A single shore entry dive by Julie, Terry, Gary and David of 127 minutes. Maximum depth 6.2 m, 24 C water temperature and up to 5 m viz. The quality of the viz was directly proportional to the distance down current from other divers.
For this dive we all decided to use our semi-dry suits as we were kitting up in the noon-day heat. Conditions looked inviting as we entered the water at the Fish-cage steps and drifted back somewhat with the current prior to descending. A very relaxing dive ensued due to the small tidal variation, the only drawback being that any stirred up silt took a little time to clear away behind us. Some good finds were made by The Team including Colinatys sp. 1, Doto sp. 4, Lomanotus sp. 4, Dendrodoris denisoni, Plocamopherus ceylonicus and a version of Goniodoridella sp. 5 that exhibits a plain white foot rather than the red spotted variety we normally see here. Also, a new addition to our Sunshine Coast list is Elysia sp. 19. The number of Goniobranchus daphne sighted is worth remarking upon as well. This species and its fellow family members are sponge feeders however the sponges they are feeding on must be infinitesimal among the grains of sand and algal cover.
Number of species sighted
* Species with highest specimen count
Atys semistriatus (Shell) -1
Colinatys sp. 1 -1
Cratena lineata -1
Cratena simba -2
Dendrodoris denisoni -1
Doto sp. 4 -3
Elysia sp. 19 -1 (New species)
Flabellina rubrolineata -7
Goniobranchus aureopurpureus -1
* Goniobranchus daphne -25
Goniodoridella savignyi -1
Goniodoridella sp. 1 -7
Goniodoridella sp. 5 -1
Gymnodoris sp. 9 -1
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -1
Hypselodoris obscura -6
Lomanotus sp. 4 -5
Plocamopherus ceylonicus -1
Pteraeolidia semperi -1
Tenellia sp. 23 -1
Tenellia sp. 24 -3
Tenellia sp. 24
Lomanotus sp. 4
Cratena simba
Goniodoridella sp. 1
Dendrodoris denisoni
Gymnodoris sp. 9
Pteraeolidia semperi
Goniobranchus daphne
Flabellina rubrolineata
Gymnodoris sp. 10
Dive site access
Goniobranchus aureopurpureus
Atys semistriatus - shell
Colinatys sp. 1
Substrate
Plocamopherus ceylonicus
Substrate
Doto sp. 4
Hypselodoris obscura
Cratena lineata
Elysia sp. 19 - New species
Elysia sp. 19
Goniodoridella sp. 5 - a variety without
the red spotting to the foot sole
