Dive #133. Lovin' the local leafies...

When: 14 February 2009
Location: The Bluff, Victor Harbour, South Australia
Depth: 8.2m
Bottom time: 62 mins
Viz: 4m
Water temp: 21°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall

Swiss native Fabian booked a guided leafy sea dragon tour with SB.

And who better?

We met 10. Yes, 10 leafies, ranging from juvenile to fully grown.

The conditions were lovely. Warm and sunny, and a gentle sea. But it's the Bluff, so as usual, there was surge. And the viz wasn't great. The sea there always reminds me of Won Ton soup, with stringy bits...

I spotted a juvenile moonlighter who thought I didn't see him, and darted off quite hurriedly, upset that I waved at him.

SB also came across a dozen crayfish hiding under a ledge.

All in all, a lovely, leafy dive!

Dive #113

When: 17 May 2007
Location: The Bluff, Victor Harbour, South Australia
Depth: 9.3m
Bottom time: 43 mins
Viz: 3-5m
Water temp: 17°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall, Rachael

A very special dive. Five leafy sea dragons and a seal. Joy.

A beautiful post about this dive here.

Dive #109. Back to SA. Decrease of 12°C but +8 leafy sea dragons.

When: 1 October 2006
Location: The Bluff, Victor Harbour, South Australia
Depth: 8.2m
Bottom time: 49 mins
Viz: 4m
Water temp: 14°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall, Michelle T

A far cry from the tropical 26°C of PNG. Back to wearing my 7mm semi-dry, hood, and feeling like the Michelin (wo)man. I was surprisingly warm for most of the dive, however.

Strange though it sounds, it seemed like the sea was saltier than usual. It may have been due to the sea swell/movement at the headland and other factors. All three of us definitely found it more difficult to descend initially. Or else I'm talking through my hood.

BUT....the leafy sea dragons were out in force. There wasn't much else to see, the viz was quite bad. We found at least eight of the beautiful creatures, some adults, some males with eggs, and some babies. All as extraordinarily beautiful as ever.

Oh, and a cute cowfish, just before we ascended.

Dive #44

When: 8 May 2005
Location: Second Valley, South Australia
Depth: 5.1m
Bottom time: 54 mins
Viz: 8-10m
Water temp: 17°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall

Moonlighters, pipefish, crab half-way up a pylon.

I found two leafy sea dragons and spent most of the dive just gawking at them. Beautiful.

Dive #23. My mission: to see a leafy sea dragon. Mission status: accomplished!

When: 13 February 2005
Location: Rapid Bay Jetty, South Australia
Depth: 10.1m
Bottom time: 63 mins
Viz: 12m
Water temp: 20°C
Buddy: Scuba Buachall

Wow, wow, wow! Fish galore, the usual suspects, herring kale, huge 11-armed starfish.

But tears came to my eyes as we found a divine leafy sea dragon pecking delicately at one of the jetty pylons. It wasn't a bit concerned as we cruised up close.

Delicate, perfect, just amazing.