Dive Reports – April 2017
Take a look at our dive reports from April 2017! We’ve detailed what we saw, the temperature and visibility, and surface conditions of the Solitary Islands in Coffs Harbour in April 2017.
Dive Reports April 2017 – Table of Contents:
8TH APRIL 2017 – IT FEELS GOOD TO BE BACK IN THE WATER!
Man it’s good to be back in the water! Conditions were surprisingly good, as our divers enjoyed exploring Shark Gutters, Cleaner Station and also South Boulder. Highlights included a school of curious Batfish, Eagle Rays, Crayfish, Masses of Schooling Fish, Black Cod, a Giant Cuttlefish, Spanish Dancer, Turtles, Groupers and our resident Orangutan Crab.
Congratulation Tjark, Steph and Peter in completing their PADI Open Water Course!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 22°-23°
- Visibility: 10m-15m
Dive Report by Andy
9TH APRIL 2017 SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND GIVES US GREAT DIVING!
It was a pleasant surprise to find underwater conditions so nice at South Solitary Island today. Our first dive was at Manta Arch with abundant fishlife along with 3 Grey Nurse Sharks under the Arch. Cruising through to Cleaner Station to meet the boat to finish the dive, we encountered more large schools of Sweep and Tarwhine, along with some Batfish in the water column.
Dive 2 took us from Cleaner Station across the top of the island, to South Boulder mooring, in hope to find some Leopard sharks. Along the way highlights were more Grey Nurse, lots of large Black Cod, Turtles and Wobbygong sharks, unfortunately no Leopards today. Good to see our baby Clown Trigger-fish and Orangutan Crab have survived the big seas of ex-cyclone Debbie.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 23°C-24°C
- Visibility: 15m-20m
Dive Report by Mike
14TH APRIL 2017 – EASTER FRIDAY DIVING!
The Easter long weekend is here! And it was a great day of diving at South Solitary Island. Grey Nurse Sharks and two Emperor Angle Fish were just some of today’s highlights. Also, another Orangutan Crab, Black Cods, swimming Wobbygongs, Bullrays, and clouds of Schooling Fish.
Happy Easter from all the crew here at Jetty Dive.
Visibility 8-10 Temperature 21-22c
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 21°C-22°C
- Visibility: 8m-10m
Dive Report by Andy
15TH APRIL 2017 – EASTER SATURDAY DIVING!
With boat boats loaded with excited divers, we shot out to South Solitary Island for two amazing dives.
Manta Arch and the Cleaner Station were the sites for dive one. Grey Nurse and Leopard Sharks were spotted on this dive along with some huge Black Cod and Schooling Barracuda.
Dive two was spent enjoying the Boulder Wall. Schools of fish everywhere! Our divers also spotted this little guy. Who can guess what he is?
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 22°C-24°C
- Visibility: 5m-15m
Dive Report by Andy
16TH APRIL 2017 – EASTER SUNDAY!
Today’s conditions were a little bouncy on the surface, but once submerged we were surprised with the amount of fish life at Buchanans Wall. The Second was a lovely Drift from Cleaner station to South Boulder, while our second boat, 2 Wild, dived Grouper Island. Highlights today include a Leopard Shark, an abundance of schooling fish, Barracuda, Tarwhine, Bullseye, Black Cod, our friendly Groupers, Turtles, Painted Crayfish, and a Shovel-nose Ray.
This afternoons boat also dived Manta Arch and Cleaner Station, where they got up and close to some Grey Nurse Sharks.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 23°C
- Visibility: 8m-10m
Dive Report by Andy
17TH APRIL 2017 – EASTER MONDAY!
It was a perfect sunny day to end our Easter long weekend at South Solitary Island. With the current swell rolling around the Island, there were plenty of fish out and about feeding. First dive was at Buchanans Wall seeing a dozen wobbygongs swimming around, Moray Eels, Turtles, Trumpetfish, Painted Crayfish, Groupers, Black Cod, Blue Spotted Stingray, Numbfish, and loads of Schooling fish. For the second, we explored Grouper Island, seeing masses of Schooling fish and a half-circled Angelfish.
Congratulations Amelia in completing her PADI Open Water Course, well done!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 23°C
- Visibility: 5m-8m
Dive Report by Andy
18TH APRIL 2017 – MORE GREAT DIVING!
With a drop in swell, conditions were right for the Norther end of South Solitary Island. South Boulder Wall was the highlight today! We have never see that much marine life before! Visibility had improved, seeing over a dozen Grey Nurse Sharks, a Leopard Shark cruising, Orangutan Crab, Turtles, Eagle Rays, Giant Black Cods, swarms of Schooling fish, Barracuda, Wobbygongs, and Moray Eels.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 23°C
- Visibility: 10m-15m
Dive Report by Lindsay
19TH APRIL 2017 – CERTIFIED OPEN WATER DIVERS!
It was yet another great day at South Solitary Island! Certified divers were dropped in live at Manta Arch seeing a dozen Grey Nurse Sharks, then swam around to Cleaner station where our CHEC and Jetty High School kids were completing their last few dives as part of their PADI Open Water Course. Still loads to see around Boulder Wall and the norther gutters, including a school of Barracuda, a friendly Turtle wanting a back rub, Clown Trigger Fish, Bat Fish, Groupers, Black Cod, Moray Eels, Flat Worm, Orangutan Crab, Lionfish, Bullray, Crayfish and too many schooling fish to count!
Congratulations Corey, Phoebie Emma, Jarrah and Eli in completing their course.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 23°C
- Visibility: 8m-10m
Dive Report by Andy
21ST APRIL 2017 – SHARKS PATROL MANTA ARCH!
Our divers were all smiles after two very awesome dives at the lighthouse today! Grey Nurse Sharks, Eagles Ray, Black Cod, Turtles, Barracuda, plus schooling fish everywhere!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 23°C
- Visibility: 10m
Dive Report by Andy
22ND APRIL 2017 – FISH SOUP ON THE BOULDER WALL!
Once again, the diving at South Solitary Island was nothing short of impressive. The Grey Nurse Sharks at Manta Arch seem to be multiplying as our divers counted nine on their first dive. Dive two was spent exploring the Boulder Wall which seems to be hot property at the moment. The fish life here is simply incredible, not to mention the squadron of Eagle Rays!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 22°C-23°C
- Visibility: 8m-10m
Dive Report by Andy
23RD APRIL 2017 – FROG FISH MARCHING AT CLEANER CLEANER STATION!
Wildfin and 2 Wild set out for South Solitary Island this morning, filled with students and certified divers.
The highlights from today’s dive included Grey Nurse sharks aplenty at Manta Arch. Divers on both boats could not stop talking about the amount of fish life on Boulder Wall, schools of Barracuda, Sweetlip and Kingfish ruled the roost! Black cod, turtles and Eagle rays were also spotted by our keen divers.
Eagle eyes spotted our friend the Frog Fish. Photo taken by Lisa.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 23°C
- Visibility: 10m-20m
Dive Report by Andy
24TH APRIL 2017 – FISH SOUP AT SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND
South Solitary Island turned it up another notch today with two amazing dives!
Our Divers jumped in at Manta Arch for the first dive of the day where they were lucky enough to get up close and personel with a handful of Grey Nurse Sharks. Two monster Wobbygongs were also spotted sitting on the ledge where the divers normally go under the Arch.
The conditions after the surface interval couldn’t have been better for a drift from Cleaner Station to The Gantry. The Boulder Wall was again the place to be! Bull Rays, Leopard Sharks, Painted Crayfish plus sooo much more! After the dive our divers said that they have never seen that many fish in one place before!!! We are very lucky.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 22°C
- Visibility: 10m-18m
Dive Report by Lindsay
25TH APRIL 2017 – WOW! WHAT A DAY OF DIVING AT SOUTH SOLITARY!
Again we had great conditions for diving at South Solitary Island today. Manta Arch was full of Grey Nurse, plus two huge Eagle Rays! The Boulder Wall was today’s highlight. Schools of Tarwhine, Goatfish, Bullseyes and Pomfrets by the thousands. Turtles, Black Cod and loads of Wobbegongs hanging out here too!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 23°C
- Visibility: 15m-20m
Dive Report by Andy
30th April 2017 – Perfect End To The Month!
It was a perfect end to April. After the recent strong southerly, the day opened up to our surprise. Both dives were at the northern end of South Solitary Island, first being Manta Arch where over a dozen Grey Nurse Sharks were sighted. The following was at Cleaner Station, spotting our resident Juvenile Clown Trigger Fish, Orangutan Crab, Black Cod, Groupers, Barracuda, a Little Green Sea Turtle, Octopus, Juvenile Painted Crayfish and loads of Schooling Fish around Boulder Wall.
Congratulations Bonnie in completing her Advanced Open Water Course, and James in completing his Open Water Diver Course.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 22°C
- Visibility: 15m-20m
Dive Report by Andy
