Terry, Gary and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 72 minute and 1 x 80 minute dives in water depths from 13 m to 19 m. 15 m
The sea was a little lumpy and the swell was running at over a metre so we thought diving a little deeper may be more comfortable for us. The Gneering Shoals beckoned and we headed out there in the hope that the strong current we encountered last time had ceased. Clown Reef on the Outer Gneerings was the specific destination as it provides a range of depths that can be useful to negate the effects of swell. Blue water and zero current greeted us on arrival. This site has substantial hard coral cover compared to many of our other sites so although the species count is lower there were some special finds. Some of those worth a mention are Limenandra confusa, Goniobranchus roboi, Aegires incusus and Aegires hapsis, all rarely sighted.
Number of each species sighted: 1st dive/2nd dive
* Species with highest specimen count
Aegires citrinus 1/-
Aegires hapsis -/1
Aegires incusus 1/-
Ceratosoma tenue 1/-
Chelidonura inornata 1/-
Chromodoris elisabethina 3/2
Chromodoris kuiteri 2/2
Chromodoris lochi 1/-
Chromodoris striatella 1/-
Chromodoris strigata -/1
Cratena lineata 2/-
Cratena simba 1/-
* Doriprismatica atromarginata 9/10
Elysia sp. 11 2/-
Flabellina rubrolineata -/1
Glossodoris vespa 2/1
Goniobranchus decorus 1/1
Goniobranchus geometricus -/1
Goniobranchus roboi -/1
Hexabranchus sanguineus -/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni 4/3
Hypselodoris maculosa 1/2
Hypselodoris whitei 1/1
Limenandra confusa 1/-
Mexichromis trilineata 1/-
Phyllidia elegans 1/-
Phyllidia varicosa 2/-
Phyllidiella lizae 1/1
Phyllidiella pustulosa 2/2
Phyllidiopsis burni 1/-
Roboastra luteolineata -/1
Sagaminopteron psychedelicum -/2
Thuridilla splendens 5/4
Glossodoris vespa
Chromodoris striatella
Limenandra confusa - ploughing
through the substrate growth
through the substrate growth
Limenandra confusa - revealed
Chromodoris elisabethina
Goniobranchus roboi
Roboastra luteolineata
Cratena lineata
Elysia sp. 11
Aegires incusus
Chelidonura inornata
Hypselodoris maculosa
Aegires hapsis
Hexabranchus sanguineus
Chromodoris strigata
Looking, looking, looking.
Substrate
Phyllidiella pustulosa
Hypselodoris whitei
Hypselodoris jacksoni
Doriprismatica atromarginata
Aegires citrinus
Mexichromis trilineata
Phyllidia varicosa
Ceratosoma tenue
Surface conditions
Goniobranchus geometricus
Thuridilla splendens
Chromodoris kuiteri
Sagaminopteron psychedelicum
Chromodoris lochi
Goniobranchus decorus
Phyllidiopsis burni