Monday, July 16, 2018

Species List: 16-07-2018, Hancock Shoals, off Coolum, Sunshine Coast, Qld

26 species sighted at Hancock Shoals, off Coolum, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 16-07-2018.

Julie, Terry David and Gary on this excursion consisting of 1 x 65 minute and 1 x 50 minute dives in water depths from 11 m to 15 m. 15 m viz, 21 C water temp and heavy surge.

The weather report was looking good but a bit of swell was still about, so we went out and gave it a go. Surface conditions were nice with an occasion swell rolling in. The viz was good and you see the bottom from the boat. Descending to the bottom told a different story. The surge was quite heavy but surprisingly there were nudibranchs to be found and shooting them was a challenge. Julie and Gary decided to sit the second dive out and munch on chips while Terry and David continued the search. Finding Phyllidia guamensis,  Mexichromis trilineata and Aplysia parvula were great finds

Number of each species sighted: 1st dive/2nd dive
* Species with highest specimen count

Aegires citrinus 1/-
Aplysia parvula -/3
Ardeadoris averni 1/-
Ardeadoris rubrolineata 1/-
Ardeadoris sp. 2 4/-
Bulbaeolidia alba -/1
Chromodoris elisabethina 2/1
Chromodoris kuiteri 1/-
* Doriprismatica atromarginata 7/3
Flabellina sp. 1 1/-
Glossodoris vespa 2/1
Goniobranchus geometricus 2/1
Goniobranchus splendidus 6/2
Hypselodoris bullockii 1/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni 2/2
Hypselodoris obscura 3/1
Hypselodoris tryoni 2/-
Mexichromis trilineata 1/-
Phyllidia exquisita -/1
Phyllidia guamensis 1/-
Phyllidiella pustulosa 3/1
Pleurobranchus peronii -/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum -/1
Tenellia sibogae 4/3
Thuridilla splendens -/1
Tritoniopsis elegans 1/-

Our ride

Surface conditions

The substrate

Mexichromis trilineata

Hypselodoris obscura

 Tritoniopsis elegans

Ardeadoris sp. 2

Ardeadoris rubrolineata

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Goniobranchus splendidus

Bulbaeolidia alba

Chromodoris kuiteri 

Chromodoris elisabethina

 Glossodoris vespa

Sagaminopteron ornatum 

Pleurobranchus peronii

Thuridilla splendens

Goniobranchus geometricus

A pair of Chromodoris elisabethina

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Phyllidia guamensis

Phyllidia exquisita

 Aplysia parvula

David about to ascend