Two swells, one larger one from SE and a smaller one from NE, although by the time we finished, it seemed to have swapped. However, much smaller than the past four days, so pretty good and little surge. Blue water but on the bottom lots of floating sand from the 16 second period on NY Day. Viz probably 5-7 metres. Anchored in the gap, went to Cave, five donut nembrothas on the low rock, a large silver drummer came out of the cave. A few bastard trumpeters and some red morwong here. Went to S end, no donuts although one on the main reef back towards the gorgonias. Went back around to the gap and down S. Kelly found two upsidedown pipefish near gorgonias and a small cuttlefish. I went to look at the sponge our anchor destroyed 30 years ago. Still thriving. It grew back to almost join the other half although the two bits are different colour greys. A nice dive. Visibility fair. 

Went outside and halfway to M&K but turned around as very lumpy. Calm here. Incoming tide, but not strong. Anchored right on top next to the gully. Had to move the anchor a fair bit so chain not under rocks. Went E. Kelly found three sawtooth pipefish in a small overhang, I then found a brilliant red PPH and Kelly found a smaller one nearby. She also saw a boarfish but I did not see it. Lots of kelp all over the bottom from the huge seas of the past week. Turned around at 23 minutes and came back in the current. Thousands of one-spot pullers on the top of the reef. Back to anchor and Walter went up. Back to the wall for another five or so minutes then up. A very nice dive. Visibility fair.

Millpond seas. Went in at Carole's Plaque. Quite dirty here, a milky 3-4 metres, but warm at 21C. Deeper it got better, perhaps 5-7 m. The BBSH was at STR and refound one PPH near SHR. On the way back it was gone! At OHR a wobbegong was swimming around with the remains of a flathead in its mouth, possibly ex fisher. Went down to IR1, saw two more PPHs and also two small spiny gurnards. Lost the others here, I went around IR1 but they went over to the Bowl. Refound them much later. Nothing special on S side of IR1, slight incoming tide. Between IR1 and main reef found a small yellow White's seahorse in a yellow finger sponge. Back along the reef. Quite a few different nudibranchs. Lots of yellowtail on IR1 and just before. A huge flathead, some sole, a few moray eels of various sizes, a lionfish, heaps of roaches shallow and a large octopus. A nice dive despite viz. Visibility poor overall.

A very hot day, hit over 34C, was 25C even at 8 am. Millpond seas, calmest I have seen for ages. Went in at normal spot, very slow down. Visibility very poor till about 13 m then a lot better, perhaps 7 m. Found the BBSH on STR, only the small PPH near SHR. Lots of interesting nudibranchs the whole dive, got some nice photos of pink okenia and red-lined flabellina. Went down the outside of the reef to near SHC. A large sole, a medium flathead. I went to look for the yellow Whites sea horse I saw on Tuesday, found the sponge but no sea horse. Back closer to wall. Found an updsidedown pipefish near Cave. Back near SHR there was a large long-snout boarfish. A very nice dive, 94 mins. Visibility mostly poor, but very poor shallower. 

Same conditions as yesterday, except much colder at 17.8C deeper. Went off W point to Not So Deep Wall then to 15 Metre Reef and to SHC. From here I went over to IR1, then back up. The very friendly blue groper was near SHC again and followed us for ages. No sign of the Whites sea horse anywhere. Refound the upsidedown pipefish near Cave. A few small moray eels, a huge flathead shallow, did not see the boarfish and both PPHs were gone from where one was yesterday. I did find the Parramatta nudi (Vercos tambja) on OHR. Small and beautiful. Saw only three other divers underwater despite there being a couple of dozen around. Good dive. Visibility poor deep and very poor shallow.

Club boat dive, two boats (one pulled out). Very strong NW winds and large 2.1 m NE swell meant this was about the only area to dive. We were anchored about 20 m to the E of normal. Dirty on top but a very cold 16.3C and 10 m viz on the bottom. Went E for 18 mins and then back. Kelly refound the two red pygmy pipehorses from 4 January and then she found a Bare Island anglerfish after I showed her something else. I must have been concentrating too much on my find as it was right under it. Lots of one-spot pullers again on the reef top. A very nice dive, but back on the boat it was rough and when taking off my tank I was knocked over and fell forward. Luckily I only bruised my left hand and a small cut. Rough trip back across the bay. Visibility fair.

Club boat dive, two boats and eight divers. A bit sloppy but ran at almost normal speed. Bluish water. Anchored a little to E of normal spot. Moved anchor to bottom of wall as NW wind meant nothing to hold onto on top. Took six minutes to do this. Went E, viz was 12-15 m at first but dropped before we turned around. Nothing special seen except a very friendly moray eel. On the way back encountered thousands of Australian salmon, swirling all around us and making it dark. Brilliant. Some nudibranchs, a very large octopus, some nice wrasse. Back to anchor, I stayed there waiting for second group to descend but they were 10 mins late Only saw them as we both ascended to safety stop. A good dive thanks to the salmon. Visibility fair to good.

Millpond seas, strong N wind. Water clean at start but then very dirty but on IR1 was reasonable, 5-7 m. Went fairly quickly to start of IR. BBSH was not found, even on the way back. Both PPHs were missing from near SHR as was the Parramatta nudibranch. The upsidedown pipefish was again off the Cave. Went slow around IR1, on the way back went on top of the reef a bit, nothing special seen. Lots of yellowtail around on the IR. The Whites sea horse was again not at the close end of IR1. Lots of nudibranchs, found a southern janolus nudibranch on the way back. At least three large sole, a large octopus, the blue groper is hung around for ages again, it has a mark (from a spear?) on right side. Good 90 min dive. Visibility poor to fair depending on depth.

   

Calm at entry point when we went in but a little rough at the end. My Shearwater would not start but did after 4 mins. Clean shallow, but dirty deeper and some very dirty spots. Donna found a velvetfish at start then Ron found a pipefish in the red string weed. BBSH at STR looks like it is gone for good. I found two PPH just past here and then Mandy found two more near where the other two were last week (different ones). Went via OHR and Anglerfish Rock to SHC. Found a small Parramatta nudibranch near Cave on edge of reef. No upsidedown pipefish near here but I found one much later between Cave and SHR. I found two sawtooth pipefish as well just before there. Another upsidedown pipefish near SHC in old spot. Also saw a yellow boxfish and near it a tiny bobtail squid, but no photo. Back via the normal route. A few octopus, no morays but lots of roaches shallow and Mandy saw two small eaglerays there too. A very good dive. Visibility poor with some better, some worse.

First dive with the reactivated HW OSTC dive computer which has been dead (I thought) for 2.5 years. Worked perfectly. Seas and wind still up like the weekend but rain has mostly stopped. Nowhere else to dive considering shark attack in Sydney Harbour on Sunday. Viz was 4-5 m at start but dropped after the tide changed at 1020, 10 mins early. Did the normal route, two huge flatheads, a few numbrays, one moray eel and a small cuttlefish. Heaps of leatherjackets, silver sweep and a large bream. One pineapplefish in normal spot, a few Sydney cardinalfish with eggs, one of which at the end was opening its mouth and looking towards me. I got a single photo of it rearranging the eggs in its mouth! An average dive except for the photo opp. Visibility poor.

Decided to dive here again. Viz a bit less than yesterday, 3-4 m and maybe 2-3 m at the end. Went left to Garbage Gulch. Showed Ron the Sydney cardinalfish but he missed getting a photo. Two large moray eels here. Further on turned around and Donna found a yellow striated anglerfish next to dead kelp. Further on she found another, this time a smaller black one. Strong current here, still incoming despite being well past the change of tide, I think the rainwater upstream is diverting tide into Burraneer Bay. Finally got out of it near Bubble Cave, tide here probably running out but not so hard to swim against. Donna found a couple of tiny 2 mm long reddish flabellinas on a white hydroid. I had to head back here, so went north. Saw the pineapplefish, could not find the convict goby but was there with a sawtooth pipefish apparently. A good dive made better by seeing the two anglerfish. Visibility very poor.

Club boat dive, two boats. Large E swell with some smaller SE and NE wave/swell. No wind. Anchored and very clean at first, over 10 m. However, as we went E, down on the sandline it was very cloudy, heaps of stirred up sand. The swell and surge (almost 11 second period) was messing it up. It got worse the further we went, so we turned around and came back shallower. Back at the anchor, could see the other boat's anchor but ours was in the sandy haze. Found it okay. Went W, quite nice here, but the dirty water was coming up over the reef. Less than 5 m viz. Back to anchor and up. Saw a large fiddler-ray, lots of one-spot pullers up high, a yellow sea spider, a small cuttlefish, a few other fish. Disappointing dive considering the visibility at first. Visibility good except on sand and a bit later.

Not enough interested to take the boat out today, pity as ocean flat as a tack! Decided to shore dive, clean shallow but got dirtier the deeper we went. Was only 3-4 metres at best. Found the BBSH at STR after not been able to find the past few dives. Also found two of the PPH before SHR, one of the ones from before Xmas and the other from last few dives. No upsidedown pipefish, could not find the Parramatta nudi on OHR but apparently it was under a sea tulip. The small moray is still missing. Went down to near SHC, then back via the Cave and the main section of reef. Much colder down here, 18.6C and a slight current from NW (outgoing tide now). Back normal way, a frogfish, a few octopus, a fiddler-ray shallower, a few nudibranchs around but nothing special. A reasonable dive. Visibility very poor.

I organised a dive with two boats and nine divers. Attempted to go to M & K Reef but was quite sloppy outside, so returned back inside entrance to Botany Bay. First dive here since Feb 2020. Anchored above the large overhang at the W end. Ended up side onto the smaller swell coming in and a little uncomfortable. Viz was 10 to 12 metres and cooler 18.7C. Went to the SE and through the three sections of the trench. Then onto the outside and back to the anchor. Spent that last seven mins near the anchor. Lots of fishlife, especially six-spined leatherjackets, saw at least three. Plenty of silver sweep on the reef top near anchor. Nothing really special except the leatherjackets but a very nice dive. Visibility good.  

Carol Martin Memorial Dive, 15 years since she died here. About 16 divers I think, went in a number of groups. Viz good about 10 m, but very cold at 17.0C at the most. Went the normal way down, no BBSH at STR but found 4 PPHs before SHR, the same ones I have seen in recent weeks. No Parramatta nudi, no-one could find it. Down to start of IR1, looked for the yellow Whites sea horse, Vicky saw it yesterday, but could not find it. She saw again today, looks like it has moved closer to SHC. On the way back a lot dirtier, perhaps divers, as there were more divers here today than I have seen for a few years. A huge cuttlefish and a small one, a horned shark, lots of yellowtail near the Cave. A few nudibranchs around, the normal blue groper seen. All in all, a nice dive to remember Carol. Visibility good.

Club boat dive, two boats and 10 divers. OSTC mucking up again, thinks it is on charge and did not work. Calm seas and no wind, viz not to bad considering 7.5 m swells on Monday. Anchored on reef top and spent three or more minutes moving anchor to bottom and hooking in. Then went to Split. Reka saw a blue devilfish on the way and I found another one at the intersection, but it hid under a rock. Went right up Split and outside then N about 20 m. Nothing special seen, no purple ascidians or donuts. Back on outside to anchor area. Went through the small swim-through near bastard trumpeters, probably haven't done that for 15 or 20 years. The bastard trumpeters were in normal spot with some red morwong and old wives. Around this time a school of Ausralian salmon swam past. Up to top of the large rock and then went up. Good dive but only special thing the blue devilfish and the salmon. Visibility fair.  

Millpond seas and no wind. Not very good visibility, 3 m at the most, but we had a good dive. Four pygmy pipehorses, two down on start of IR1, the Whites sea horse on the main reef NW of SHC, upsidedown and sawtooth pipefish outside Cave, Parramatta nudibranch on OHR, an angelshark and an eagle ray on way back and a small turtle in the area near exit. No photos of the last two as swam away quickly once spotted. Two large flathead on way back, a few moray eels and some other nudibranchs. Visibility very poor.

Club boat dive, three boats and 14 divers. Spread out over the site. We were S most. Calm seas, no wind, sunny and viz of 15 - 20 metres. Anchored on S end of the wall, went thru swim-thru then along the wall past caves. One huge cuttlefish in shallower one and others saw one more. Went right up to Tryton's anchor, then out to E to rock flat. The few holes in the reef are here, like huge bathtubs. Then over the deeper wall and then back towards anchor. Past anchor to S and around to W. A large blue devilfish in a small overhang. Then a bit more S and back to anchor. Last bit spent on the top of the wall. Very good dive. Visibility very good.

Raining but flat seas and little wind. Just after low tide, very little current till about 45 mins and then very mild. Viz was not too bad, 5-7 m. Went very slowly. Saw 13 pygmy pipehorses, including a tiny 7 mm one but lost if before I could get a photo. Saw quite a few nice nudibranchs, including punk and honey coloured okenia. Two grey BIAs as well as Vic the BBSH. Came back fairly quickly with Daniela as did not turn till 65 or so minutes. No sea dragons along this section. A very good dive. Visibility poor.

Millpond seas, went in off W point, outgoing tide. Viz 5-7 m for till back near Second Cave, then dropped to 3-4 m. Later aabove 12 m it was good, at least 10 m. A few interesting nudibranchs, including a red-girdled chromodoris in the Cutting. The blue groper with the mark on its right side followed us all the way from 15 MR to near the First Cave. Found the yellow Whites sea horse, still on main reef down from SHC. Went over to IR1 start to see the PPH, only one. Back normal way, the pipefish I found a few weeks ago are gone but there are two sawtooth and one upsidedown pipefish outside the First Cave. The Parramatta nudis appear gone, as has the small moray eel in the sponge. Found the four PPHs near SHR but BBSH gone. No RIF still. A very good dive. Visibility mostly fair, but some poor and some good.

 

We used to dive near here 35 years ago but I last dived here in 1996. Not sure I have the right spot yet, will need to dive a here a couple more times. I think we were too deep for the site I dived then. Anyway, bottom comes up from 22 metres to 12 metres in a series of walls and steps. Lots of boulders deeper and then a wall with some overhangs. Then a flat rock platform devoid of life till it gets shallower again. Millpond seas, no current and little wind. Viz was about 18 metres, could easily see the boat from 20 m. We went E first and then back to anchor and W. A larger overhang there. Then back to anchor and N shallower and then back. Some sea tulips deeper and also a few small gorgonias. A six-spined leatherjacket, some black reef leatherjackets and a few crimson banded wrasse. Lots ofo one-spot pullers and mado. Some yellowtail and a large school of bonito type fish. An unexciting but okay dive. Visibility very good.

Next three dives at Shellharbour.

Russ's boat. Got my Shearwater back from new buttons and body. Viz was close to 20 m but heavy overcast made it very dark and stronger wind than forecast (12 kts at least) made the small seas very sloppy. Anchored on SE side, went SSW for about 8 mins then back to anchor. Then continued past and a bit to N or NNW. A shear wall here. Back to anchor and rest of time on the top of the reef in 23-24 metres. Lots of sea tulips, some small gorgonias, sponges etc. Very colourful. A couple of moray eels, plenty of standard nudibranchs, a large cuttlefish, some wrasse etc. Started raining after the dive. A great dive. Visibility very good.

First time here, knew about it but never got to dive before. More protected and calm, viz a bit milker and perhaps 12 to 15 m. A series of cutters running SE to NW. Sandy bottoms at 26 metres with a reef of 21 to 23 metres depending where you are. We anchored on the end of one and went SE on the right side. A nice little wall and then further on large boulders and some overhangs and smaller cracks. Huge amount of fish here, yellowtail and later ladder-finned pomfrets. Went to S and then found ourselves in a second gutter. Went NW for a while to the end then went NE over the reef top (21 m) and ended up back at the anchor. Then went along the gutter again, but on the left side. A really nice wall when it turned to N. Back on top of the reef to the anchor. Lots of ropes, including a really thick one with big chain and some iron railway tracks (?) anchoring it down. Saw two wobbegongs, some comb wrasse, plenty of fishlife. Other group saw two blue-devilfish. An excellent dive site. Visibility very good. 

Back at Shellharbour again, raining but seas a bit better. Only had 130 bar in tank! Well, short dive, a lot of surge and much colder, 18.3C compared to around 21.3C yesterday. Anchored south of yesterday's first dive on the southern end of the wall. Went to SE, bottom over 32 metres on top here about 22 m. Here less sea tulips and more sponges. Very dark on the bottom but viz was 12 to 15 m I think. Went about 12 mins then came back to anchor shallower. Spent the last few mins around the anchor. Some silver sweep, but not much other fishlife. A few nudibranch species. Only a reasonable dive. No second dive as had fuel problems and had to get towed back by Marine Rescue. Visibility good.