Dive Reports – March 2016
Take a look at our dive reports from March 2016! We’ve detailed what we saw, the temperature and visibility, and surface conditions of the Solitary Islands in Coffs Harbour in March 2016.
Dive Reports March 2016 – Table of Contents
2ND MARCH 2016- AMAZING START TO AUTUMN!
What a contrast, from crazy cyclone swell to a very blue and calm sea. With snorkelers and divers on board our first stop was Manta Arch where our divers swum with a friendly Leopard Shark and also a school of Trevally, then making their way to end their dive at Cleaner Station. Plenty of life under the sea, seeing Black Cod, Spanish Dancer, Turtles, Crayfish and Eagle Rays. For our second dive we set out to South West Solitary Island aka ‘Groper Island’ in search of the elusive Manta Ray though no luck. Again, loads of fish including a Blind Shark and Nudibranchs.
Congratulations Leonie for completing her Open Water Course.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 26°C
- VIsibility: 25m-30m
Dive Report by Mike
4TH MARCH 2016 – LEOPARD DUO AT SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND!
Great diving at South Solitary Island today. Manta Arch was our first port of call. Although the Arch was free of sharks, there was still plenty of action! Black Cod, schooling Trevally, and some massive Bullrays were just some of the highlights.
Taking advantage of the slight current, dive two was a drift from the Cleaner Station to the Gantry. Plenty to see on this dive including two Leopard Sharks who were not shy at all!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 25°C
- Visibility: 10m-15m
Dive Report by Andy
5TH MARCH 2016 – LEOPARD SHARK SWIMS WITH DIVERS AT SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND
Yet another magical dive at South Solitary Island today. With a smooth trip out to South Solitary our certified divers were dropped off at Black Rock. The students dived the Gantry for their first open water dive, seeing Turtles, Abbotts Eel, Lionfish, and many more. On the second dive our divers utilized the current, starting at Cleaner Station where we saw schools of Kingfish, Bullrays, Turtles, and our friendly Leopard Shark, then drifting around to the Gantry.
Congratulations Romane for completing her Open Water Course.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 25°C
- Visibility: 15m
Dive Report by Andy
6TH MARCH 2016 – CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA DAY DIVE.
This mornings triathlon proved to be a little tricky though we managed to pull it off nicely, and head out to South Solitary earlier than normal. The first dive was at Buchanans Wall where our advanced divers went deep to check out the Buddha that has been placed down the wall. Loads to see including Turtles, Cuttlefish, Spanish Dancer, Lionfish, and Wobbygongs. For the second dive we took advantage of the current and drifted from Shark Gutters to the Gantry, seeing ‘Scooter’ the Shovel nose Shark, also a Eagle Ray, Bullray, Turtles, Kingfish, Black Cods, and many more.
Conditions are looking good for a night dive this week. If your interested give us a call and book on!
Congratulations Jimi, Josh and Vinnie for completing their Open Water Scuba Diver Course and Merri and Russel for completing their Advanced Open Water Course.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 25°C
- Visibility: 10m
Dive Report by Andy
8TH MARCH 2016 – WARM WATER HAS IT’S DOWNSIDE- CORAL BLEACHING
Another great day underwater for Amazing marine life at South Solitary. We saw everything from Leopard Sharks to Octopus! We are also witnessing a major bleaching of the corals around the island. with such high water temperatures for so long, the toll is building. It was noticed in previous years and they recovered. Lets hope this will be the case again.
Dive 1 was around Cleaner station, with a hint of current, it held masses of schooling fish in the layer of dirty water below the layer of clearer blue water. Black cod were all out and about and there must have been a Ray convention, as they seem to be siting everywhere there was a clear enough spot.
With the Southerly wind making it a little bouncy, we stayed hidden from it at the northern end and finished our dive at South Boulder. Leopard sharks again along with a Shovelnose Ray and a playful Octopus were high lights.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 25°C
- Visibility: 8m-12m
Dive Report by Andy
12TH & 13TH MARCH 2016 – MANTA RAY AND LEOPARD SHARK AT SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND!
Over the last two days Wild Fin has been very busy running both a morning and an afternoon boat out to South Solitary Island on Saturday the 12th. Both dives had plenty to see including our local Leopard Shark, Turtles, Bullrays, schools of Jewfish, and Bigeye Trevally.
The afternoons boat was filled with snorkelers and open water students, seeing loads of fish including Moray Eels, a Cuttlefish, and Wobbygongs. The second dive was at Split Solitary Island where we saw a few Crayfish, a friendly blue Groper, and many more.
Today our divers had an awesome first dive with a Manta Ray and a Leopard Shark! While our students were completing their last open water dive skills at the Gantry, the Manta Ray and Cobia gracefully swum around them heading south towards Buchanans Wall. For the second dive our certified divers jumped in at Shark Gutters, then swimming down to the Gantry with a faint current. Again we saw the Leopard Shark and also Snapper, Bullrays, Turtles, Cobia, Mantis Shrimp, Black Cod and Diamond Trevally.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 26°C
- Visibility: 20m
Dive Report by Andy
14TH MARCH 2016 – GIANT CUTTLEFISH AT SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND!
Today was yet another spectacular day, with minimal wind and rolling swell our trip out to the Lighthouse was quite pleasant. For our first dive we decided to start at Buchanans Wall and swim to the Gantry, in search of the Manta Ray seen yesterday, instead seeing a Giant Cuttlefish, ‘Barney’ the Loggerhead Turtle, Eagle Rays, Shovel-nose Sharks and loads more.
The second dive used a slight current, starting at Cleaner Station to the Gantry. Again we saw our two local Leopard Sharks along with loads of Eaglerays, Bullrays, Tarwhine, Bullseye, Black Cod, and Turtles.
Due to the consistent warm water hanging around we are witnessing a major coral Bleeching event at South Solitary Island, though in previous years it has bounced back! Lets hope so.
Congratulations Jed, Wayne, Carl and Marco for completing their Open Water course today and over the weekend.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 25°C
- Visibility: 20m
Dive Report by Andy
18TH MARCH 2016 – TURTLE HEAVEN AT SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND!
Conditions were a little choppy on the surface today due to some strong northerly winds, however under the water was very blue! Our first dive was a swim from Buchanans Wall to the Gantry, seeing loads of fish including schools of Fusilier fish, Turtles, Wobbygongs, Nudibranchs, Moray Eels, and Eagle Rays. On our second dive the certified divers jumped in at Cleaner Station, drifting around to the Gantry where our students were completing their second open water dive. Again seeing Eagle Rays, Bull Rays, Turtles and Black Cods.
Congratulation Justin, Alex and Josie for completing their Open Water Course!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 25°C
- Visibility: 20m
Dive Report by Andy
25TH MARCH 2016 – EASTER FRIDAY DOUBLE DIVE!
The Grey Nurse Sharks are back! Our Easter Friday dive out at South Solitary Island couldn’t get any better, we had a very busy morning dive and an afternoon skorkel/dive. The mornings trip saw our Grey Nurse Sharks back in action at Manta Arch and also some majestic Bull Ray courtship at Cleaner Station Cave. Both dives were filled with fish including Cobia, Eagle Rays, Turtles, Nudibranchs, Blue Gropers, Black Cods, Lionfish, Wobbygongs,Fusiliers and many more.
The afternoons trip out had both snorkel and divers starting at Buchanans Wall swimming to the Gantry. Again, lots of activity in the water, seeing Turtles, Jacks, and Diamond Trevally. The last dive was a drift from Shark Gutter to the Gantry where our Bull Rays were still performing quite a show for our divers, also a school of Batfish, Cobia, Wobbygongs and Schools of Tarwhine.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 24°C
- Visibility: 12m-15m
Dive Report by Andy
26TH & 27TH MARCH 2016 – EASTER BLAST!
This Easter long weekend has really produced some amazing dives. On Saturday the 26th of March Wild Fin made a morning and afternoon trip out to South Solitary Island filled with divers and snorkelers. Both trips used Buchanans Wall for their first dive, seeing schools of fusiliers, Moray Eels, Lionfish and Turtles. The second dive was at the Northern end of the Island where we used the current to drift from Shark Gutters to the Gantry, seeing Bull Rays, Cobia, Jacks, Black Cods, our local Loggerhead Turtle ‘Barnie’, Trevally and Eagle Rays.
Today the seas produced yet another calm day making it a quick boat trip out to South Solitary Island. The first dive at Buchanans Wall consisted of loads of macro critters including Spanish Dancers, Nudibranchs, Lionfish, Spider Crabs, Abbotts Eel and Moray Eels. The second dive used the current to drift from Cleaner Station to South Boulder Wall where we saw loads of Schooling Tarwhine, Sawtail, Bull Rays, Cobia, Lionfish, Trevally and many more.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 25°C
- Visibility: 15m-20m
Dive Report by Andy
28TH MARCH – LEOPARD SHARK AT SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND!
Today was yet another day in paradise. For our first dive we jumped in at Shark Gutter where we were delighted with our friendly Leopard Shark. Both divers and snorkelers got to see the Leopard Shark, along with Bull Rays, Cobia, schools of Tarwhine, Black Cods, Lionfish, Jacks and Trevally. The second dive used the slight current for a drift from Shark Gutters to the Gantry, again seeing the Leopard Shark and also a Spanish Dancer, Nudibranchs, Painted Crayfish and a Green Sea Turtle.
Congratulations Shane and Mitch for completing their Open Water course.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 25°C
- Visibility: 20m
Dive Report by Andy
30TH MARCH 2016 – BULLRAY-A-PALOOZA!!
This morning saw Wildfin heading out to South Solitary for our dives.
Due to the North East swell, first up was a swim from Buchanans wall to the Gantry. Some bull rays, a leopard shark, a large green turtle and two ghost pipefish were seen along the way.
Due to a lack of current, we had a one way swim from Shark Gutters to the Gantry (some more gantry-ish than others!) several Bull Rays were again seen in Cleaner Gutter, a Jawfish, and a Shovelnose were seen on the swim down, along with some mantis shrimp and black cod.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 24°C
- VisibilityL: 15m-20m
Dive Report by Lindsay
31ST MARCH 2016 – CORAL BLEACHING AT THE SOLITARY ISLANDS
We had a beautiful day out at South Solitary Island today, both dives were up the top end of the island, seeing Grey Nurse Sharks, Bullrays, Stingrays, Blackcod, Painted Crayfish, Box-fish, and lots more.
The Visibility today was between 12-15m and temperature was around 24C on the bottom.
Congratulations to JayJay who finished her PADI Open Water Course today and Rhys who completed his PADI Advanced Open Water Course!!!
With the amazing day of diving aside, we have a serious note about coral bleaching that is evident up and down the coast! The photo you see here is of the coral at South Solitary island which is severely bleached. Scientists believe that pollution has led to the increase in water temperature which is killing our corals. We have never seen it this bad before and are deeply saddened by the death of this coral.
Lets hope the water temperature drops soon to minimize damage to the Solitary Islands.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 24°C
- Visibility: 12m-15m
Dive Report by Lindsay
