Dive Reports – July 2015
Take a look at our dive reports form July 2015! We’ve detailed what we saw, the temperature and visibility, and surface conditions of the Solitary Islands in Coffs Harbour in July 2015.
Dive Reports – July 2015 – Table of Contents:
1ST JULY 2015 – SCHOOL STUDENTS INCH CLOSER TO CERTIFICATION
What a Day!!! Beautiful warm sun, 35m visibility and more Grey Nurse Sharks than you can poke a stick at.
Today our boat was full of students from two different schools doing an Open Water Course, We had some from Orara High School and some from Dorrigo High School. Dive one for them was at Cleaner Station where everyone descended onto about 8-10 Grey Nurse Sharks!! Not bad for your first dive ever. they students also seen some Lion Fish, Wobbygongs, Black Cod and King Fish.
Dive two was at Shark Gutters where 3 Turtles were seen, Lion Fish again another 8 Grey Nurse Sharks out in the deeper water, Nudibranchs, Pomfreds covered the surface and 6 Eagle Rays gliding in the current.
Well-done to the students of both schools very close to your certification now!!!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 21°C
- Visibility: 30m-35m
- Current: Mild
Dive Report by Lindsay
2ND JULY 2015 – MAGIC DAY DIVING WITH A SURPRISE ON THE TRIP HOME
AMAZING!!! Today was said to be one of the best days out at South Solitary Island even from the Jetty Dive Staff!!
Dive one was a one way swim for the certified divers from Manta Arch to Cleaner Station where all the Open Water students got in. around 50 Grey Nurse Sharks seen at the Arch and roughly 30 at Cleaner station.
Dive 2 was a usual drift from South Boulder up hill to Shark Gutters, this was said by most customers to be the best dive they ever did!!! just some of the amazing creatures we seen were… Grey Nurse Sharks, Black Cod, Giant Cuttle Fish!!, a Wobbygong eating an Octopus, Kingfish, Eagle rays, Batfish, Lion fish and so so much more.
To top the day off on trip home everyone witnessed some Great White and Tiger Sharks eating a dead Sperm whale!!!!! The Tiger Shark was around 4-5m long EPIC DAY!!!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 21°C
- Visibility: 30m
- Current: None
Dive Report by Lindsay
5TH JULY 2015 – BARNEY PUTTING ON A SHOW FOR DIVERS!!
Another magnificent day out at South Solitary Island with good visibility, flat water and lots of Grey Nurse Sharks.
Every one got in at Manta Arch for dive one where roughly 50 Grey Nurse Sharks were stacked like pancakes from 18m down to 30m, also the big school of Silver Travelly in and around the Arch made for some great underwater photos.
The Sun was beaming down during the surface interval trying to warm up some cold bodies on the boat. Dive two was a drift from Cleaner Station to South Boulder, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the drift, some of the life seen was Grey Nurse Sharks, Huge Black Cod in Shark Gutters, no sign of the Giant Cuttle Fish but still plenty of life on Boulder Wall and everyone had a ball!!
Highlight of the day was watching Barney our Logger Head Turtle having a good old feast on what we think was a shell of some sort? what ever it was she was having a blast!!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C-21°C
- Visibility: 15m-20m
- Current: Minimal
Dive Report by Lindsay
6TH JULY 2015 – SPOT THE WHALE
We played spot the whale on our trip to South Solitary Island this morning! The humpbacks were in an extremely playful mood, jumping in every direction we seemed to look.
Arriving at South we chose the Cleaner Station as our first dive site. Plenty of Grey Nurse, Black Cod, Nudi’s schooling Trevally and Kingfish patrolling the area. Taking advantage of the slight current we drifted from Cleaner Station down the Boulder wall for today’s second dive. More Grey Nurse, Clownfish, Turtles, huge schools of Tarwhine, Bullseye and Goatfish were the highlights on this dive!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 15m
Dive Report by Andy
11TH JULY 2015 – UNREAL DIVING AT SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND!
Protected by the NW breeze, we hopped in at one of our favorite dive sites, Manta Arch, for our first dive of the day. At least a dozen Grey Nurse were spotted under the Arch, and another 6 aggregating in the rear gutter.
Dive two was a drift from Shark Gutters to the Gantry. More sharks were spotted north of the mooring while the boulder wall seemed to be the hang out for the turtles today, we even noticed one turtle having a spot of lunch on a blubber jellyfish!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 19°C-20°C
- Visibility: 20m
Dive Report by Andy
15TH JULY 2015 – GREY NURSE, EAGLE RAYS AND SOOO MUCH MORE!
No better way to spend a Wednesday than underwater with 20 plus Grey Nurse Sharks! Although the visibility was a little basic today, it didn’t limit the amount of marine life spotted by our divers. Including the Grey Nurse, our diver divers swam with Black Cod, Lionfish, Eagle Rays, a GIANT Bull Ray and a beautiful Wavy Line Bubble Shell!
Congratulations to Brian & Belinda for completing your PADI Open Water Course today.
Vis 8m, temp 19c.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 19°C
- Visibility: 8m
Dive Report by Andy
25TH JULY 2015 – UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHERS FILL BOAT TO SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND
It had been ten whole days since we were last out at South Solitary Island!!
Today was the first two dives for Garry Bell’s DSLR Underwater Photography Workshop so there was big camera setups everywhere.
Dive one was a one way swim from Manta Arch to Cleaner station for the certified divers and the camera whorkshop while the students went to the shallow waters at Cleaner Station, lots of Grey Nurse Sharks seen at both locations also Black Cod and Lionfish.
Dive two was a drift from Cleaner Station down to South Boulder, so much to see around Cleaner Station and down the Wall. Our divers seen Grey Nurse Sharks, Mangrove Jacks, Kingfish, Wobbygongs lots of beautiful Nudibranchs and a very STAUNCH and colourful Mantis Shrimp.
Congratulations to Dillon and Tom who finished their PADI Open Water Diver course.
Dive Report by Lindsay
26TH JULY 2015 – GREY NURSE SHARKS CROWD TOP END OF SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND
The beautiful conditions this morning made getting up for a dive alot more exciting with little to no wind and very small swell the trip out to South Solitaty Island was flat and easy.
Once at the island dive one was at Manta Arch to try and hide from the NW wind coming through around 15 Grey Nurse Sharks were seen there with a good mix of schooling fish like Silver Travelly, Tarwhine and Bullseyes.
Dive 2 was at Shark gutters, although it was lumpy on the surface underwater was stunning and full of life!!! Lots and Lots of Nudibranchs in the gutters, Lionfish, Turtles, Black Cod, around 15-20 Grey Nurse Sharks that looked like they were standing still. Here is a Pic from the Adavnced Underwater Photo course with Gary Bell.
Visibility 15 mtrs at the Arch to 20 mtrs at Shark Gutters
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 19°C
- Visibility: 15m at the arch to 20m at Shark Gutters
Dive Report by Lindsay
31ST JULY 2015 – DIVE MASTER GARRY BACK INTO HIS HOLLIS RE-BREATHER
Sun was beaming down on Wild Fin as we punched it out to South Solitary Island to blow some bubbles!!!
Dive one was at Shark Gutters only a few Grey Nurse Sharks there plenty of schooling fish, Black Cod, Turtles and Moray Eels.
Dive two was a drift from Shark Gutters down to South Boulder very much the same seen on this dive. A huge Black Cod was seen getting cleaned in his hole, A Mantis shrimp in Cleaner Station gutter and some big King-fish out in the deep water. Great Photo taken by Mike of Garry Kennedy our Dive Master using his Hollis Re-Breather, he is finally back in the water after being dry for 3 months!! Good to have you back mate.
Congratulations to all the Orara High School boys for completing their Open Water Diver Course!! Zac, Nathan, Matt, Daniel, Kerian, Josh, Joel, Tobi, and Beau, also to Emi who became a Open Water Diver as well today!!!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 20m-25m
Dive Report by Lindsay
