Previous Dive Reports!!

Visibility Report

The Visibility at South Solitary was an overcast 20m+, if the sun had come out it would have been 30m at least.

Water Temperature

Water temp is 25C, with a few cooler patches.
Maybe it isn't time to break out the 3mm suit!!

Sea Conditions

A light Southwest breeze with less than 1m swells and only a slight surface current.

What we saw out there today!

Shark city on the first dive, with more than 15 Grey Nurse Sharks at Manta Arch alone. Three Eagle Rays cruised by very gracefully. Cleaner Station was full of schooling Sweep, Surgeonfish and a big lone Black Cod hanging around the mooring line. A pretty big Spanish Dancer flopped down at the base of the mooring as we were ending the dive. We have been seeing a lot of Spanish Dancers recently and there are quite a few eggs scattered about.
Dive two was spent around Shark Gutters and Boulder Wall where a fair sized Loggerhead started the dive, starting to see a lot of Wobbygongs again after a spell of rare sightings. A couple of Octopus and a Cuttlefish around Shark Gutters. Boulder Wall is still heaving with schooling fish and a small Hawksbill Turtle played around them. Heaps of Black spotted Goatfish and Stripey's. A couple of great dives.

Visibility Report

The Visibility at South Solitary has picked up even further to 30 plus metres vis on another day with some great diving.

Water Temperature

Water temp climbed again up to 26C!
Break out the 3mm suit!!

Sea Conditions

A light Northwest to Northeast wind with a 1/2m swell. The northern end of the Island was great even with the light wind, a north easterly breeze again freshened up for the trip home.

What we saw out there today!

With Visibility like we had today, it was a question of what we didn't see!!
Big Black Cod everywhere, Octopus all over the place still, Spanish Dancers, Eagle rays, turtles, large school of silver trevally.
Then all the local fish were there. The biggest school of Happy Moments went by the divers and seemed to go on for ever. There have been so many schooling fish over the last month or so, there is certainly no shortage of things to see. Unbelievable visibility, when you can see one mooring from the other, you know that the vis is good!
The forecast for the week ahead is fantastic, with the great vis and warm water you really should come out for a dive!!

Visibility Report

The Visibility at South Solitary has dropped a tad to 15m with a few particles in the water.

Water Temperature

Water temp is also down at 23/24C!

Sea Conditions

A 12-15kn NE wind with a 1m swell on the northern end of the Island, a lot flatter at the southern end.

What we saw out there today!

Dive one was a one way dive from Manta Arch around to Cleaner Station, about 12 Grey Nurse at the Arch and still quite a few Black Cod and Blue Groupers. No Manta Ray today, unfortunately. A big Loggerhead was hanging around on the surface getiing a breath of fresh air and then swam down to show himself to the divers. Still lots of Moray Eels around and an Eagle Ray swooping around Manta Arch.
Dive two was spent around Buchanans Wall and Cable Trail, lots of Wobbygongs and Octopus, a huge school of Surgeonfish were around the northern end of Buchanans Wall. Quite a few Snapper and Kingfish. Still have schooling fish everywhere.

Visibility Report

The Visibility at South Solitary is back up to a nice 25m around Manta Arch, but down to 20m around The Gantry.

Water Temperature

Water temp is holding still at 25/26C!

Sea Conditions

A 5kn SW tickle with 1m swells. No current today.

What we saw out there today!

Dive one was started at Shark Gutters through Cleaner Station to Manta Arch and back again. Found a Lionfish, which we have not been seeing many of since the big storms last March. Twenty eight Grey Nurse all at the Arch, it was that crowded with sharks we couldn't get through the Arch! Still a lot of schooling fish everywhere and a lot of Blue Grouper around. A big Marbled Bull Ray was hanging around Cleaner Station and we are still seeing a lot of Moray Eels and Octopus. A very good dive.
Dive two was a one way dive from Shark Gutters to The Gantry (no current, so I can't call it a drift). Three Eagle Rays that seemed to swim along the top of Boulder Wall then swooped down and swam back along the bottom, continuously. Also a reported sighting of a Manta Ray, but not a real close look. Saw a Green Turtle nibbling a big Blubber Jellyfish in the shallows at The Gantry and another Eagle Ray. Again, schooling fish everywhere. Have not been seeing too many smaller Nudibranchs, but we do seem to have a fair few Spanish Dancers.

Date: Sunday 21th March 2010.... Happy Birthday Vicky!

Visibility Report

The Visibility at South Solitary was down a bit on yesterday at around 15-20mtrs still very good conditions tho'.

Water Temperature

Water temp is holding still at 25/26C! just lovely..again !

Sea Conditions

A NW breeze of up to 10 knots made the surface conditions rough at first, but as the morning went on the wind settled and swung around and the western side of the island was very nice. The swell is still coming in from the north, however, not a really any problem to us. The current running south again, but slow accross the Boulder wall.

What we saw out there today!

Dive one was on the Northern end for some of our crew, Lots of Big Black Cod out swimming mid-water with less current, and Scooter the shovelnose was around again, along with some big Snapper, a few turtles, and even some small cuttlefish. We are noticing a lot more octopi around, a worry if their numbers are building due to predator depletion!
Dive two saw Moray eels out and about more than usual, a Pinapple fish was seen, quite uncommon here and no photo to show you!
Two very good dives with so much activity and great diving conditions, hope it stays like this for Easter!

Date: Saturday 20th March 2010....

Visibility Report

The Visibility at South Solitary varies a bit and started with 25m at Buchanans Wall and about 20m and a little bit milky at the Northern end, by the last dive.

Water Temperature

Water temp is holding at 25/26C! Just great!

Sea Conditions

A slight NW breeze chopped up the surface a bit but was very nice, as the day went on it dropped away and swung to the NE on the way home. A solid swell coming in from the north, effects of the Cyclone up there, however, not a problem to us with a long break between the swells. A 1.5kn current running south again at the start of the day, that slowed off by the drift dive in dive two today.

What we saw out there today!

Really nice diving today, a lovely day!
Dive one was spent between Buchanan's wall and the Gantry to find a Manta, but not today, great vis with truckloads of fish all the way to the surface, a few Octopi and I noticed a colony of Clownfish developing around the halfway mark to the gantry looking a lot like North Solitary.
Second up was a drift from Boulder wall to the Gantry. Boulder Wall was loaded with schooling fish and a great little hawksbill turtle. Getting close to the gantry we spotted scooter and another Shoevelnose ray.
Another divegroup on our boat dived the Manta Arch on the first dive, with 30 Grey Nurse sharks under the Arch, vis down a bit there, back to 15 mtrs, and a couple of turtles in the gap thru to the gantry. Dive two they saw a large Eagle Ray cruising with a huge Marble ray with a long tail.

Date: Friday 19th March 2010....

Visibility Report

The Visibility at South Solitary is down a touch at 20m.

Water Temperature

Water temp is holding at 25/26C!

Sea Conditions

Even less breeze than yesterday, less than 5kn SW and a 1m swell. A 1.5kn current running south.

What we saw out there today!

This report is a day late, sorry.
Deb and I were on Birthday dives and they were fantastic.
First up was Shark Gutters to Manta Arch and then we shot the Gap around to The Gantry. Twenty plus Grey Nurse Sharks, all crowded around the Arch. A couple of Turtles, one in the Gap and a huge Spanish Dancer lolling around. Heaps of schooling fish everywhere and some pretty big Kingfish in the current. No Manta Rays!
Second up was a drift from Cleaner Station to Buchanans Wall. As soon as we jumped in two Eagle Rays glided past and a small Green Turtle. Boulder Wall was jam packed full of schooling fish and a few Black Cod. Five Octopus on the one dive and lots of Moray Eels, a couple of them having a bit of a swim. As we passed The Gantry there it was, MANTA RAY!
Not the same one as Thursday, this one had a black belly. He spent twenty minutes swimming around and over us, fantastic. Unfortunately we had to tear ourselves away and move on to Buchanans Wall. One of the other dive groups saw another Manta at the northern end of the Island, but he didn't stay and play.
A couple of great dives, may go for a couple more Birthday dives next week!