Dive #21. My 'coming of age' dive!

When: 26 January 2005
Location: Whalebone Caves, Encounter Bay, South Australia
Depth: 6.4m
Bottom time: 67 mins
Viz: 8m
Water temp: 21°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall

Amazing network of kelp-covered tunnels. Saw my first cuttlefish, a real cutie. Huge blue devil, dusky morwong, leather jackets, beautiful starfish.

Dive #20. Advanced open water deep dive

When: 26 January 2005
Location: West Island, Victor Harbour/Encounter Bay, South Australia
Depth: 28.7m
Bottom time: 34 mins
Viz: 1m
Water temp: 20°C
Instructor: Scuba Buachall

The viz was crap, so we played stone, paper, scissors at the anchor line! While hanging at the safety stop we saw the tiniest, cutest jellyfish, like a button mushroom, with a pygmy leather jacket swimming around it.

Dive #19

When: 22 January 2005
Location: Aldinga, South Australia
Depth: 13.6m
Bottom time: 54 mins
Viz: 10m
Water temp: 21°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall

Dive #18

When: 22 January 2005
Location: Aldinga, South Australia
Depth: 16.5m
Bottom time: 51 mins
Viz: 10m
Water temp: 21°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall

Idyllic conditions. Giant boarfish.

Dive #17. My first night dive

When: 18 January 2005
Location: The Dredge, Glenelg, South Australia
Depth: 20.1m
Bottom time: 51 mins
Viz: 12m
Water temp: 21°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall. Joined by Steve S and Nicole S.

Fab phosphorescence. Bulls eyes, big silver drummer, toadfish, huge crabs. Amazing to look up from the safety stop at the wobbly moon and stars.

Dive #16. Oh the seals, the seals at Allthorpes!

When: 6 January 2005
Location: Allthorpes, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Depth: 21.4m
Bottom time: 55 mins
Viz: 12m
Water temp: 19°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall, Steve S

Oooh aahh! Allthorpes approx 10 nautical miles offshore. Anchored on north-west of island. Free descent through the blue. Tall cliffs of kelp, abundant fish life and THEN....at least 6 seals joined us for the entire dive. Playful, innocently curious, cute, unafraid. An absolute privilege. I'd say our yelps of happiness could be heard for miles when we surfaced.

Dive #15

When: 9 January 2005
Location: Chinaman's Hat, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Depth: 12.3m
Bottom time: 62 mins
Viz: 6m
Water temp: 19°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall

Big dive group, we split into two. Beautiful blue devil.

Dive #14

When: 8 January 2005
Location: Chinaman's Hat, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Depth: 11.3m
Bottom time: 61 mins
Viz: 6-8m
Water temp: 19°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall

Followed the arc of the reef after long snorkel and swim. Magpie perch, leather jackets, herring kale, red snapper.

Dive #13

When: 7 January 2005
Location: Chinamans Hat, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Depth: 12.3m
Bottom time: 64 mins
Viz: 6m
Water temp: 19°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall

Snorkelled for about 100m before descent. Huge stingray on the bottom. Fab scenery, large caverns, big walls and channels. Snapper, blue devils, moonlighters, zebra fish, leather jackets, silver drummer. Stingrays just off shore as we exited.

Dive #12

When: 7 January 2005
Location: Dolphin Bay, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Depth: 8.9m
Bottom time: 53 mins
Viz: 2m
Water temp: 19°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall

Dive #11

When: 6 January 2005
Location: Haystack Island, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Depth: 9.6m
Bottom time: 76 mins
Viz: 6-8m
Water temp: 16°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall

Haystack located approx 8 nautical miles from Marion Bay. 1.5-2m seas on the way. Had to cut the anchor after it got caught on reef. Anchored further out, then had a wonderful dive (and retrieved the anchor!). A seal joined us for 5 mins. Zebra fish, leather jackets, bulls eyes, abalone, groper.

Dive #10

When: 5 January 2005
Location: Dolphin Beach, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Depth: 8.7m
Bottom time: 69 mins
Viz: 2m
Water temp: 18°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall

New Oceanic Veo 200 computer. Hike over rocks to get into the water. Moderate surge. Crayfish, porcupine fish, young groper, magpie perch, moonlighters, abalone, bullseyes, dusky morwong.