Dive at The Steps, Kurnell, NSW on Friday 9 July 2021

Dive Details

Location

Logged dive number

1929

Date

Friday 9 July 2021

Time

7:27am - 9:28am

Seas

Slight current and surge

Visibility

10 to 20 metres

Duration

121 minutes

Surface interval

4 days 18:17 (days hh:mm)

Maximum depth

15.5 m

Average depth

11.9 m

Water temperature

18°C

Dive Profile from Garmin Descent Mk1

Tides at Botany Bay AEST

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

Low

2:06am

0.49m

High

7:54am

1.30m

Low

1:21pm

0.61m

High

8:00pm

1.83m

Details

It has been nearly 2 weeks since I last dived at Kurnell. Last weekend the swell was quite large from the east and we'd dived Bare Island. Tomorrow was going to be big seas again which would probably mean Clifton Gardens. Today might be my only chance to dive at Kurnell. (Little did I know that Greater Sydney would introduce greater restrictions later today that would prevent me from travelling to any dive sites meaning this would be my last dive for some time.)

The forecast for today was quite good with a slight southeasterly swell. I'd heard reports of great visibility yesterday so I was quite excited.

While I was getting ready, Stan, Jason, and George and Paula arrived. I'd be getting in before them but would probably see them at some time during the dive.

I jumped in at the entry point. I got in around 30 minutes before high tide and so didn't surface swim towards Big Rock as we have been doing. I swam straight out on the surface before descending to the edge of the boulders. The visibility was spectacular and I could see all the way to the sand line. It was at least 10 metres and probably around 20 metres. The water temperature was around 18°C. The kelp was moving slightly in the surge.

I headed a little to the left and spotted an adult Weedy Seadragon in just a few minutes. There was a second adult not very far away. Finally, I spotted the juvenile that has been hanging around by the entry.

Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0167). 9.8m.

Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0167). 9.5m.

Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0098). 9.2m.

Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0098). 9.5m.

Juvenile Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0182). 10.8m.

Juvenile Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0182). 11m.

I swam to the sand line and then turned right and swam along the sand line towards Baby's location. I spotted Baby close to their usual location. As I was photographing Baby I noticed George, Paula, and Jason starting their dive.

Sub-adult Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, ("Baby"). 11.1m.

Sub-adult Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, ("Baby"). 11.3m.

I continued along the sand line and came across PJ's baby. That was two adult and three juvenile/sub-adult Weedy Seadragons in the first 15 minutes of the dive.

Juvenile Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, ("PJ's baby"). 11.8m.

Juvenile Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, ("PJ's baby"). 11.4m.

I headed towards Jodi's Rock and stopped at the rock where I have been seeing pygmy pipehorses. I spotted the pink male straight away. He's been there for quite some time. I looked for the female or any others but found none.

Male Sydney Pygmy Pipehorse, Idiotropiscis lumnitzeri. 12.2m.

I swam past Jodi's Rock and headed towards Pipefishes Hole. On the way I spotted an adult Weedy Seadragon.

Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0185). 12.7m.

Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0185). 12.4m.

I looked in Pipefishes Hole but could not see any pipefishes or the reef-goby.

I looked on Noel&Di's Rock and spotted Cam, the Pot-bellied Seahorse, in the sea tulips where he usually is. I looked around the area for Lily but could not see her.

Male Pot-bellied Seahorse, Hippocampus abdominalis, ("Cam"). 11.6m.

I headed up to Di's Rock expecting to see Lily but could not see her there so I headed over to Lily's Rock. I spotted Tom Thumb in the kelp just before Lily's Rock. I looked all around Lily's Rock but could still not see Lily.

Male Pot-bellied Seahorse, Hippocampus abdominalis, ("Tom Thumb"). 11.4m.

I swam back to Di's Rock for another look and spotted Lily there. I'm not sure why I missed her before. Today marked exactly 12 months since I first spotted Lily. She was in the kelp on the sand line perhaps 10 metres from where she is now.

Female Pot-bellied Seahorse, Hippocampus abdominalis, ("Lily"). 10.8m.

Female Pot-bellied Seahorse, Hippocampus abdominalis, ("Lily"). 10.7m.

I headed via Lily's Rock and then diagonally down to the sand line and followed the sand line towards Little Big Rock. I was half expecting to see a Weedy Seadragon but did not see any. I checked the red algae along the way for Red Wide-bodied Pipefish but found none. I also looked for pygmy pipehorses in the rock with the soft coral but could not see them.

I found the Red Pipefish in their usual alga. It is now nearly three months since I first saw them and have been fortunate to see them on every dive here since then. I wonder how long they will be around.

Red Pipefish, Notiocampus ruber. 13.4m.

Red Pipefish, Notiocampus ruber. 13.5m.

I headed up to Skye's Rock. Helen and Little Richard were courting! Little Richard had fully inflated his pouch. I watched them for a while but they didn't swim up into the water column. I looked around for and found Tiny Tim in the sea tulips on the lower rock below Skye's Rock.

Male Pot-bellied Seahorse, Hippocampus abdominalis, ("Little Richard"). 12.1m.

Female Pot-bellied Seahorse, Hippocampus abdominalis, ("Helen"). 11.7m.

Male Pot-bellied Seahorse, Hippocampus abdominalis, ("Tiny Tim"). 12m.

I swam above Little Big Rock and down to the sand line. I started along the sand line towards Big Rock. I hadn't gone far when I spotted an adult Weedy Seadragon. It was the one with the appendage on their snout.

Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0187). 13.7m.

Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0187). 14m.

A little further along the sand line, about in line with the basket start, I spotted another adult Weedy Seadragon, my 8th for the dive.

Male Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0100). 14.2m.

Male Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0100). 14.3m.

I headed up to the basket star, checking the rock where the pink pygmies had been for the pygmy I have been seeing lately but could not find it. I took a couple of photographs of the basket star before heading back to the sand line.

Basket star, Astrosierra amblyconus. 12.9m.

I swam by the red algae where there had been a Red Wide-bodied Pipefish and then started to look for the Bent Stick Pipefish. They weren't where they had been Sunday before last and I was worried they were gone. I kept on looking and eventually found them. I took some photographs and continued on my way towards Big Rock. I hadn't gone far when I spotted Paula and George. I signalled to them and took them back to the Bent Stick Pipefish. I pointed the pipefish out to them and heard them laughing at how big it was.

Bent Stick Pipefish, Trachyrhamphus bicoarctatus. 14.8m.

Bent Stick Pipefish, Trachyrhamphus bicoarctatus. 14.9m.

Bent Stick Pipefish, Trachyrhamphus bicoarctatus. 14.7m.

I continued on my way and saw Jason. I indicated to him that George and Paula were at the large pipefish.

I spotted at the rock where I have been seeing a female pygmy pipehorse in the pink sponge. She was still there and so I took some photographs.

Female Sydney Pygmy Pipehorse, Idiotropiscis lumnitzeri. 14.1m.

I headed to the area where I'd found the new Red Wide-bodied Pipefish on Sunday before last. I was sure I'd originally spotted a male (as I could see a pouch) but all my photographs were of a female. I found the female again and looked all around the area for a male but could not find him. Perhaps I imagined the pouch.

Female Red Wide-body Pipefish, Stigmatopora harastii. 15.4m.

Female Red Wide-body Pipefish, Stigmatopora harastii. 15.3m.

Female Red Wide-body Pipefish, Stigmatopora harastii. 15.4m.

I headed up to the rock next to Big Rock where there has been a female Red Wide-bodied Pipefish for some time. She was there Sunday before last but I could not find her today.

I started on my way back to the Steps but swam along the sand between the reef and the boulders. I spotted a male Weedy Seadragons with brand new eggs. This was the first male I've seen with eggs this breeding season. I'd seen this same male on Sunday before last but he didn't have eggs.

Eggs on the tail of a male Weedy seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0201). 11.5m.

Male Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0201). 11.4m.

Male Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0201). 11.5m.

I continued along the sand and kelp between the reef and boulders looking for more Weedy Seadragons and Red Wide-bodied Pipefish in the red algae. When I got to inline with the basket star I headed down to the sand line.

I swam along the sand line towards Little Big Rock. I saw one of the Weedy Seadragons I'd seen earlier. I looked for the juvenile Weedy Seadragon that has been between Diversity Rock and Little Big Rock but could not spot them.

Male Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0100). 14.5m.

Male Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0100). 14.6m.

I swam up to Skye's Rock and Helen and Little Richard were still courting but there was still no suggestion of egg transfer. Tiny Tim was still in the lower sea tulips.

Pair of Pot-bellied Seahorses, Hippocampus abdominalis, ("Little Richard" and "Helen"). 11.8m.

Male Pot-bellied Seahorse, Hippocampus abdominalis, ("Tiny Tim"). 11.9m.

I checked out the Red Pipefish again.

Red Pipefish, Notiocampus ruber. 13.4m.

I continued along the sand line towards Pipefishes Hole and spotted the Weedy Seadragon with the appendage on their snout. They'd moved from the other side of Little Big Rock.

Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0187). 13.3m.

Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0187). 13.4m.

I looked in Pipefishes Hole and still could not see any pipefishes. I headed up to Di's Rock briefly before coming back to the sand line and continuing.

I swam past Jodi's Rock and spotted at the pink male pygmy pipehorse. I looked again for others but saw none.

Male Sydney Pygmy Pipehorse, Idiotropiscis lumnitzeri. 12.2m.

Just past the pygmy I spotted the adult Weedy I'd seen on the other side of Jodi's Rock earlier in the dive.

Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0185). 11.3m.

Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0185). 12.1m.

I continued along the sand line past the kelp and I spotted a large Eagle Ray swimming by. I saw Baby again near their usual location. I didn't see PJ's baby on the way. I little further along I saw the other juvenile Weedy I'd seen earlier in the dive.

Sub-adult Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, ("Baby"). 10.8m.

Juvenile Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0182). 10.6m.

Juvenile Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0182). 11m.

I looked around the exit for a little longer and spotted the second adult Weedy I'd seen at the start of the dive.

Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0098). 10.2m.

Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, (NSW-0098). 10.1m.

I swam to the boulders and ascended to Split Rock and started my safety stop. As I was doing my safety sop I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I turned to see a seal swimming down to me. It came to within a metre, checked me out and continued on its way into the bay. I didn't have time to take any footage.

I finished my safety stop and swam underwater to the exit. It was calm at the exit and it was easy to get out.

Camera gear

Camera

Nikon D500

Lens

Nikon AF-S Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G ED

Housing

Ikelite 6812.5

Lens port

Ikelite Flat Port 5502.41

Strobe(s)

2 x Ikelite SubStrobe DS161