Dive Details

Location

Date

Sunday 12 May 2019

Time

12:35pm - 2:13pm

Seas

Surge

Visibility

3 to 5 metres

Duration

98 minutes

Surface interval

 3 days 0:19 (days hh:mm)

Maximum depth

13.9 m

Average depth

10.9 m

Water temperature

20.0°C
                                       

Dive Profile from Citizen Hyper Aqualand

Tides at Botany Bay AEST

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

High

1:44am

1.72m

Low

8:44am

0.47m

High

2:57pm

1.36m

Low

8:30pm

0.74m

Details

I had been feeling unwell for the last few days and wasn't sure I'd be able to dive today. I still wasn't back to 100% but was well enough for a dive and keep my weekend run of dives going.

The swell yesterday and today was meant to be large (greater than 2 metres) but it was a southerly so I was hopeful it would not affect Kurnell too much. When I arrived I could see the impact well away from the shoreline but it was actually quite calm at the entry/exit at The Steps. As I was getting ready at The Steps, Daniela came up. She was diving The Leap with Sharon. I would have loved to have dived The Leap but couldn't make the commitment as I was still feeling a bit off. I figured I'd probably see Daniela and Sharon in the water.

I jumped in at The Steps and donned my fins in the water. I swam out on the surface and when I was ready I descended to the sand/kelp. The visibility was between 3 and 5 metres and there was a lot of particulate matter in the water. There was a bit of surge and the water temperature was between 20 and 21°C.

I looked around the rocks in front of the entry/exit to see if I could find "Raphael", the yellow Red-fingered Anglerfish with pink mask, or any other anglerfish. I found none.

I swam up to the rocks where the orange "Map of Australia" Red-fingered Anglerfish has been. I wasn't able to find it there.

I headed down to the rocks where the other Pot-bellied Seahorses had been and from there followed the sand/kelp line to Pipefishes Hole. I looked in Pipefishes Hole and spotted one of the Sawtooth Pipefish. I also found the juvenile Weedy Seadragon right next to the hole.

I looked on the rock above Pipefishes Hole for the small orange Red-fingered Anglerfish. I hadn't been able to find it on Thursday but I now had more time. While I was looking I spotted a Jorunna sp. nudibranch.

I headed up to Di's Rock and found the larger orange Red-fingered Anglerfish hanging under the rock. It was in the same spot I'd seen it on Thursday.

I looked around the area for the small orange Red-fingered Anglerfish and eventually found it on a rock a couple of metres towards Big Rock from the rock above Pipefishes Hole.

I continued towards Little Big Rock along the sand line to the rock where the large yellow Red-fingered Anglerfish had spent much time. I had hoped it had made its way back there since I couldn't find it on Thursday. It wasn't there so I headed up the reef to where I'd seen it last Sunday. I then looked on the surrounding rocks but couldn't find it.

I made my way towards the rock where "David", the Pot-bellied Seahorse usually is. I looked closely on one of the rocks before it with the large green sponge that a large orange Red-fingered Anglerfish made its home over a year ago. I had hoped the large yellow Red-fingered Anglerfish had moved there. I couldn't find it.

I looked for "David" on his usual rock and found him on the side of his rock in the purple sponges. I looked around for "Petra", the yellow female Pot-bellied Seahorse, as well as the grey Red-fingered Anglerfish but I could not find them.

I swam on to the basket star, looking for anglerfish on the way. The basket star was on its usual sponge.

I headed down to Diversity Rock and surrounding rocks and looked for the white Red-fingered Anglerfish. It has been a few weeks now since I last saw it.

I continued to the rock where I'd spotted a new orange Red-fingered Anglerfish on Thursday. I initially thought it wasn't there but I was just looking in the wrong spot. It has very dark eyes.

I swam along the reef to the rock where the white male pygmy pipehorse used to be. It wasn't there on Thursday and I couldn't find it again today. I looked for the pink male. He had been there on Thursday but I couldn't find him today.

I headed along the reef towards Big Rock. As I was swimming over the rock where the one-eyed White's seahorse used to be I spotted George's orange Red-fingered Anglerfish. It had moved since Thursday and is getting closer to The Steps each time it moves.

I continued on towards Big Rock, over High Pygmy Rock and on to where I'd last seen the Miamira sinuata nudibranch. I hadn't seen it on Thursday and was hoping it would be here today but it wasn't. I looked around for the small orange Red-fingered Anglerfish I'd seen nearby recently but couldn't fine it.

I swam on to Slope Rock and looked for the salmon Red-fingered Anglerfish. I'd also not been able to find it on Thursday and couldn't find it today. As I was there I spotted Daniela and Sharon. I spent most of the rest of the dive with them.

We swam back along the top of the reef. I pointed out George's orange anglerfish before going on ahead to have another look for the pygmy pipehorses.

When Daniela and Sharon caught up to me at the pygmy pipehorse rock, I continued on to the newest orange anglerfish and pointed it out to them.

We followed the sand line to Little Big Rock and then swam up to "David". I took a few more photographs of him and then pointed him out. I then looked on the rock with the large green sponge again and was pleasantly surprised to see the large yellow Red-fingered Anglerfish. I'd missed it earlier in the dive. I took some photographs and pointed it out to Daniela.

We continued along the top of the reef. I was looking for the other white Red-fingered Anglerfish. We got to Di's Rock and I took some more photographs of the large orange anglerfish and pointed it out to the others.

We headed down towards the sand line and I pointed out the smaller orange anglerfish.

I went to the sand line and looked for the juvenile Weedy Seadragon. I couldn't find it at first but then eventually spotted it in the kelp. I pointed it out to the others.

I was running low on air so I left the others and headed along the sand line to the rock where the other seahorses had been. I then checked the rocks between there and the exit for anglerfish.

I swam to the boulders and ascended to Split Rock and started my safety stop. While I was there, Sharon and Daniela swam up and did their safety stops, too. When I was done, I swam underwater to the exit and got out. Daniela and Sharon got out with me.