Dive Details

Location

Logged dive number

1846

Date

Sunday 29 November 2020

Time

7:35am - 9:47am

Seas

Strong current and surge at times

Visibility

3 to 20 metres

Duration

132 minutes

Surface interval

Maximum depth

22.2 m

Average depth

15.1 m

Water temperature

16.0°C

Dive Profile from Citizen Hyper Aqualand

Tides at Botany Bay AEDT

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

Low

1:59am

0.48m

High

8:28am

1.68m

Low

2:57pm

0.45m

High

8:48pm

1.35m

Details

I decided to dive The Leap today despite the visibility not being great at The Steps yesterday. As it was around 30°C out of the water and had been 18-19°C in the water yesterday, I ditched a layer of undergarments. I also took my tanks and weights down first so I would have to completely don the drysuit until I was close to the entry.

There was some swell with the occasional large wave and the low platform was well underwater due to it only being an hour before high tide so I slid down the wall. I swam out on the surface before descending.

I swam from the entry point to the sand line at around 60° but I had trouble staying on course as there was ridiculous current pushing me to the left. The visibility was only 3-5m, and the water temperature around 18°C. This was similar to yesterday and so I didn’t expect much better. I got to the sand line and it was much the same, other than there was no current. There was a small amount of surge.

I turned left and started on my way along the sand line. I hadn’t gone far when I spotted a Weedy Seadragon which I suspect is female. I took some photographs and continued.

At First Rock I looked around for the make Weedy I often see around there and spotted him. He had the remnants of eggs.

I continued and before I got to Bob & Lucy Rock I came to a curtain of sea jellies. I pushed through the curtain to be greeted by blue water and visibility of 15-20 metres! The only downside was the temperature dropped to 16°C. I slightly regretted ditching that extra layer of undergarments.

I looked for the pygmy pipehorse Brett had spotted a couple of months ago below Bob & Lucy Rock but I could not find it. I did find a male pygmy pipehorse at the other end of Bob & Lucy Rock. I looked for a female but couldn’t see one.

I spotted another male pygmy pipehorse on one of the next rocks and then a pair on one of the rocks after that. I looked for sea spiders but found none.

I continued along the sand line. It was hard going as there was no current to drift with. It almost felt like I was swimming into current but I think it was just the absence of the current that meant I had to swim.

I swam to Ian’s Pygmy Rock and looked for pygmies and sea spiders there but found none. A little further along I spotted a Weedy Seadragon. It was one I often see in that area.

I continued past Seahorse Rock and on to Rosie’s Rock. I spotted the red female pygmy pipehorse first and then her pink partner. I took photographs before moving on.

I swam to the overhang but there were no Weedy Seadragons under it but I then spotted a male with eggs against the rock opposite (away from the shore) the overhang. A little further along I spotted the female that was Clyde’s partner. She had damage to her neck.

I headed out over the rocks to the sand to look for the subadult Weedy that has been there but couldn’t see it so I continued towards Southern Cross Rock. I spotted another Weedy on my way to Southern Cross Rock, perhaps one of the subadults.

I continued past Southern Cross Rock and in to Seadragon Alley. The visibility dropped slightly and was now 10-15 metres. I looked on the rock where I have seen pygmies before and spotted the red female. I looked near her hoping to find a male and found another female. I looked for the white male I’d spotted last Sunday and found him in a similar location to last week. I then looked for Bobby the red male and found him in a bryozoan. As I started to photograph him I spotted a pink female in the bryozoan with him. I looked for sea spiders but couldn’t find any.

I swam to the end of Seadragon Alley. The visibility had dropped to around 10 metres. I spotted another Weedy Seadragon. I looked around the area in the red algae for red Stigs but found none.

I continued on to Big Rock looking for red Stigs in the red algae along the way. I feel I have searched these algae so many times but I keep hoping that some pipefish will show up. The visibility was now around 5 metres.

I swam above Big Rock and then headed along the reef to Long Rock and then the next rock. I looked for the white pygmy pipehorse there but instead found a pale white male. I suspect it is the same one and he has changed colour. I hadn't seen it last weekend. I did see the female last weekend so I looked for her and found her.

I swam up past Sponge Hollow and was almost at the rock with the four pygmies when I noticed some more red algae on the sand line. I swam down and checked it out but found no pipefish.

I ascended to the rock with the four pygmies. I found the pink male first and then the pink female. I looked for the other pair. I had just found the male when Rob, Sean, and Emiko swam up. I pointed out the three I'd seen while looking for the other female. I finally spotted her and pointed her out. I looked around the rocks nearby for the grey Red-fingered Anglerfish but could not find them. If only I'd asked the others as they found them.

I swam over to Ash. They were in the same spot they'd been yesterday. I took some photographs and pointed out Ash to Sean. I looked in the nearby red algae.

I headed up over the sand to the various clumps of red algae to look for pipefish but found none. I came back via the basket star.

I swam on to Skye's Rock checking out the nearby red algae on the way. I found Tiny Tim on the Little Big Rock side of Skye's Rock and Little Richard on the Big Rock side. I then spotted Helen in the white honeycomb sponge below Skye's Rock on the Big Rock side.

I headed over to the rock with the large green sponge. The grey Red-fingered Anglerfish was still there and I took some photographs. Mark was there so I pointed them out to him.

I swam a short way along the reef and then headed out on the sand to look for Weedy Seadragons and pipefish. I found neither.

I headed back to the reef and looked on Lily's Rock. I found the orange Red-fingered Anglerfish in their usual spot. Lily was in the sea tulips not far from the angler and Tom Thumb was in the next sea tulips towards the shore.

I swam to Di's rock and then down to the sand line near Pipefishes Hole. I swam along the sand line to Jodi's Rock. Just after Jodi's Rock I spotted another Weedy Seadragon.

I got to the kelp put from the exit and started to look for Nadiah. I didn't have to look for long as I found her in the kelp.

I headed for the boulders and ascended to Split Rock and started my safety stop. I finished my safety stop and swam underwater to the exit.