Calm seas and little wind till after the dive when NE blew up as forecast. Anchored to W of Cathredral as fisher over it. Clean top 3 m, then a dirty 4 metres and then cleaner. Went SE and then E to corner, huge number of ladder-finned pomfrets and nannygai. Could not find entry! Went along wall to NW and could not see exit either! A blue devilfish here. Back and then S a bit and back to boat. A few PJs and wobbegongs, a large bullray, but not much else. Okay dive. Visibility fair.

Club boat dive. Was supposed to dive Red Flag but too rough and windy (NE). Saw whales at entrance to Botany Bay and some dolphins about 10 m from boat as we entered water. Went south, litlle tidal current at first but got bit stronger after 20 mins. Saw four sea dragons, one large, two small and one smaller again. Large had eggs, some hatched. Plenty of nudibranchs, including Okenia harasti and pink okenia. Kelly found a tiny 7 mm long red PPH. A small moray eel, some sea spiders, three large black reef leatherjackets and much more. A great dive. Visibility good.

So good yesterday, decided to dive here again, despite seas being down and wind low. Same as yesterday. Saw two sea dragons, not the ones we saw yesterday. Lots of Okenia harasti, no sea spiders, plenty of other interesting nudibranchs and a flat worm. Another moray eel, a few PJs, black reef leatherjackets. Wind came up while we were in and anchor came free as we ascended. Rough trip back across the bay. Great dive. Visibility good.

Other engine on port now not working, will take a month to fix due to marine places being so busy. A bit of swell so went in past plaque and then via channel to Shallow Wall. Then to RIF and back normal way. A bit of surge for most of the dive, made it hard to take photos. Viz only 3 m deeper and perhaps 4 shallower. Lots of nudibranchs, one RIF, the small orange painted anglerfish, the big belly sea horse and one Parramatta nudibranch. A really good dive despite visibility. Visibility poor.

Very strong W wind so too rough to go off point. Went similar way to Wed but stayed at main reef edge and went NW towards 15 M Reef very slowly, 36 mins to reach the start of it. Saw the schooling catfish from Wed that I did not mention. Viz about 3 m but perhaps 4 deeper than 13 m. A lot warmer today, 17.0C min deep and 17.4 for most. Lots of nudibranchs of many species, including rarer ones. Ten mins on 15 M Reef, across to main reef again. Saw a few small cuttlefish, quite a few PJs, no RIF or PPH. Spent a long time looking for the Bare Island anglerfish but again could not find. Also for a baby pineapplefish said to be near the small orange painted anglerfish, again no luck. Parramatta nudi not there but the big belly sea horse was. Another great dive. Visibility poor.

Boat out of action for a month due to problem with other engine, so shore diving will have to suffice. Just after low so not the best viz, 3-4 m. The calerpia weed is 2 or 3 times worse than last dive here about a month ago. I found three PPH, two white and one brown. Lots of PJs and plenty of different species of nudibranch. Also plenty of other divers! Saw a shag swimming around, only second time I have seen a bird underwater like this. A very nice dive. Visibility poor.

My 100th dive for the year. Went in off W point to W. Ended up at the same spot as 7 & 9 dives. Then along sand edge to 15 M Reef and back normal way. Again, heaps of PJs and nudibranchs, some rarer. One RIF, two PPH, the orange anglerfish, the big belly sea horse, a Parramtta nudibranch (ha ha, Souths beat them last night!) and a few tiny fine-lined tambja. Also two pipefish, one tiny on 15 M Reef. Could not find the pineapplefish despite new directions. A really good dive. Visibility poor.

A little swell and incoming tide, so went in near plaque. Followed gully and then W to 12 m. At least 7 m viz, 18.2C. Gradually went to 15 Metre Reef, arriving there at 38 minutes. Lots of nudibranch, two dozen PJs, a couple of spiny gurnards, a tiny pipefish, blue groper and a large and small cuttlefish. Then along reef and across to SH Corner and back. More nudibranchs and two flatworms. A red PPH near cave, the tiny painted anglerfish was not in normal spot, about 30 cm away and on low rock. The big belly sea horse looks pregnant. No tamjas at all. An excellent dive, 88 minutes. Visibility fair.

A little swell and incoming tide, so went in near plaque. Followed gully and then W to 12 m. At least 7 m viz, 18.2C. Gradually went to 15 Metre Reef, arriving there at 38 minutes. Lots of nudibranch, two dozen PJs, a couple of spiny gurnards, a tiny pipefish, blue groper and a large and small cuttlefish. Then along reef and across to SH Corner and back. More nudibranchs and two flatworms. A red PPH near cave, the tiny painted anglerfish was not in normal spot, about 30 cm away and on low rock. The big belly sea horse looks pregnant. No tamjas at all. An excellent dive, 88 minutes. Visibility fair.

Organised a club dive, four plus a non-member. Very warm and dirty on top but a very cold 15.1C 15 m viz on bottom. Very cold hands! Lots to see, three sea dragons, three sea horses, two Bare Island anglerfish, lots of nudibranchs, including a few fine-lined tambjas. Plenty more to see as well. Drifted relatively quick and did not need to kick much, still dive 79 mins. Excellent dive. Visibility very good.

Well over 100 divers here I reckon while we were there. Went in off W point to W. Ended up at the same spot as recent dives. Clean and cold! Then across sand towards RIF Reef and then to 15 M Reef and back normal way. A half dozen PJs, plenty of nudibranchs. No RIF or PPH! The orange anglerfish, two big belly sea horses at normal spot, lots of small pipefish, a few upsidedown pipefish, a small moray eel and finally, the tiny pineapplefish at SHR. A really good dive. Visibility very good.

Club shore dive. Raining most of the dive, very dark at times on bottom, but rain stopped while we geared up and after dive. Visibility fairly good considering a bit of rain during the past week. Went N first, nothing really special except a very large flathead in shallows and a sole on bottom. Then S around bommies. Moray eel on last bommie friendly as normal. Cleaned plaque as covered in light growth. The S buoy has been moved about 25 m to N, so chain etc in new place. Back via wall, one pineapplefish in normal spot, although others saw two here and one higher. Only nudibranchs seen were sweet ceratasoma. Some luderick shallow, a lot of hermit crabs and one decorator crab near bubble cave. A reasonable dive. Visibility poor. 

Club trip away, mid-week. Couldn't dive yesterday due to wind and seas. Today no wind but a big swell, made it surgy. Lots of sharks at least 20 seen. Went to Turtle Hole, not a great idea, no idea why DM took us that way. A few wobbegong sharks and some GNS on the way. A big school of small kingfish about halfway. Back to mooring and spend the rest of the time there. Only an average dive due to surge etc. Visibility excellent. 

Still the same, very surgy ,especially going over the ridges. Lots of sharks at least 20 seen. Went to Fish and Chips, on the way some huge kingfish and a large ray. Much dirtier at that spot. Some GNS seen over in the other gutters. Lots of nannygai and yellow-finned pomfrets at F&C. Back to mooring via the other blind gutter and the edge of Black Forest. Spent the rest of the time a mooring where at least a dozen grey nurses. Only an average dive due to surge etc, but a little better than previous one. Visibility good. 

Swell gone and no surge at all. Lots of sharks at least 20 seen in main gutter. Went to near Shallow Entrance to see hammerheads that seen a few days ago. Again, saw a lot of kingfish. Cleaner too. Made our way almost to entrance before current beat us. Lots of nannygai and yellow-finned pomfrets just before. Saw a large turtle on way back to mooring. Spent the rest of the time a mooring where at least a dozen grey nurses. A really good dive. Visibility very good. 

Went to Fish and Chips, some GNS seen over in the other gutters, including one rubbing side on sand a lot. This had a tag remains and furry mouth, saw this morning too. Some nannygai and yellow-finned pomfrets at F&C but not as many as yesterday. Back to mooring via the other blind gutter, the edge of Black Forest and near Shallow Mooring. Less current here than this morning, still no hammerheads. Spent the rest of the time at mooring where still at least a dozen grey nurses. Really good dive. Visibility very good. 

Seas amazingly flat considering yesterday morning were huge. Had to wear wetsuit as left my weight pockets at SWR. Went from plaque via gully to W. Then to RIF Reef, one RIF. Lots of nudibranchs, at least 15 separate species, Sea Slug Census weekend. Back via 15 M Reef. No blue devilfish, no pineapplefish or PPH. The tiny anglerfish was there as were two big belly sea horses on last bommie. Also one upsidedown pipefish at SHR. A really nice dive. Visibility fair. 

Flat seas, mirror in fact. Sunday could not dive here due to seas. Went in and then E for 20+ mins then W till about 65 mins and then back. Viz over 10 m most of the dive, but a few poorer patches about 45 mins into dive (just after low tide). Two sea dragons, one with eggs. Two anglerfish (painted?), a squid, lots of nudibranchs, large ray, large boxfish, sea spider (pink and black), sea hares and more. Really good dive. Visibility good.

Another club dive, 11 members in two groups. Went of W point to RIF Reef and back normal way. Dirty shallower than 7 m, but 8-10 m deeper. Just at low tide. Had a leak from o-ring. Not as many nudibranchs as Saturday. A few pipefish, an upsidedown pipefish under SHR and also the tiny baby pineapplefish. Two PPH outside First Cave. A large boxfish, a RIF near RIF Reef concrete block. Tiny painted anglerfish is still there, now has red spots on side. Had to come back quick from here as Oscar was a bit low on air (well his computer thought he was and beeped a lot). Great dive. Visibility good. 

Boat dive on Lachlan's duck. Hard for me to get back in, very high sides! A reasonable current on top, running out. Anchored SE of normal spot. Went W into current and then N. One sea dragon, a few horned sharks, lots of nudibranchs, a moray eel and thousands of ladder-finned pomfret. Second group saw an eastern blue devilfish and a Bare Island anglerfish. A nice dive. Visibility good.

Late organised club dive. Went of W point to wall, then back via RIF Reef and 15 Metre Reef. Water cooler 17.8C but clean deep, 10 m. 18.4C shallower. Millpond and near high tide. Lots and lots of divers, a bit crowded near cave. A big belly sea horse on angled rock near N end of main wall. Could not find the BI angler supposed to be near here. No pipefish or PPH at all, one RIF back near SHR. Tiny pineapplefish is still there but impossible to get a photo. No upsidedown pipefish either. Painted angler in same place as Wednesday. 

Very high tide, 1.9 m when we got out. Went in before plaque as too much water over rest of platform. Dirtier and warmer (18.7C). Went slowly to cave and then back. Found an anchor there and brought it back, hard work, used a lot of air. Saw one RIF, no PPH, Kim saw the pineapplefish but I could not find it. Lots of nudibranchs, the painted anglerfish still in same spot as last two dives. Nice dive though. Visibility fair.

Great dive at Bare Island with fellow club members and one ring-in (Di Conlon). Went off western point to south to Deep Wall. Slow swim back with a very slight incoming tide. Visibility out there was about 15 metres, fantastic (other divers reported same on left side). Water again nearly 19C. Lots seen, although the big belly sea horse on the wall was nowhere to be seen. A couple of flatworms, plenty of nudibranchs, the tiny pineapplefish and painted anglerfish are still in the same spots. Some saw a blue devilfish at Sea Horse Corner. A great dive. All parking gone when we came up and asked if we were leaving so many times, I think I will need to invest in a sign saying "I am not leaving". Too bad tomorrow's weather is rubbish. Visibility very good.

Next six dives at North Solitary Islands

Moved to Elbow Cave mooring. Went from mooring to S into the basins, on the way a large black cod. One bullray in each and a firefish. Then W and found a manta shrimp. Back past Elbow Cave, a large crayfish, some interesting fish and a few nudibranch. Then to mooring. Visibility fair.

Too rough and windy to dive yesterday. Still quite a strong S wind so wet trip out. Could only dive Anemone Bay on N side of North Solitary Island. Went from outer mooring to NE for a little way, very dirty, so did not go far. Then back to inner mooring. Some kingfish, a wobbegong, lots of large bream and other species. Back to mooring where rest of dive spent. A few firefish, a large crayfish. Wetsuit zip split open towards end of dive. Visibility poor.

Went from inner mooring to NW, to point. A lot of fish. Saw a grey nurse shark near here. Also some firefish, shrimp, an uranutan crab, some other crabs. Then to S to end of bay and back to mooring. Lots of long-finned bannerfish, all through the dive, some Back to Bubble Cave then to mooring where rest of dive spent. Visibility fair.

Wind dropped overnight and none at all this morning. A reasonable swell which had a long period so very surgy down to 30 m and extremely uncomfortable while on top of pinnacle. Very dirty, dropped down marker buoy in gully into main archway. Saw grey nurse sharks up high and many in arch. At least 6 or 7, some big females. Very dark down here too. Went back up after only 4 mins on the bottom, went round the pinnacle sort of, very surgy and seemed like current but I don't think it was. Huge kingfish seen here. On the way down a lot of cod and big giant trevally. A great dive in terms of what we saw, but very average due to surge and visibility. Visibility very poor.

Came back to Nth Solitary Island and looked at Fish Soup but way too surgy. Dropped in at NW corner of the island and swam one way. Did not make the mooring as visibility too bad (well did in the end but swimming at 5 m after surfacing). Not much special seen except a large turtle up in the shallows. Very average dive. Visibility poor.

Back home, MakCat still not fixed, hopefully have back for next weekend. Nine members of club diving, 7 of us went off W point. Very hot day, 36C when we got out. Lots of divers and later non-divers. Then back normal way. My wetsuit zip again mucked up and opened up at 35-40 mins, made it a lot cooler despite 19.1C water. Not as many nudibranchs as normal, some red-lined flabellinas, pink okenias and many-lined Janolus. Carole found a big belly sea horse near SHC. No PPH or RIF. Painted anglerfish moved a metre to right, two sea horses on last rock, wonder where they were last few dives. Very nice dive. Visibility fair.

A very high tide again and also swell coming around both sides of island. Had to get in before Carol's plaque. Reasonably clean shallow but then got dirtier as we went deeper and even dirtier on way back. We were going to do Isolated Reef 1 but I had ear problems and could not get deeper than 13 m. Took four attempts to clear by going to 11 m and clearing, six mins all up. Because of this and dirty water, we stopped at Sea Horse Corner. Could not find the sea horse from Saturday. Back normal way. One RIF, no PPH, although some did see. Also I did not see the pregnant pipefish, but others did. I did see two other smaller ones near there. Lots of nudibranchs, the painted anglerfish is back closer to normal spot. Only one sea horse under the rock near end. Back via kelp to look for turtle but no luck. Only a reasonable dive. Visibility poor.

A bit rough, so had to go in nearer to ramp. Went via gully to the first wall. Followed the top of this rather than the bottom and off it. When I came to the end of sponges section, turned left and this was the start of 15 Metre Reef. Back normal way. 18.4C and better viz than Tuesday. Saw a few dwarf firefish, a nice moray eel on 15 M, a few pipefish there too, very small. No RIF or PPH, no pineapplefish either. The baby painted angler is still there and both sea horses on the last rock. Lots of nice nudibranchs, including a new one, Gymnodoris alba, white with small orange dots and some border orange lines. My longest dive ever I think, 92 mins. Excellent dive. Visibility fair. 

On Peter Fields boat as MakCat still not repaired. A bit lumpy on the way out, but not too bad. Anchored first go about 1/3 way from boiler to bow. No current. Dirty on top but cleaner on bottom, at least 10 m, 17.5C on bottom, 19.3C on top. Went to stern, looks like forward part of engine has dropped a bit and also the boiler has rolled a tiny bit out (or hull moved to east). Back to anchor and then bow. Back to boiler and then up. A very good dive, better than expected as Phil dived yesterday and not as good. Visibility good.

Club Christmas Party, 25 diving, 49 attending all up. Went in normal spot and exited here too. Millpond seas. Went NNE to sand and then to E, into a reasonable tidal current for her. Warm 19.0C. A large sea dragon with eggs, a small PPH, lots of nudibranchs and 20 medium sized squid. Went E for 25 mins and then back past entry and then back again. Only 43 min dive as Raylene was a bit low on air so played it very safe. A really good dive and great party afterwards. Visibility fair.

Club shore dive, 7 members. Went in normal spot to and exited here too. Millpond seas. Went ENE to sand and then to W, right at low tide. Later when we turned around, a very slight tidal current. Warm 20.0C. A sea dragon, others saw a large PPH, lots of nudibranchs and some interesting ones. One large Bare Island anglerfish and a smaller, more camouflaged one. Also a tiny black painted anglerfish and a big belly sea horse. Went W for about 55 mins and then back. An excellent dive. Visibility fair.

Very high tide and a bit of Se swell, was supposed to be E. Went in just past ramp and via gully to normal spot. Very slow to SHC via the main reef and then 15 Metre Reef, almost an hour. Saw a small pipefish on 15 Metre Reef, another one near cave with eggs, quite a few large octopus, the pineapplefish and small painted anglerfish. One big belly sea horse near last rocks. A few interesting nudibranchs, but nothing special. Huge numbers of divers entering water as we neared exit and getting out, I counted at least 40. All newbys and no idea. A good dive. Visibility poor.

Very busy week so no diving, good to get in despite poor conditions. Very strong SE wind and swell rising, a bit of surge at all depths. Went in near Carol's plaque, down to near Cave and then back. 93 mins all up, warm 19.4C. Saw lots of nudis, a couple of interesting ones. A pipefish near the one with eggs, but not that one. Two PPH near here too. Saw small painted anglerfish, growing up. The pineapplefish was a bit more visible. Also two frogfish out in open at 13 m. Two big belly sea horses at same spot, both quite skinny. A very good dive. Visibility poor.

Club dive, 7 diving. Went from W point but I forgot weights so had to get out and go back and get them. Caught up with the others near alley to RIF Reef. Warm, mostly over 20C but a couple of sections less. Viz 6 m but with some 10+ m spots. Went back normal way. Three moray eels, the small mirror leatherjackets on 15 Metre Reef still there. Three PPH, the two we saw on Saturday outside cave and another one on last bit of reef before orange sponges. The small pipefish is also outside cave and pineapplefish and painted anglerfish in normal spots. The two big belly sea horses were right next to each other, one appears pregnant now. A huge leatherjacket near exit. A very nice dive despite by stuff up. Visibility fair. 

A little swell so went in from before Carol's Plaque. Went via the gully to normal spot. Warm 20.4C and variable viz, 8-10 m deeper but at times only 5 m shallower but better even shallower. Then via Concrete Block. Saw at least three upsidedown pipefish, a few pipefish, one RIF, the two big belly sea horses, the baby pineapplefish and the painted anglerfish. Also plenty of nudibranchs, some large flathead and more. A really good dive. Visibility fair.

Too windy so cancelled boat dives last two days. Really clean, about 15 m viz and warm 21.5C. Did the usual dive, a few friendly moray eels, a lot of large octopus, plenty of fan-bellied leatherjackets, three pineapplefish, not may nudibranchs though. In shallows hundreds of sand whiting and some bream. A nice dive, but not much out of the ordinary. Visibility good.