Dive Details

Location

Logged dive number

1748

Date

Saturday 8 February 2020

Time

8:31am - 10:11am

Seas

Some surge

Visibility

1 to 3 metres

Duration

100 minutes

Surface interval

Maximum depth

14.9 m

Average depth

11.1 m

Water temperature

16.4°C

Dive Profile from Citizen Hyper Aqualand

Tides at Botany Bay AEDT

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

Low

1:49am

0.46m

High

8:23am

1.88m

Low

3:05pm

0.26m

High

9:01pm

1.40m

Details

I just can't take a break! After being limited to 1 dive on each of the last two weekends due to a cold, this weekend there are huge seas, especially tomorrow. This means I'd only get the one dive and it wasn't going to be all that good.

There was a large easterly swell and heavy rain. This ruled out all the ocean sites other than Bare Island. Clifton Gardens would be a possibility but I suspected the rain would have ruined the visibility. I settled for Bare Island.

When I arrived it was a lot rougher than I expected. The eastern side was being smashed even though it should be protected by Henry Head and Cape Banks. The western side of the island was also seeing some wave action. The northern side wasn't too bad although with the very high tide the water covered the rocks. There were a few other divers gearing up so I wasn't the only silly one.

I geared up and walked to the northern side of the island. I waded out near Carol's plaque and stepped into the water. It was actually an easy entry, probably because the tide was so high. I swam out on the surface before descending to the sand next to the kelp. The visibility was only 1 to 2 metres and the water temperature around 17°C. I was glad I was in my drysuit. There was quite a lot of surge.

I swam along the sand in a westerly direction with the kelp to my left. I was looking for the outboard motor to then go up over the shelf. I never found it. I ended up swimming past where it should have been. I turned south and headed to the boulders before turning west again.

I headed down the slope to the rocks with the sea tulips. I swam over to the third rock to look for the pygmy pipehorses I have seen there on my last dives. I wasn't able to find any of the previous ones but I did find a new small female (IL2020020801). Photography was a little difficult due to the surge. I looked for other pygmies but found none.

I continued down the slope, checking all the rocks I have previously seen pygmies. I looked on the rock above where Kim had shown me a pair of Upside-down Pipefish a few years ago as this has been a good rock for pygmies but I found none. I then checked the nearby rock (the one with the Coscinaraea mcneilli colony) and I spotted a yellow shrimp. I have never seen this species before. I took some photographs and then it jumped onto my camera housing. I put my gloved hand near it and it crawled on to my glove. I took some photographs of it there and then moved it back to the rock.

I followed the slope down to Juvy Rock, looking for pygmies on the way. I looked in the orange finger sponge at the base of Juvy Rock and spotted a Dwarf Lionfish. I looked on Juvy Rock for pygmies but found none.

I continued to the ship shaped rock and look for the chocolate coloured male pygmy. I couldn't find him but I did find a cryptic female (IL2020020802) I have not seen before.

I followed the reef around in front of the caves. I spotted a small reddish nudibranch (that Kim says is Rostanga sp.) in a cup sponge. I then spotted another dwarf lionfish in another orange finger sponge.

I headed along the reef to the west to the spot where Greg showed me the pair of Upside-down Pipefish late last year. Today I was able to find them but with all the particulate matter in the water it was almost impossible to photograph them as the camera would focus hunt.

I looked around the area for pygmy pipehorses before turning and heading east again. I swam back past the caves and on the the ship shaped rock. I looked for the chocolate coloured male pygmy again but only found the cryptic female.

I headed up the slope and looked for the yellow shrimp where I'd left it on the rock. I couldn't find it.

I continued to the rocks with sea tulips and looked on the third rock again. I found the small female pygmy again. I looked for more but couldn't find any.

I headed to the top of the slope and then around in front of the boulders. I continued to the ledge and noticed the outboard motor was no longer there. No wonder I couldn't find it.

I started my safety stop as I swam to the exit. I finished my safety stop and swam to the rocks. I got out near Carol's plaque.