Cancelled boat dive again due to large rolling swell. Good to dive after 3 weeks without a dive. Not bad visibility. Went from Plunge across to chain and followed all arms. A few tropical species, but no anglerfish or batfish (see here during the week). A few moray eels, some pufferfish, cuttlefish. Huge numbers of yellowtail and mado at the wrecks. Thousands of nice whiting between wharf and the refuelling wharf. Nice dive. Visibility fair.

Yeah, actually got to take the boat out. Went to this site as we thought it may have better viz. Turns out all sites probably had good viz. Huge amounts of seapike and yellowtail, two eastern blue devilfish, some saw a wobbegong. We also saw a six spined leatherjacket. No wind and no current. A very good dive. Visibility good.

Again, too rough to take boat out. No sea horses on net, but one in front. Headed deeper and then over to moorings. Lots of fish around, some nice whiting, seapike and luderick. Back to net. Visibility fair.

Outflowing tide, went E for 30 mins and then back. No sea dragons, many purple dragons, some with eggs. Also some other interesting nudibranchs. Reasonable fishlife. Nothing real special. Nice easy dive. Visibility fair.

Club boat dive, 3 boats. Calm seas and excellent run down. A seal swam around the boats for at least 20 mins after we anchored. Les forgot his fins at home so had to use mine. Slight current from N and wind from W. Two Moorish idols, at least a dozen Gunthers butterflyfish, a huge ray with the longest tail I have ever seen, lots of other fish. Visibility good.

Tried to do the Tuggerah but very strong current there (the boat was moving at over 4 km/h). Decided to go to the Undola. Still a strong current, but nowhere as strong. Took almost 5 mins to get to the bottom compared to less than 2 mins normally. Lots of fish, all the way to the surface. Lots of dead bailer shells. The steering arm has broken off and fallen down. Only did a short bottom time (14 mins) as I did not want to hang on for too long in current and wanted to be back on boat in case the anchor came free. Only had to do 3 mins deco. Hard but good dive. Visibility fair.

Again too big seas with long period to take the boat out. Went in right at the correct time, but tide was running out all dive. Strange. A couple of dwarf firefish, small wobbegong shark, Kelly found 6 opera house nudibranchs, a very friendly moray eel, 2 frogfish, lots of whiting in shallows, a few small cuttlefish and some octopus out in open. Not many here. Visibility poor, but okay considering.

More people diving here than I have ever seen. Today the tide worked as it should. A little bit dirtier than yesterday. A small wobbgong (different location to yesterday), some octopus, moray eel, luderick on wall, opera house nudis, frogfish, dozens of whiting shallow again. Nice easy dive. Visibility poor.

Again, huge seas so cancelled dive on SS Kelloe. Nine members dived here, went out to chain and buoy. This has changed, appears chain has been lifted and put back. Ended up at the wrecks without knowing. Then to buoy and up each arm before back to wharf. Huge numbers of holes in net, could fit a great white through! Saw a number of sea horses, octopus, tropicals, cuttlefish and more. Was reasonable visibility considering was almost low tide. Visibility poor.

Huge seas but only a bit getting into here. Had to take care getting in and out, but not too bad. Seven members diving. Kelly and I went E into incoming tide. Saw first sea dragon here for a year or so. Nothing extra special other than that, although the others who drifted W to Monuments saw a turtle. Visibility fair.

Still huge seas, cancelled club boat dive. 12 of us went diving here. Visibility amazingly good, up to 10 to 15 m in spots. Gary D found a black striped anglerfish off net. I did not see any sea horses, only one seen by others. Went to 20 m and saw a few rays and numbrays. Back via moorings, one dead numbray. Back in the shallows huge numbers of luderick, seapike and more. Nice dive. Very cold in shallows, 14C, but 16C most of dive. Visibility good.

22 June 2011 - Barrens Hut/The Split
Raging W wind, 20 kts gusting to 30 kts. However, seas in close relatively calm. Took a few goes to anchor and then came out while first lot down. Had to do a live pick of them and reanchor. Warm water compared to air (18C) and very clean. Could see boat from 20 m. Saw the 2 upsidedown pipefish and 4 Gunthers butterflyfish and a large bullray. All the normal red morwongs and bastard trumpeters. A very nice dive. My first use of home made Nitrox, 32%. Could have stayed a lot longer but getting cold and also did not want to stay out here longer in the wind. Visibility very good.

23 June 2011 - Oak Park
First Club night dive since 14 April. Glad to get some nice weather. Flat seas, 17C water, 10 to 15m viz, excellent considering almost low tide make for an enjoyable dive. Even better, lots to see, including a dwarf firefish, an eastern blue devilfish, at least a dozen huge cuttlefish, a pale looking "fusiler", an interesting small shellfish and a strange decorator crab. Visibility good.

First time been able to take boat out on weekend for 5 weeks. Almost perfect conditions, sunny, calm and clean warm water. Due to Yowie Bay ramp and wharf being rebuilt, went from Botany Bay. Excellent colour here, as well as many one-spot pullers, black reef leatherjackets and two easthern blue devilfish. Visibility very good.

Used rest of air from first dive to dive sharks. About 8 grey nurse sharks at main cave, another 8 at the smaller cave. I suspect at least 20 sharks all up. As normal, all females and juveniles. A couple of very large females. Also two short-finned bannerfish in main cave. ProDive put 20 divers in the water at same time as we arrived. Disaster! Visibility very good.

Club dive. OVer 20 attending. Went SE as normal but most went in at the crack and W then S and then to pool. We got to 20 m and then followed reef edge N and E till 25 m. Then W and ended up following the crack back to shore and out at point. Nothing special seen, but a very nice dive. Visibility very good. 

30 June 2011 - Bare Island Isolated Reefs
Club night dive. Had to go off rocks before pool as too rough on W point. Found an admiralty anchor just past the flat reef W of sharks fin. Where the hell did this come from? Went along N side of IR1 then to IR2 and back on S side. No sea dragons, but a dozen dwarf firefish, heaps of largish flathead, a few octopus and cuttlefish. Also refound the Whites seahorses (yellow and whitish) W of Sea Horse Point. Some nudibranchs we have never seen before and "opera house" and Vercos Tamja. Excellent dive. Visibility good.

For more details about these dives and other dives this year, click here