Aussie Diveing March 1st to 15th, 2010

[bowlofpetunias]

We got a dive in on the weekend which isn't exactly the new month but what the heck.

found a couple Dwarf Lionfish. They look so kewl with their fins swirling like dancer's skirts. One was quite a small juvenile.

here is the baby with my thumb for perspective

I also liked the Eastern Frogmouth who co-operated with me for a change.

Can't wait for the end of the work week and diving with A and BG then Invade the rock

 

[Sas]

Cool pictures as always

I've been slack in posting my pictures of late! Anyway here is a few from the dives I've been up to:

Here is one from the weekend at Flinders Pier - damn thing kept trying to bite my fingers

Cute seaspider I spotted at Phillip Island dive site - I got to dive here for the first time last week and I don't know why I waited so long! It is no extra to drive and we had excellent viz (25m) and prolific sealife. The charter down there Rusthunters, is also very good, comfy boat, etc. In the morning we dived George Kermode wreck and I got to check out the inside of the wreck, very squeezy in spots so quite fun. But I didn't bring my camera.

A draughtboard shark we spotted doing our stop - only a tiny spot but I like this shot

Long snout boarfish on a midweek night dive

Jellyfish guts

These worms were disgusting! They would swim out at us whenever I shone my light on something and then break into smaller worms!!!! I would get freaked out and wack them with my torch, then they would explode! This one wriggled around madly whilst slowly disintegrating - so weird.

My buddy likes making these into lanterns

 

[Sas]

I thought I'd post a seperate thing too about the Canberra dive I did with burna and Michael. We organised a few of us to go diving on the Canberra and had nice conditions Rough on the surface, and surge in the wreck but I think we could have had it a lot worse given other stories I've been hearing. There is a fair bit of algae on the outside but not heaps inside, and not much fish life yet but still an interesting dive. It was nice to dive it with my twins now as I got to do a 70min run time The others brought ponies so we could all go inside (redundant air is required for the dive).

Here is Michael near one of the towers

burna inside the bridge

Michael in front of a control panel

Looking down a passage

Very deep and dark hole I found on top of the wreck but I was already in deco so could not check it out this time

The only fish I saw, lonely critters they must be

I did not make it back to the correct mooring and happened to pick the furtherest one from my boat unfortunately I knew it was the wrong one but figured it was not too long of a swim (and it wasn't). I couldn't actually watch the mooring line when doing my stops as it was bouncing around madly and was throwing my perception out so I just watch my computer!

Anyway, I have done three dives on it now so probably won't do it again for a while - not until it has some more critters on it as well as growth

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Brilliant shots Sas... I love the dramatic impact of the ones all black but for the head or side of the fish.. lovely!

 

[Sas]

Brilliant shots Sas... I love the dramatic impact of the ones all black but for the head or side of the fish.. lovely!

Thanks! Haha it is so dark because it had heaps of backscatter on the original and then I turned up the 'Shadow' effect in Picasa... and decided I liked it!

Here's the original (I like to see before and afters myself to get ideas for postprocessing so thought I'd post it, though don't have time to match sizing atm)

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Kewl trick not sure if PS has that effect or I haven't found it and worked out how to use it yet... file that one away!

 

[Gudge]

We managed to get out for one dive today and once again it was back to Bundegi Reef again. The weather has to improve soon! I was using my 60 macro lens again, here's my favourite shots from the dive:

Blue Damselfish swooping in on his lunch:

Sweetlips portrait:

Hypselodoris bullockii:

The Bigeye Trevally were still hanging around:

And a Flatworm to finish:

 

[bowlofpetunias]

lovely shots as usual Gudge:worship:

 

[Gudge]

We got out for just one dive again today,being our 24th Wedding Anniversary I was hoping for something special but the weather forced us back to Bundegi Reef yet again. I have plans for something much better for our 25th next year!

Just to break the monotony of Bundegi (it really is a very nice dive but you can have too much of a good thing) I used my Tokina 35mm macro lens. I really should use this lens more it is a great lens for larger fish and is tack sharp. Here's four of my favourite shots from the dive:

Tuskfish that liked looking at itself in the port:

Sweetlips:

Morodilla brockii snorting up a line of eggs from another species of nudibranch:

Half-circled Angelfish:

 

[Gudge]

We got two more dives in over the weekend on Bundegi Reef. This is getting ridiculous out of the 17 dives we've got in so far this year 15 have been on Bundegi Reef! The weather's got to get better and back to normal soon. I used the 60 macro lens for both dives and here's a few of my favourites:

Portrait of a Whiptail:

Lumpy bumpy nudi:

Leopard Blenny having a roar:

Half-circled Angelfish:

Trio of squid just under the surface (I was actually hanging on to our boat when I took this):

Coral Trout:

Triplefin:

Butterflyfish:

Another nudi: