Terry & David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 102 minute and 1 x 83 minute dives in water depths from 12m to 15m. 12m viz, 22C water temp and no surge.
We returned to the vicinity of our Saturday shore dive only this time by boat and about a nautical mile further off shore on the Arkwright Shoals. On our previous trip to this particular site late last year the viz was poor and we did not get to appreciate the topography. This time on arriving at the bottom the trenches, ridges and rock bommies in the sand were laid out before us. Whilst the species count was satisfying we just had the impression that there were not the usual numbers of specimens. Although we should not complain about the 22C water temperature the long dives do take a toll on the body temperature so it will be drysuits all around from now on - winter has arrived for the wusses on the Sunshine Coast.
Number of species sighted: 1st dive/2nd dive
* Species with highest specimen count
Aegires citrinus 1/-
Aegires flores -/2
Ardeadoris aff. averni 1/2
Bornella anguilla 2/4
Chelidonura inornata -/2
Chromodoris elisabethina 1/1
Chromodoris kuiteri -/3
Chromodoris striatella -/1
Dermatobranchus cf. primus 1/1
Dermatobranchus ornatus 6/3
Dermatobranchus rodmani -/1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 8/6
Elysia sp. 11 1/-
Glossodoris vespa 2/2
Goniobranchus splendida 3/2
Gymnodoris alba 1/-
Hexabranchus sanguineus 1/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni 1/4
Hypselodoris obscura -/1
Jorunna sp. 3 1/1
Mexichromis macropus 1/-
Nembrotha purpureolineata -/1
Phyllidia ocellata 3/6
Phyllidiella lizae -/2
Phyllidiella pustulosa 3/3
Phyllodesmium magnum 2/-
Pteraeolidia ianthina 6/3
Roboastra luteolineata -/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum 2/-
Trinchesia sibogae 1/-
Trinchesia sp. 1 1/1
Tritoniopsis alba 1/1
Substrate
Gymnodoris alba
Bornella anguilla
Sagaminopteron ornatum
Tritoniopsis alba
Hypselodoris jacksoni
Chromodoris kuiteri
Surface conditions - doesn't get much better
Phyllodesmium magnum
Jorunna sp. 3
Aegires citrinus - a juvenile
with black tipped rhinophores
Glossodoris vespa
Phyllidia ocellata
Goniobranchus splendida
Mexichromis macropus - testing the waters
Hexabranchus sanguineus
Dermatobranchus ornatus - a mating pair
with observer
Chromodoris elisabethina
Ardeadoris aff. averni
Phyllidiella lizae
Juvenile Dermatobranchus rodmani - we think
Trinchesia sp. 1 - on hydroid food
Nembrotha purpureolineata
Nembrotha purpureolineata
Doriprismatica atromarginata
Chelidonura inornata - laying egg cocoon
Chromodoris striatella
Elysia sp. 11 - found on Codium
