ALL DIVES IN SYDNEY UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
DIVING ACRONYMS In this log I use some acronyms to make it easier for me to remember where I went and what I saw:
LOCATIONSÂ (Mostly at Bare Island unless otherwise stated - see website pages for locations)Â SHR - Sea horse rock OHR - Opera House rocks STR - Sea tulip rocks SHC - Sea horse corner BR - Block rock (also Big Rock at Inscription Point) RIFR - Red indianfish reef IR1 -Isolated Reef 1 IR2 -Isolated Reef 2 15MR - 15 Metre Reef LR - Long rock AR - Anglerfish rock N, S, E, W, NE, NW etc - compass headings LBR - Little big rock at Inscription Point ER - Exit Rock at Inscription Point SR - Split Rock at Inscription Point
FISH ETC BIA - Bare Island Anglerfish (red fingered anglerfish) PPH - Pygmy pipehorse BBSH - Big belly sea horse RIF - Red indianfish USDP - Upsidedown pipefish PJ - Port Jackson shark
VISIBILITYÂ
Shithouse - less than 2 m Very Poor - 2 to 4 m Poor - 4 to 6 m Fair - 7 to 10 m Good - 10 to 15 m Very Good - 15 to 24 m Excellent - 25 to 30 m Very Excellent - 30 m+
1 October 2026 - Bare Island Isolated Reefs Went S off Larpa Point and at 5.5 mins came across a large concrete football shaped block and rope. Ended up between OHR and AR. Went to OHR and then worked our way back to AR then to near SHC. No PPHs and only the one USDP. From here went back along IR1 on N side to the painted anglerfish. From there back towards main reef and along to near AR. Then went N. Saw the artificial reef, most of the concrete domes are still the same as last time I saw them in 2006 just after they were installed. A failure as there have never been any fish around them when I have seen them. Back to shore and exit via the same spot as Tuesday. A fair dive. Visibillity very poor.
3 October 2026 - Pink Floyd Drift Club boat dive, only one boat with five divers. Was supposed to be Desalination Plant Inlets, but decided to go here. Not great weather, very overcast and rain threatening. A bit of N wind, but protected here. Dropped in and went W, but no current as only 90 mins after low tide. Viz was probably at least 18 metres, but very hard to tell as it was quite dark. Lots of PJs, at least 30 or more. Quite a lot of old wives, all in pairs. Some silver sweep in two groups, a few crimson-banded wrasse, some different species of nudibranchs, but nothing special. Ended up at the normal exit spot, did a bluewater ascent under the boat. A very good dive. Visibility very good.
4 October 2026 - Inscription Point Not many here as almost low tide when we entered the water. Virtually no current but a fair bit of surge, viz about 7-8 metres. Lots of nudibranchs, including patchwork tritonia, elyssis species, lined nembrotha and others. At least half a dozen large lion's mane jellyfish, one PPH and a few PJs. At 40 mins started hearing whales singing, stopped at 60 mins. Turned around about 50 mins. A pineapplefish shallower under ledge, the two BBSHs on normal rock. Went back past exit looking for sea drongs, none seen. Lots of divers around once we exited the water. A very nice dive. Visibility fair.Â
11 October 2026 - Whale Watching Rockfall Club boat dive, two boats and ten divers. Raining, very heavy overcast and sloppy seas, so only went here rather than up off Maroubra. Very dark, hard to take a wide-angle photo. Warmer at 17.1C. Anchored on top of reef, moved it to the bottom. Went N. A blue devilfish in the first cave. Lots of PJs around. Went N more and up the crack and then out to the sandy area. A larger blue devilfish under the first rock, closer. Then back to anchor via the swim-thru. Then S and SE around further than I have been before. Then back to anchor and under boat and then up. Some silver sweep along wall, a few old wives, a small moray eel but not much else. Rain stopped once we went for morning tea and by the time back at ramp, blue sky. Visibility good.Â
All the following dives are at Anilao in the Philippines.
14 October 2026 - Twin Rocks First dive of the trip to Anilao in the Philippines. Wind up a little so didn't go to Mainit area, calm here. Dropped down and went to about 20 m and then S with a slight current. A few nudibranchs, a large octopus, two mantis shrimps, one in the open. Turned around at 35 m and went shallower. At 13 m came across a large barge that I had not seen on previous dives here. A very small porcelain crab in an anemone, a cream leaf fish and a large turtle near boat. Last bit under the boat. A nice first dive. Visibility good but less S.Â
14 October 2026 - Mainit West Wind had dropped so went to Mainit Corner, but current here, so went around the point to Mainit West. Dropped in and went to the SE to a small gorgonia, no pygmy sea horses seen, but later, on the way back found one up in a corner. Got some great photos. From here went W to the other gorgonias where last year we saw pygmies, none. Lots of good nudibranchs, plenty of fish around, including a few Moorish idols and of course, niger triggerfish. A large porcelain crab in anemone, two mantis shrimps, again, one in the open. Back to original gorgonia and the pygmy seen this time. About a metre away was a warty anglerfish, beautiful. Back to boat, a small crocodilefish and a ribbon eel under the boat. A very good dive. Visibility very good.
15 October 2026 - Aphols Point This is a very colourful siite, so many barrel sponges and featherstars. A small coral wall, lots of larger coral bommies on the sand deeper. Saw a small turtle as soon as we went down and then a banded snake eel. Currenjt from W so went a little into it and then E at 18-22 m. Then turned and headed SW to the wall and then shallower back to the boat. Some moray eels later, a few small mantis shrimps as well. A small lionfish, lots of niger triggerfish of course and a few mooring idols, a small turretfish and some pufferfish and porqupinefish. Highlight were two large nudibranchs, Allens miamira alleni. Fantastic, first time I have seen them! A very good dive. Visibility excellent.
15 October 2026 - Coconut First dive here, near Aphols Point off small village with heaps of coconut trees. Dropped to the bottom, sand with small bits of coral, some mooring ropes and rubbers and a few black coral trees. Went NW and then W into very slight current. A sole with a strange rock looking crab under it, heaps of sexy shrimp on small anemones, some larger anemones with glass shrimp, clowns. Towards the W end before we turned, a small ghost pipefish near some featherstars. Back shallower, some more interesting crabs, a skinny hairy one, a decorator (plants), a head-shield slug, two emperor shrimp on a sea cucumber and a few porcelain crabs. A nice relaxing dive. Visibility good.
15 October 2026 - Secret Bay Third dive, without Geoff and Jill. A bit rough going around the corner as strong E wind. Wind dropped while we were down. Viz only 7-8 m at best, at N end was more like 3-4 m. Went down slope and straight away saw two robust ghost pipefish. Then deeper and to N at 22 m. Lots of shrimp, a few different squat lobsters, hundreds of the fast moving colourful sea urchins. A tiny sea horse, then at the N end, an ornate ghost pipefish. BAck shallower. A few nudibranchs, a large serpent eel and some decorator crabs and a large mantis shrimp. A great dive. Visibility fair overall.  16 October 2026 - Heidis Point Located SW of Mainit School site. A bit windy but not too bad. A very slight current from NE deeper. Went slowly to 24 m, sand bottom with small coral rocks here and there. A few nice nudibranchs, including purple-lined nembrotha and at the end, a Tenellia species with emperor shrimp on it. Saw a flamboyant cuttlefish, got some nice photos. Then, a mototi octopus, related to blue-ringed octopus. A yellow blenny in a beer bottle and at the end a fish in tin can. Lots of sea whip shrimp, some squat lobsters and a tiny mantis shrimp. A very good dive. Visibility fair but very poor when sand stirred up.
16 October 2026 - Elmars Point Originally we were diving SE of here but strong current, so moved NW. A huge landslide happened here three weeks ago wiping out over 200 metres of road and taking one house with it. We were at the W end of the slide. Once in the water we headed SW and then SE into a slight current. This way more sand than if you go NW. Some coral outcrops. Lots of sea whips with shrimp and some with gobies. A nice lionfish that I for once could photograph. Not many nudibranchs but a nice red flabellina. A hairy squat lobster on a barrel sponge and some anemones with clownfish and glass shrimp. A nice dive. Visibility good.
17 October 2026 - Dari Laut Lots of boats and divers. Went to the electric clam, then to the bottom of the wreck. It has collapsed since last year, the NW corner has dropped to the sand. Lots of nudibranchs and flatworms on the sand and also on the wreck. Two giant anglerfish on a vertical steel support, one grey and one colourful. Then a tiny Lembeh sea dragon, pregnant. Never seen one before. Up on top a small warty anglerfish. More nudibranchs on the way back to the boat. A fantastic dive! Visibility very good.
17 October 2026 - Olympic Point Dived from very shallow out to the sloping sand and then rubble. Went E. Four mushroom coral pipefish in an anemone and later two more. Some tiger shrimp inside coral, a few nudibranchs, some mantis shrimp, one in the open. A few species of crab and more shrimps. Another very good dive. Visibility good.
17 October 2026 - Sandy Bottom Located E of Mainit School off the Welcome to Mainit sign. Sandy slope, very gradual, slight current from E. Went E getting deeper till 23 m at 25 minutes. Saw two ornate ghost pipefish at start and later two more, both by themselves. Two small sea horses on seapens, not near each other. A few nudibranchs, lots of crabs and shrimps. Near the end two tiny Shaun the Sheep nudibranchs. A very good dive. Visibility fair but very poor shallow.
18 October 2026 - Kirbys Rock No wind or current, millpond seas. Anchored right on the rock, only boat here, but later four with one diver breathing every three seconds and very loud. Went down and thru the pass to the SE side. A larger warty anglerfish on the wall. Then down between the two pinnacles and a small gorgonia. A tiny 2 mm pygmy sea horse on it. Got some great photos. Then to the deeper pinnacle, thousands of the yellow sea cucumbers like every dive here. Then around and up to the pass and then zig-zagged up the main pinnacle. Lots of nudibranchs, a few lionfish and all the normal tropicals. A very good dive. Visibility very good but varied a little.Â
18 October 2026 - Minilog Anchored in 3 metres, went W and then N. A ribbon eel but went back into the hole and only got one good photo. Lots of nudibranchs, a few new to this trip. Some less seen ones as well. A few moray eels, a spiny devilfish, lots of shrimp, a few lionfish and plenty of tropicals including a larger yellow boxfish. A nice dive. Visibility good.
19 October 2026 - Dari Laut Millpond seas and no wind or current. On the mooring, straight down to the bottom of the wreck. A juvenile batfish here. Lots of nudibranchs again, a school of small catfish in middle of the wreck. Three giant anglerfish, third one was on SW corner up high. No warty anglerfish but two Lembeh sea dragons not one. Back to the reef, a small sping devilfish with yellow wings here. A very good dive again. Visibility very good.
19 October 2026 - Bethlehem Went down the rubble slope to about 20 m and stayed here for 35 mins before coming up a little. Lots of nudibranchs, a black ribbon eel, a few moray eels, some mantis shrimp including in the open, Lots of small fish. A very good dive. Visibility good.
19 October 2026 - Mainit West No wind or current. Went down to near the gorgonia but other diver there.. Then went over, two pygmy sea horses like last time. A blue ribbon eel and later one in the shallows. Headed NW, 1000s of niger triggerfish, plenty of nudibranchs, including some I have never seen before. Turned at about 35 mins, on the way back a large turtle and a clown triggerfish! A sea spider, a large lionfish, sea whips with gobies and shrimp, an orangutan crab and many clownfish. A great dive. Visibility very good.
20 October 2026 - Dari Laut Third dive here this trip, it has been so good and it was again today. Only boat here and no other divers until the last couple of minutes. Went to deepest part, a few nudibranchs seen. Then inside wreck, found the pipefish from yesterday. Then the two Lembeh sea dragons and up to the two giant anglerfish from both dives. The one seen yesterday on SW corner not there but was on the NE corner up high. The warty anglerfish was up high on SE corner. On the way back detoured via the electric clams, yes, two here. Got some video as well. A great dive. Visibility very good.
20 October 2026 - Olympic Point A return to this site, went down to the rubble and all over the place. Some nudibranchs, a few mantis shrimp, some moray eels and two Donald Dick shrimp. At the end a harlequin shrimp under the boat. A knightfish, a turretfish, some clownfish of different species, a small aggressive yellow fish that kept attacking me and lots of other fish. A nice relaxing dive. Visibility very good.
21 October 2026 - Kirbys Rock Thought there was a slight current so dropped us S of the rock, but none. Swam to the deep pinnacle and went around it. No pygmy on the gorgonia but later the warty anglerfish was seen up the main pinnacle. A few trevally, lots of Moorish idols as well as some butterflyfish, triggerfish and wrasse. At least a dozen moray eels, many species. Went to overhang on main pinnacle and zig-zagged to N and back S. Then up slowly to the flat area. Then swam out to the boat which was waiting off the site. A very good dive. Visibility very good, but milky.
21 October 2026 - Caban Cove Drift Did this dive last year so suggested we do again. Started on the northern side of Caban Cove and then drifted out NE and then N towards Kirbys Rock. Viz only 12 m at most, less in shallows. A very colourful dive, so many featherstars of all colours. Lots of anemones with clownfish and a few lionfish. Quite a few mantis shrimps, all sizes, Moorish idols and knightfish and trumpetfish. Heaps of tropical species. All the common nudibranchs but two pink/yellow ones highlight. Ended up in 5 metres about half way to Kirbys Rock. Very nice dive. Visibility fair.
21 October 2026 - Sandy Bottom Third dive of the day. Not sure of the correct name for this site, map shows as Saimsim but guide said Sandy Bottom which last year we were told was a different site N of resort. Will need to check. Went down to, guess what, a sandy bottom! Saw lots of yellow gobies, two flamboyant cuttlefish, a small sea horse, a mototi octopus, a coconut octopus that dropped its shell while running away. Another octopus and I found a small pipefish. Some clownfish in anemones, lots of different shrimp and a small snake eel. A good dive. Visibility fair, but easily stirred up.Â
22 October 2026 - Mainit Corner Very windy and too strong to go to W, N or S, so went E. Mooring to N of the site, dropped down to 22 m but Geoff had ear problems. Jill and I slowly went S, he finally got down and came with Benjie. Much colder below 25 m, almost a degree less. Lots of the nembrothas with bright red rhinopas and other bits. A very friendly large turtle that we saw on the way out and back. Two different species of blue/green nembrotha, anemones with clownfish and shrimp, some crabs too. Lots of fish of many species. Also a few of the yellow sea cucumbers. Back to boat, gradually getting shallower. A very nice dive. Visibility excellent.
22 October 2026 - Mainit Bubbles Wind has picked up but not too bad here. Dropped down from mooring and went S gradually getting to 25 m. Past the bubbles and then the hot water section, very warm water coming out of the sand. A few nudibranchs, lots of fish including porcupinefish, pufferfish and tropicals. Came to the wall, a few nudis here. Then at the end of the wall to the top. A huge black giant anglerfish. I checked my photos from last year, it's the same one we saw on both dives! Wow, still there a year later. Anemones with clownfish, shrimp, porcelain crabs. There was a small armless statue of a woman that was not there last year. A good dive. Visibility good deep but poor shallow.
23 October 2026 - Secret Bay Wind is up again this morning with overnight rain, so our original plan to dive Sandy Bottom was thwarted as very dirty from stormwater runnoff. Moved here, much cleaner. Went down and to S this time. A large yellow sea horse, some small razorfish, a tony juvenile harlequin sweetlips, some nuibrnahcs, shrimp and mantis shrimp. There are 8 articial reef domes, small, and shallower near a series of twisted metal beams etc. Back to anchor shallower. Only an average dive. Visibility good deep.
23 October 2026 - Mainit Corner Drift Plan was to do as a drift dive. Dropped in at the mooring and went S again. Viz nowhere as good as yesterday mooring but still good. Didn't see the large turtle but a few nudibranchs, lots of fish, rock cod, porcelain crab in anemone, shrimps on sea whips, very colourful dive. Drifted past the rocks and current picked up. A very large octopus seen, out in the open roaming around. After a while we came to very dirty water so went up into the shallows but in cleaner water. Safety stop here, and then swam out to the boat which did not see our sausage when sent up as current was holding it down. Very rough pick up. A good dive. Visibility good.
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