Aussie diving Jan 12th to 19th

[stormysea]

I just had the most fantastic dive. It wasn't the most to see or anything like that but it was so cruisy. I saw sea horses and baby cuttle fish. Octopus and eels. I had such a great time. After over an hour in the water I still came back with over 100 bar! It really was the most fun ever!!

 

[Sas]

Cool to hear you had a great dive I *love* cuttlefish! I don't see that many down here but I was lucky when I went to Sydney as I saw tonnes of baby cuttles at Bare Island when bowlofpetunias + thanksforallthefish took me and my buddy for a dive

I did get to see a cuttlefish last night though and my buddy got one pic before it shyly retreated back into its cave. We went to Mornington Pier and a friend of fish + petunias joined us to check out some diving in Melbourne. Anyway, I had a lot of fun and I have attached a few photos from our dive below taken by my buddy. A few divers before us said the viz was terrible but I thought it was not bad and it was calm underneath.

Think these are yellowtail - there were a lot schooling around the pier.

Pot Belly Seahorse

The shy cuttlefish we saw

A happy blue-ring. Usually I only spot these when they are blue and angry, as they are hard to see without the vivid blue.

Big jelly. This thing looked blue underwater but has shown up red in our photo. Have not seen them around for a while but they have started reappearing lately.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Hey all... I have been waiting for someone to start a new weekly thread. Guess it is me again:blinking:

Fish and I got in a nice muck dive today. I have to admit my favourite dives are when it is just the two of us or Denis and us.... :blinking: It is great to dive with a group but sometimes it gets a bit large and you are trying not to bump into each other.

We did the Landwall today. I really think this dive is under rated by most. It is often poor viz but the terrain is interesting and there are some great little caves and jumbles of boulders that leave spots for the fish to hang out.

There is one spot where there is always a school of Old Wives. I like Old Wives they always remind me of my second dive off course. That was the first time I saw them. I looked at them and thought I was seeing things! Figured I was narc'd. I looked at fish... he didn't seem to think they were unusual. They look to me like someone cut two fish in half and stuck the wrong two halves back together! I just can't get over the two dorsal spines!

We also found a tiny Eastern Cleaner Clingfish. It was so small I had to get fish to put his finger in the frame to help me locate it to take the picture.

The bubble shell was quite large and traveling quite quickly too.

 

[stormysea]

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/australia/268288-aussie-diving-jan-12th-19th.html

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Hey where is everyone? Nobody diving this weekend but us? or is everybody diving and too busy to post?
We decided to do an exploratory dive today and check out the land wall to the north of where we normally dive. We found heaps of fish and quite a bit of colour. Was a very nice relaxing dive. Fish did this dive years ago and wasn't impressed but he was today. I think I would like to do this again. The viz wasn't great but I think it may have been better than out towards the island.

I got pics of five different boxfish for you Sas. One nearly mature, midrange and some small ones. I love their little faces they always seem to be saying "Who Me?" or puckering up for a kiss

 

[bowlofpetunias]

There were quite a number of huge rock cod. The big ones to lazy to move but the small ones too skitish for pics

Found an unusual star for here. A couple of these I just like the colour. I got some video of the schools of Mado, yellowtail, hullafish and a little butterfly fish that was too quick for stills.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

sorry I missed this one stormy:depressed:
I'll see if maybe AW can blend the threads for us. I'll PM her, nice shots Sas.:blinking:

 

[C8X]

Hmm, why not just let one thread spool out eternally like the general "where did you dive today?" discussion? It would make it easy to subscribe, easier to find, and maybe more fun to look back in the history without having to jump through different threads?

I've got a new video (not quite as epic as fish rock cave) but I'm just waiting for my weekly HD quote on vimeo to cycle, otherwise it uploads but without the HD playback option.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Hmm, why not just let one thread spool out eternally like the general "where did you dive today?" discussion? It would make it easy to subscribe, easier to find, and maybe more fun to look back in the history without having to jump through different threads?

I've got a new video (not quite as epic as fish rock cave) but I'm just waiting for my weekly HD quote on vimeo to cycle, otherwise it uploads but without the HD playback option.

We've had a couple "weeks"that lasted a month... got so many pages it got confusing forever one might be a bit much but maybe we could talk to AW about a monthly one? I did PM her but I know she has been really busy so probably hasn't had time... mind you tomorrow is the 19 so I could just rename mine :don'tknow:

We are planning a night dive tomorrow night.

 

[Sas]

A monthly one would be good I think It won't get too long then.

I got some diving in over the weekend. Was supposed to be three dives but we went to the wrong spot for pickup so the boat left without us! We didn't realise that this charter leaves at a different spot to all the others, woops. Anyway, we did the 2nd and 3rd dives we'd planned. A drift dive first - which was awesome! This charter does not require you to stay on a line so it was just me and Paul whizzing along towards Port Phillip Heads. Got a video I will upload to Youtube later.

Then we got to dive Eliza Ramsden wreck (we beat the ships by 2 hours so it was not cancelled for once ) and it was a fun dive - there was a cuttlefish under the bow too I had an awful time with my buoyancy though - it has been a while since I have struggled like that. No idea why...guess was just having a bad day.

Anyway, here are some pics from Paul from the Eliza Ramsden (I was testing out my case to 20m - will do my first dive with my own camera on Thurs )

Enjoy your night dive petunia