Monday, June 25, 2018

Species List: 24-06-2018, Trench, Inner Gneering Shoals, off Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

29 species sighted at Trench, Inner Gneering Shoals, off Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 24-06-2018.

Gary and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 76 minute and 1 x 71 minute dives in water depths from 13 m to 19 m. 15 m viz, 20 C water temp and moderate surge.

Earlier in the week Sunday looked like the most promising day however the weather forecast kept fluctuating and only looked suitable again late on Saturday. We headed for Old Woman Island with the intention of anchoring in the lee just in case the winds belied the forecast again. Unfortunately the swell was quite powerful (long period) which creates uncomfortable surge in shallow waters so, for this excursion we opted to visit a site we have not searched in almost 6 years. Back in 2012 was our last visit here when we were still operating the inflatable. On that visit we recorded 27 species but the viz at that time was only 5 m. Trench is one of our closest sites to the Mooloolah River entrance but still provides good depths to help mitigate the effects of the swell down below. As it happened the wind did not get above 10 knots except for a short period around midday. Today’s excursion turned up some interesting finds, some in pairs, such as: Crimora edwardsi, Verconia alboannulata, Verconia romeri, Diversidoris crocea and Hypselodoris zephyra. Other finds worth a special mention include Actinocyclus verrucosus together with its egg mass and the elegant coloured and patterned Goniobranchus coi. We concentrated our search on the northern wall that drops in a series of terraces to the sandy gutter - a wonderful variety of substrate. Next time we will swim across the Trench and explore the southern escarpment. Altogether a most rewarding excursion at a long neglected site.

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

Actinocyclus verrucosus -/1
Ardeadoris rubroannulata 1/-
Ardeadoris sp. 2 1/-
Bulbaeolidia alba 1/-
Cadlinella ornatissima 1/-
Chromodoris elisabethina 3/1
Chromodoris kuiteri 4/1
Crimora edwardsi -/2
Dermatobranchus rodmani 1/-
Diversidoris crocea 2/-
Doriprismatica atromarginata 1/-
Flabellina exoptata 2/-
Flabellina rubrolineata -/1
Flabellina sp. 1 -/1
Glossodoris rufomarginata 1/-
Glossodoris vespa 1/1
Goniobranchus coi 1/-
Goniobranchus decorus 1/1
Goniobranchus splendidus 1/-
Hypselodoris zephyra -/2
Phyllidia ocellata -/1
Phyllidiella pustulosa 1/-
Pleurobranchus peronii 1/-
Sagaminopteron ornatum 1/-
Tambja morosa 2/2
* Thuridilla splendens 5/1
Verconia alboannulata -/3
Verconia romeri -/2
Verconia simplex 2/1

From the archives - here is our old ride 
the RIB - RV Beagle, - 6 years ago

The current ride - More Mischief

Surface conditions

Substrate

Cadlinella ornatissima

Goniobranchus splendidus - note the 
purplish rhinophores of this specimen

Chromodoris kuiteri

Dermatobranchus rodmani 

The rolled rhinophores of Thuridilla splendens

Glossodoris vespa - endemic to SE Qld.

Looking, looking, looking.

Bulbaeolidia alba

Chromodoris elisabethina

Verconia alboannulata

Verconia alboannulata - note the different 
colour accents and patterning

Crimora edwardsi

Goniobranchus decorus

Phyllidia ocellata

Flabellina rubrolineata

Flabellina sp. 1

Actinocyclus verrucosus - an uncommon find

Distinctive spawn of Actinocyclus verrucosus 

Pleurobranchus peronii 

Goniobranchus coi

Ardeadoris rubroannulata

Flabellina exoptata

Glossodoris rufomarginata

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Tambja morosa

Verconia simplex - with spawn

Diversidoris crocea - a pair

Verconia alboannulata - a pair, 
photo bombed by a brittle star

Crimora edwardsi - a pair

Verconia romeri - a pair

Hypselodoris zephyra - a pair



Saturday, June 23, 2018

Species List: 22-06-2018, Fish Cage, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

10 species sighted at, Fish Cage, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 22-06-2018.

A single shore entry dive by Gary and David of 55 minutes. Maximum depth 5.7 m, 20 C water temperature (rounded up) and maximum 8 m viz.

A shorter than usual immersion courtesy of a couple of equipment failures. We probably only covered about 10 lineal metres of river bed but managed nevertheless to sight more species than we sometimes record in dives of three times the duration and ten times the distance covered. The substrate has been significantly altered due to the recent river bed profiling operations.

Species and number thereof sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Cratena lineata -3
Eubranchus sp. 10 -5
Flabellina rubrolineata -2
Goniobranchus daphne -3
Goniodoridella savignyi -4
* Goniodoridella sp. 1 -8
Goniodoridella sp. 5 -1
Hypselodoris obscura -1
Thuridilla carlsoni -1
Unidentia sp. 5 -3

Cratena lineata

Flabellina rubrolineata

Thuridilla carlsoni

Eubranchus sp. 10

Entry point to site; downstream aspect

Goniodoridella sp. 5

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Substrate

Goniodoridella savignyi

Ah, technology. You can never 
have too much "stuff".

Unidentia sp. 5

Goniobranchus daphne

Substrate

Hypselodoris obscura


Monday, June 18, 2018

Species List: 16-06-2018, Terry’s Delight, Arkwright Shoals, off Point Arkwright, Yaroomba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

29 species sighted at Terry’s Delight, Arkwright Shoals, off Point Arkwright, Yaroomba, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 16-06-2018

Gary and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 84 minute and 1 x 76 minute dives in water depths from 13 m to 17 m. 20 m viz, 22 C water temp and no surge.

The ideal surface and diving conditions persisted so we ventured out on back to back excursions, this time a little further afield up to the Arkwright Shoals. A similar species count eventuated but some different species recorded this time. Ardeadoris carlsoni, Chromodoris magnifica and Dermatobranchus sp. 10 were uncommon finds. The deep crevasses at this site provide an enjoyable substrate to search for our elusive quarry.

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

Aegires flores 1/-
Aplysia parvula 1/-
Ardeadoris carlsoni -/1
Ardeadoris sp. 2 1/-
Bornella anguilla 2/2
Chromodoris elisabethina -/3
Chromodoris kuiteri -/1
Chromodoris magnifica -/1
Chromodoris striatella 2/-
Dermatobranchus rodmani 5/-
Dermatobranchus sp. 10 -/1
* Doriprismatica atromarginata 6/3
Flabellina sp. 1 1/1
Glossodoris vespa 1/2
Goniobranchus collingwoodi -/1
Goniobranchus splendidus 5/2
Gymnodoris alba -/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni 1/2
Hypselodoris obscura -/1
Jorunna parva -/1
Jorunna sp. 3 1/-
Phyllidia picta -/1
Phyllidiella lizae -/3
Phyllidiella pustulosa -/3
Pteraeolidia semperi -/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum -/3
Tenellia sp. 33 1/-
Thuridilla splendens 3/2
Tritoniopsis elegans -/1

Dockside preparations

Substrate - on the top of the shoals

Thuridilla splendens

Tenellia sp. 33

Aegires flores

Jorunna sp. 3

Goniobranchus splendidus - 
typical port wine coloured markings

Crevasse substrate

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Phyllidiella lizae

Tritoniopsis elegans

Hypselodoris obscura

Phyllidia picta

Pteraeolidia semperi

Goniobranchus collingwoodi

Aplysia parvula

Chromodoris striatella

Bornella anguilla

Ardeadoris sp. 2

Dermatobranchus rodmani

Surface conditions - Looking SW to Mt Coolum

Jorunna parva

Flabellina sp. 1

Chromodoris elisabethina

Ardeadoris carlsoni

Glossodoris vespa

Chromodoris kuiteri

Chromodoris magnifica

Goniobranchus splendidus - 
lighter coloured markings

Dermatobranchus sp. 10

Hypselodoris jacksoni