Julie, Terry, and David on this excursion consisting of 2 dives:
The first dive x 60 minutes out wide at Big Frog (near C Spot) in water depths from 18 m to 20 m, 12 m viz, 26 C water temp and some surge.
The second dive x 72 minutes at TJ’s Boulders in water depths from 16 m to 20 m, 3 m viz, 26 C water temp and some surge.
Surface conditions were good and improved as the morning progressed. By the end of the 2nd dive though, the sea breeze had come in and served to push us home. We were somewhat disappointed at the slugs on offer. The big seas of the past week have no doubt contributed to their paucity. Whilst the visibility at Big Frog was fine, TJ’s Boulders can have low visibility at times and so it was this trip - might have become disoriented without the dive reel. Generally just the usual suspects sighted except for the small specimen of Hypselodoris apolegma.
Number of each species sighted: 1st dive/2nd dive
* Species with highest specimen count
Chromodoris kuiteri 1/-
Dermatobranchus ornatus 1/-
Doriprismatica atromarginata 2/1
Flabellina exoptata 1/-
* Flabellina rubrolineata 4/2
Flabellina sp. 1 1/4
Goniobranchus geometricus 2/-
Goniobranchus splendidus -/3
Hypselodoris apolegma 1/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni -/1
Hypselodoris zephyra 1/-
Jorunna sp. 3 1/-
Phyllidia ocellata 1/2
Phyllidiella lizae 1/-
Phyllidiella pustulosa 2/1
Phyllidiopsis burni 1/-
Pleurolidia juliae -/1
Pteraeolidia semperi -/2
Tenellia sibogae -/1
Flabellina exoptata feeding
on hydroid polyps
Dermatobranchus ornatus
Phyllidia ocellata
Flabellina sp. 1
Flabellina sp. 1 showing habitat
Pteraeolidia semperi
Looking south towards Moffat Headland
and Point Wickham
Looking north towards Point Cartwright
Gearing up for the 2nd dive
Phyllidiopsis burni
Hypselodoris zephyra
Substrate at Big Frog
Goniobranchus geometricus
Jorunna sp. 3
Hypselodoris apolegma
Flabellina rubrolineata
Chromodoris kuiteri
Pleurolidia juliae
Hypselodoris jacksoni
Tenellia sibogae
Phyllidiella pustulosa
Flabellina sp. 1
