Dive Details

Location

Logged dive number

1808

Date

Saturday 25 July 2020

Time

9:23am - 11:56am

Buddy

Cody Sheridan, Nicolas Remy

Seas

Moderate current and slight surge

Visibility

10 to 15 metres

Duration

152 minutes

Surface interval

Maximum depth

21.5 m

Average depth

14.1 m

Water temperature

16.6°C

Dive Profile from Citizen Hyper Aqualand

Tides at Botany Bay AEST

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

Low

5:49am

0.31m

High

12:00pm

1.49m

Low

5:45pm

0.54m

Details

Today Cody and I planned a long dive at The Leap. I would us my twin 10.5L and he would sidemount with 2x10.5L tanks. He invited his friend, Keren, who was also sidemounting with 2x10.5L tanks. Nicolas joined us as well on his rebreather. While we were getting ready, we were chatting with two other divers, Thierry and Sarah. They were diving with twin 12.2L tanks and were asking about pygmy pipehorses so I invited them to join us so I could point a few out to them.

Conditions looked great with calm seas and I'd had 15m visibility yesterday and Thursday. This was my first dive at The Leap since the last east coast low hit and it would be interesting if there was any damage and what was still around.

The six of us jumped in and swam put on the surface. When we were all ready, we descended and swam at around 70° towards the sand line. I had to go at 70° rather then the usual 50° because the current was quite strong. We arrived in the amphitheatre. Visibility was at least 15 metres although it was quite dark because of the overcast conditions. The water temperature was between 16 and 17°C. There was moderate current and slight surge. We turned left and headed towards The Steps.

Just past First Rock I encountered a male Weedy Seadragon that is normally in that location. I was quite surprised it had not moved after the last bout of rough seas. I was also pleased to see he had eggs. He hadn't had eggs when I last saw him two weeks ago.

I continued a short way before Nico called me back quite some way to show me a sea spider he'd found. Thierry was photographing it and I had a go after he was done. Nico had also found two sea spiders together but I missed them.

I headed along the sand line looking for more sea spiders and Weedy Seadragons. I was looking on the rock next to Ian's Pygmy Rock when I spotted a sea spider, then a second one and finally a third, all within close proximity to each other. I pointed them out to Nico.

I normally see a Weedy Seadragon between Ian's Pygmy Rock and Seahorse Rock so I looked more carefully as I continued. I spotted it in its usual area.

I continued on to Rosie's Rock to look for the two pygmies there. I found the cryptic male first and then the red female. It was like they had barely moved from where I saw them two weeks ago. It was like there was no rough seas, other than the complete absence of snot algae. I pointed them out to Nico and Thierry.

I drifted with the current to the overhang hoping to see the large juvenile Weedy Seadragon. It was not there. Clyde's female was under the overhang. This reminded me that I still haven't seen Clyde since the east coast low in February but most of the other weedies have still been around.

I looked around the area for the juvenile or any other weedies but found none.

I continued drifting with the current which was strong enough to move me along without the need to swim. I drifted to Southern Cross Rock and looked on the side for pygmies but found none. I spotted a Reaper Cuttlefish on the next rock.

I drifted into Seadragon Alley. I looked for the little red pygmy I have seen frequently of late. I took some photographs and waited for the others to catch up. I noticed a nearby Weedy Seadragon. I showed the pygmy to Keren and Nico and waited a bit more for Thierry and Sarah but they never showed.

The current was still flowing so I was able to drift without swimming out of Seadragon Alley. Just after Seadragon Alley I looked for the male Weedy Seadragon with the chopped appendages. He was in his usual spot and still has eggs.

I hadn't gone very far past the male weedy with eggs when I came on another Weedy Seadragon. This one appears to be a male but he didn't have any eggs.

Near Big Rock I found yet another male Weedy Seadragon and this one had eggs.

I drifted on past Slope Rock and Long Rock and looked on the next rock for the two pygmies I'd seen on Thursday. There was the smaller cryptic male and the larger red-brown male that used to be higher up the rock. I took photographs of them and pointed them out to Cody and Nico. Thierry and Sarah swam up and I pointed out the pygmies.

I headed to the next rock and the whitish male pygmy and pinkish female. I photographed them and pointed them out to Thierry. I looked for the pygmy that had been on the flat rock next to the one I'd just been on but couldn't find it. I hadn't found it on Thursday either.

I drifted towards the small black Painted Anglerfish. I spotted a small Green Moray on the way. The anglerfish had moved slightly from Thursday but was still on the same rock. I showed it to Nico and Cody.

I continued on to the pair of pinkish pygmies. I found the new male straight away and had to search a bit for the female but I eventually found her.

I headed up to "Ash" the black Painted Anglerfish. Keren had found it and was taking photographs. After she had finished I took some photographs.

I swam back to the small black Painted Anglerfish in the hope of showing it to Thierry and Sarah but they were already heading for the exit.

I headed to the Red Wide-bodied Pipefish. On the way I checked the alga where the solitary male had been before the storm. It hadn't shown up again. Up at the big algal cluster I found the female Red Wide-bodied Pipefish. I looked for a male but couldn't see it. I took some photographs and then went looking for Cody and Nico so I could show them. They were near "Ash" so I beckoned them to follow me and I pointed out the pipefish.

I went back to "Ash" for some more photographs and then swam on to Skye's Rock via the basket star. "Helen", the yellow Pot-bellied Seahorse I'd found on Thursday was still in the same sea tulips.

I started looking around the area for Red-fingered Anglerfish and then I spotted Ves and took her to show her "Helen". I continued my search for anglers when I spotted Daniela and Mandy and told them I'd show them the small black angler. The route to the angler took me past the pair of pinkish pygmies. As I swam over I indicated there were two pygmies there. When I got to the rock with the black angler I realised they had misunderstood me and were looking on the rock with pygmies for the angler. I had to go back and get them.

After pointing out the angler I headed back to Skye's rock. Saw Helen for one last time and then continued towards Di's Rock looking for Red-fingered Anglerfish.

From Di's Rock I headed down to the kelp near Pipefishes Hollow. This is the area that "Teardrop", the Weedy Seadragon normally hangs out. He wasn't there on Thursday and in fact was up near the exit. I thought I'd check out the kelp anyway and to my surprise he was back there. He must have been swept up to near the exit in the storm and made his way back since Thursday. He still has eggs which are just over 6 weeks old. (He didn't have eggs on 11 June but did on 13 June so probably acquired them on 12 June).

I swam along the sand line (there was no current now as it was almost high tide) to Jodi's Rock. I swam over Jodi's Rock and spotted a small octopus.

I continued through the kelp to the rocks in front of the exit. I was surprised to find another Weedy Seadragon. It was the female with a blemish on her left flank.

I checked the rock in front of the exit where Natalia spotted the small orange Painted Anglerfish but still couldn't find it.

I swam to the boulders and ascended to Split Rock and started my safety stop. While I was there Mandy, Daniela, Sharon and Mark swam up and started their safety stops. I finished my safety stop and swam underwater to the exit.