Aussie Diving July 2010

[bowlofpetunias]

I've been a bit slack not posting pics here. Busy with other things and not enough diving I guess!

We got out to Bare Island on Sat. We were shocked at the viz.. very little particulate and we had opted for a later than normal start so the ambient temp was better for gearing up and gearing down. We wound up diving so that we exited pretty much on low tide yet the viz was the best we have seen it there in a very long time! We did the Western side and a fairly short dive. Temps were 15 to 16 most of the dive. Not as much fish life as we nomally see.. we didn't even see a blue grouper but I started with only half a tank so we didn't go all the way out to the point.

The hawkfish that took up residence just past seahorse rock are getting quite large.

There were two tiny ones, a small and two slightly larger ones a couple months ago.. now I can only find the two..

 

[Sas]

Nice work petunia, I especially like the squished anemone

Well I've been out diving lots but also been slack with my photos... but here is a few from July.

Bullseyes on the George Kermode (dived this wreck on the weekend, it is located at Phillip Island, we had great viz and calm conditions )

Inside the wreck, there are heaps of spots to penetrate and you can find big cogs, the dredge buckets and all sorts of bits and pieces

Was an early start though Waiting for the sun to rise at San Remo

Haha I thought this baby velvet starfish was adorable

The sand has a mouth :shocked2:

Adorable clingfish

Longing seahorse

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Fantastic shots Sas Are you taking these with the DSP93 the bulls eyes look like they are in an aquarium. I gotta figure out how to get macro like these that clingfish is astounding!

 

[Sas]

Fantastic shots Sas Are you taking these with the DSP93 the bulls eyes look like they are in an aquarium. I gotta figure out how to get macro like these that clingfish is astounding!

I had good viz for all of these which helps

Ok well I have changed my settings for macro. I use 125 F5.6. My friend said I need to let more light in and that is working out for me so far!

 

[bowlofpetunias]

I will have to try that.. next time I dive I will set one camera up that way and the other on my "normal" Manual setting and compare the results... fish will like that.. mean I carry the "spare Camera" and he doesn't heheh

 

[Kern]

Went diving at Nth. Solitary last Sunday. Beautiful day, incredible viz., clouds of juvenile fish, hard & soft corals, &….. teenagers. There were 5 of them on a 7 pack. They were Ok underwater, like puppies going off in different directions, rolling & tumbling away. Only to return in a rush, & repeat the star burst with added enthusiasm, until they ran low on air.

Grump. After 30 mins. we had to come back. They were having too much fun. Then, I was having my soup & a cheese with cracker apéritif. Reached for another; gone, looked over at the sweet biscuits; gone, looked over at the cake; gone. Looked up at 5 fists shovelling matter at a fearful rate into gapping maws. Very disturbing sight.

2nd dive, more perfect stuff. On the trip back in, the lollies came out. I had 1,….. OK, 2. A couple of minutes later, asked Luke where the lollies had gotten too. He was too busy masticating to answer. The 4 faces ranged about his were similar & likewise involved. It was horrible, & yes, you guessed it, Luke is a teenager. Should have known better than to give him the bag in the 1st place. Grump, Grump, Grump.

PS. I think I may have eye strain too.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Oh I love the Solitaries.. been too longs since we were there tho.. Which island is Anenomie Bay?... *sigh*

One of my most memorable dives was the Louge Dive.. going into the "cave/cut" into Split Solitary... It was pumping fairly well... push you along then when it built up.. you grabbed a rock held on and Kicked so you didn't get pulled backwards. Very challenging dive.. glad I did it.... we got most of the way in but not to the end. I learned a lot on that dive. The dive leader said he only took us in there with those conditions because he had dived with us enough over a few years to know our skill levels.

 

[Kern]

You may have missed my point. Possibly I was too subtle. I am often accused of this.

I was in fact trying to bring the evils of teenagers to your attention. They're like a plague, devouring all before it.

Anemone Bay is the most northerly part of Nth. Solitary. It's OK I s'pose, If you like that sort of thing. Probably come away with a headache though, from the eye strain.

Grump, Grump ….. Grump, Grump, Grump.

 

[Sas]

Haha you might have to bring your own food and hide it next time Kern

I got out for a night dive last night at Mornington. We were expecting BAD viz but it was almost 20m! Though it did seem like less due to particles in the water. It was fairly barren for Mornington but I did see a bunch of octopuses, including a blue ring eating a crab! Also saw a fully exposed teribellid, calamari, goblinfish (uncommon), dumpling squid, filefish and lots of seahorses.

I was joined by Michael, another friend Jim and lyricnz, who was the only wetsuit diver amongst us and he lasted 95mins in 10C! Top effort

Calamari

Goblinfish

Bridled Leatherjacket

Teribellid - generally I only see their white tentacles

Blue Ring Octopus eating a crab!

 

[bowlofpetunias]

:consolation: sorry.. I should have responded to your *grump* *grump* a bit more.. just got chasing another frisbee.. my great memories of Solitary Islands.. Did my very first boat dive there..now That was an experience!

We have to be tolerant of teens..... they need all that food to try to stimulate their brains...

Spoiler

but it seldom works