Previous Dive Reports!!

Date: Monday 9th March 2010....

Visibility Report

The Visibility at South Solitary was down today, 5-8m, pretty green on the surface.

Water Temperature

Water temp is still 23/24C

Sea Conditions

A 10kn Northerly breeze and 1m swell. A fast 1kn current running south.

What we saw out there today!

First dive was at Manta Arch, Grey Nurses galore, at least twenty sharks all hanging around the Arch, plus another six spotted in various other places. Three Octopus and a very big Green Turtle hiding in his tiny cave.
Lots of Nudibranchs and Moray Eels
The second dive was a drift dive from Shark Gutters to The Gantry, a big school of Kingfish, followed by another big school of Bonito started the dive. Heaps os schooling fish all over Boulder Wall, Still!
Three more Octopus and a couple of Green Turtles, a dozen Stingarees and there are so many Blue Tang around The Gantry. Three big Black Cod and a great adrenalin rush of a drift dive. Quite a few big Blubber Jellyfish seen on the trip home.

Visibility Report

The Visibility at South Solitary was 12-15m today, some nice blue patches that will hopefully become one very big blue patch.

Water Temperature

Water temp is still 23/24C

Sea Conditions

A very slight 5kn NE breeze with only 1m of swell and .5kn current still running south.

What we saw out there today!

The dives started with a drift from Shark Gutters around to The Gantry, schooling fish are still covering Boulder Wall, schooling trevally and a few big Kingfish hanging around. A few big Black Cod and a smaller one that we found floundering on the surface after it had been pulled up on a fishing line, by one of the seven boats fishing within the sanctuary zone. One of our diveleaders took him back to depth where he swam away and hopefully will survive.
Three Turtles today, two Green and a small Hawksbill.
The second dive was a one way dive from Buchanans Wall to The Gantry. Three small Cuttlefish, heaps of Moray Eels, a couple of really big ones and some Lionfish. Quite a few schooling Surgeonfish, Happy Moments and Mado. A pretty big Crayfish nearly out of his hole and four Stingarees. No Nudibranchs today!
No Manta Rays today, but there will be tomorrow, one was sighted near Split Solitary today by one of our skippers

Visibility Report

The Visibility at South Solitary is still around 15m, with the odd patch dropping below 10m

Water Temperature

Water temp is still 23/24C

Sea Conditions

A slight 10kn NE breeze, with the swell still around 1.5m and a current still running south.

What we saw out there today!

Buchanans Wall had the usual cranky Blue Lip Anenome Fish and we are seeing a welcome increase in the numbers of Anenome Fish and not just on Buchanans Wall. There were a couple of Lionfish and some pretty big Moray Eels. A few Kingfish, some schooling Bonito and Samson Fish that probably came in with the current. Only one Green Turtle on Buchanans today.
The second dive was a drift dive from Shark Gutters to The Gantry, Boulder Wall was jam packed full of schooling fish, Tarwhine, Black Spot Goatfish, Pomfreds and Morwong. Two Turtles, one Green and a Loggerhead, a Shovelnose Ray that may well have been Scooter, not seen for a while. A wee small Cuttlefish at South Boulder and about half a dozen Wobbygongs scattered around. Heaps of Blue Tang around The Gantry and quite a few Stingarees.
There will be Manta Rays tomorrow!!

Visibility Report

The Visibility at South Solitary was 15m around Shark Gutters, but dropped down to 10m at The Gantry.

Water Temperature

Water temp is still holding at 24C, very nice.

Sea Conditions

A 5-10kn WSW that picked up and switched direction through the morning to a 15kn NE. A 1.5m swell and a 1kn current running South made a fast drift dive.

What we saw out there today!

First up was Shark Gutters, with lots of schooling Tarwhine and Pomfreds and about five Black Cod hanging around. A few big Kingfish darting around and three Bullrays, two of which looked like they were going to get frisky. Two Green Turtles and a Blubber Jellyfish that was seen on both dives, I guess the Turtles didn't see him, a large Crayfish and a couple of Octopus.
The second dive was a drift dive from Shark Gutters to The Gantry, more Tarwhine, Kingfish and a big school of Snapper. A Loggerhead that wasn't Barney cruised along with the divers for a while. Two Eagle Rays gliding along the bottom of Boulder Wall and a couple of Moray Eels, one of which was swimming out and about at The Gantry.
No Manta Rays today!!

Visibility Report

The Visibility at South Solitary was an overcast 15m, if the sun had been out it would easily have been 20m.

Water Temperature

Water temp is still holding at 24C, a couple of cooler spots that dropped down to 23C.

Sea Conditions

A 15-20kn SSW picked up during the morning and a 1.5m NE swell. A bit of current running North at .5kn.

What we saw out there today!

We spent the first dive around Shark Gutters and Cleaner Station, only a couple of Grey Nurse on this dive, but quite a few big Kingfish buzzing around. Lots of schooling Bullseyes at Cleaner Station and near North Boulder Wall. A playful Octopus that tried to wrap his tentacles around my finger and lots of Morays nearly out of their hidey holes. A few Black Cod and schooling Bream finished off the dive.

The second dive was a drift dive from Cleaner Station to Manta Arch, Six Grey Nurse in the Gutter leading to the Arch and six Octopus, another ten Grey Nurse at the Arch itself and another four Octopus. Could be that the overcast day and darker dive conditions has brought the Octopus out and about. Barney the big Loggerhead tagged alongside the divers in the shallows at Manta Arch, stopping for a snack every now and then. A hufting great Spanish Dancer at Cleaner Station and a Sculptured Frogfish.

Over the last two days we have been seeing a large amount of Octopus and Moray Eels, should soon be seeing Manta Rays with the warmer water and maybe a Leopard Shark or two!!