8 species sighted at Fish Cage, Mooloolah River, La Balsa Park, Buddina, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. 11-02-2024.
A single solo shore entry dive with Gary of 62 minutes, 2.1+ m, maximum depth 6.1 m, 28 C water temperature, 1 m viz.
Today's adventure was to explore the Nudibranch population during a massive high tidal flow for 60 minutes, to record all I could find ambient light. I got in right at the height of the tide and it was moving. The whole time I had to hang on. I was surprised to see what there was. When my hour was up I drifted back to the stair, upon standing on the lowest stair the water surface above me. What this showed me was that there are some species that have the ability to hang tough during high current times. I saw no Ovulids in the usual spot. A rather large jelly smacked me in the head with tentacles going every where. Oddly I did not get stung but the dive float had a lot of them. The final tally was 45 Nudibranchs in the hour. After a bit of rain, wind and swell the river is pretty smokey, but enough vis to clearly see Nudibranchs. This outing was a horizontal rock climb! I enjoyed the challenge.
Species and numbers recorded:
Dermatobranchus sp. 15 -1
Dermatobranchus sp. 21 -1
Flabellina lotos -1
Goniobranchus daphne -2
Idaliadoris maugeansis -1
Murphydoris cobbi -33
Tenellia sibogae (yellow) -5
Unidentia sp. 1 -2
Entry
Clarity
Surface
Substrate upon descent
Dermatobranchus sp. 21
Murphydoris cobbi x3
Murphydoris cobbi
Murphydoris cobbi
Dermatobranchus sp. 15
Unidentia sp. 1
Idaliadoris maugeansis
Idaliadoris maugeansis
Murphydoris cobbi
Goniobranchus daphne
Goniobranchus daphne
Flabellina lotos
Tenellia sibogae
Tenellia sibogae x3
Murphydoris cobbi
Murphydoris cobbi mating pair
Substrate
Unidentia sp. 1
High water level on exit
