while I was safety stopping. I then swam underwater to the exit and got out.