Dive Details

Location

Logged dive number

1857

Date

Tuesday 29 December 2020

Time

7:31am - 9:36am

Seas

Slight current and surge

Visibility

10 to 15 metres

Duration

125 minutes

Surface interval

Maximum depth

14.9 m

Average depth

12.1 m

Water temperature

19.3°C

Dive Profile from Citizen Hyper Aqualand

Tides at Botany Bay AEDT

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

Low

2:01am

0.53m

High

8:37am

1.75m

Low

3:19pm

0.41m

High

9:09pm

1.28m

Details

George and family were already at The Steps when I got there. More arrived while I was getting ready. It was going to be quite busy in the water.

I geared up quickly and and jumped into the water just behind George and family. The next bunch of divers were probably 10 or more minutes behind me. I swam out on the surface and saw George et al below me as I descended. The visibility was still over 10 metres. The water temperature was around 19°C. There was no current and barely any surge.

I started to look around the kelp for Nadiah, Phil, or any Weedy Seadragons. I checked the kelp closest to the sand line and spotted Nadiah. I took some photographs and looked around for Phil but could not find him. I did one more sweep before heading off along the sand line.

I had not gone far when I spotted a pink female pygmy pipehorse on a rock on the sand. I have never seen any here before. I looked around for a male but could not find one.

I continued past Jodi's Rock. As I do on most dives, I checked out the red algae on the sand just past Jodi's Rock. I found nothing in the first few clumps but was pleasantly surprised to find a Red Wide-bodied Pipefish in one of the clumps. I looked closely and saw it was a female. I was so glad to finally find one after 4 months.

I followed the sand line to Pipefishes Hole. I made sure I had the camera ready in case one or both Sawtooth Pipefish were visible. The hole was full of mysids. There were no pipefish in the entrance but when I looked into the hole I noticed one of the pipefish on the side of the hole. I tried to get some photographs but the mysids made it difficult. I swam on to the kelp just past Pipefishes Hole and spotted a Weedy Seadragon.

I headed up to Lily's Rock and did a lap of the rock. I initially couldn't see any of the seahorses and then I spotted Tom Thumb in the middle sea tulips. I looked in the kelp for Lily but could not find her. As I was at Lily's Rock I saw some other divers approaching from The Steps as well as George, et al, heading back to The Steps.

I dropped to the sand line and headed towards Little Big Rock. I looked for organisms on the rocks on the way. I stopped at the rock where I have been seeing the grey Red-fingered Anglerfish. They was not where it had been yesterday and previous days. I was about to give up when I spotted them hiding behind a sponge. While I was there, two other divers swam up so I pointed out the anglerfish to them.

I continued along the sand line to the rock where I had found a new pair of pygmy pipehorses yesterday. I spotted the pink male almost immediately. It took me a little longer to find the more cryptic female. The same two divers caught up to me so I pointed the pygmy pipehorses out to them.

I swam the short distance to Little Big Rock and then turned up towards Skye's Rock. I spotted the male Weedy Seadragon next to the kelp and took some photographs before heading up to the seahorses at Skye's Rock.

I spotted Tiny Tim in the grey sponge on the lower rock, Little Richard was in the sea tulips midway up on the eastern corner and Helen was in the sea tulips at the bottom of the eastern corner.

I headed down to Little Big Rock and then along the sand line looking for the Weedy Seadragon from the last couple of days. I couldn't see it. Could it have been the one near Pipefishes Hole? I'll have to check my photographs to see.

I swam to the rock where I'd found three pygmy pipehorses (a pair and a juvenile) and a sea spider yesterday. I found the pair quite quickly. I also found the sea spider but I was not able to find the juvenile again.

I headed to the basket star, checking for pygmy pipehorses as I went. I also dropped down to find the Nembrotha purpureolineata nudibranch which was on the same rock it has been the last few days.

I swam over to the rock with the pair of white pygmies. They were in the same spots I'd seen them yesterday. I checked the rock above but was still only able to find the dark female. I could not find the large rainbow male or the small grey male I'd found on Saturday.

I headed along the reef in the direction of Big Rock. I stopped at the rock where I'd found a pair of pygmies on Sunday. I found the male first and then the female.

As I continued I looked for more pygmies. I found a male on one of the next rocks. I looked around for a female but could not find one. A little further along I found a tiny pink juvenile female pygmy. Just after Sponge Hollow I found another tiny juvenile female. I was on a roll today!

I looked on the rock just before Long Rock. I was hoping the whiteish male pygmy had reappeared but I could not find it. I found female.

I retraced my steps on the way back visiting the two tiny juvenile females. PJ and Jacki swam up and I pointed out the tiny pink juvenile. I also revisited the solitary male I'd just found and also spotted an Elysia sp. sea slug. I visited the pair of pygmies Mandy and I found on Sunday.

I spotted a Weedy Seadragon down near the sand and dropped down to photograph it. I revisited the pair of white pygmies and the dark female on the next rock.

I made my way back towards Little Big Rock looking for more pygmies on the way. I got to the large flat rock with the sea spider and pair of pygmies. I spotted the sea spider and pygmies and had another look for the tiny juvenile from yesterday but could not find it.

I revisited the seahorses. There were some other divers there but I managed to get more photographs of the seahorses.

I revisited the pink male pygmy just on the Steps side of Little Big Rock. I looked for the female but could not find her. I also stopped at the grey Red-fingered Anglerfish for a few more photographs. PJ and Jacki were right there so I pointed it out.

I swam up to Lily's Rock. Tom Thumb was still in the sea tulips. I hunted around fro Lily but could not find her. (I found out after the dive that another diver spotted her on the next rock towards Little Big Rock. I must remember to look there tomorrow.)

I dropped down to Pipefishes Hole. I looked in and saw one of the Sawtooth Pipefish and took some photographs. Turns out there were two in there.

I swam along the sand line to the alga where I'd found the female Red Wide-bodied Pipefish on my way at the start of the dive. She was still there. I took some photographs and then noticed PJ lurking. I pointed her out to him but asked him not to reveal her location.

I continued past Jodi's Rock and on to the new pygmy I'd found at the start of the dive. She was still there. I looked again for a male but could not find one.

I followed the kelp along and checked for Nadiah and Phil again but saw neither of them not any more Weedy Seadragons. I stayed on the sand an skirted the edge of the kelp as it curved around. I then headed for the boulders.

I ascended to Split Rock and started my safety stop. I finished my safety stop and swam underwater for the exit. I got a bit lost and had to backtrack to find the correct path. I got out at The Steps and it was an easy exit.