Dive Reports – February 2018
Take a look at our dive reports from February 2018! We’ve detailed what we saw, the temperature and visibility, and surface conditions of the Solitary Islands in Coffs Harbour in February 2018.
Dive Reports February 2018 – Table of Contents:
6TH FEBRUARY 2018 – STANDING ROOM ONLY AT THE ARCH
South Solitary Island didn’t disappoint us today putting on another amazing show! Manta Arch was packed with Grey Nurse Sharks, too many to count to be precise! The Cleaner Station was also humming with life! Turtles, Black Cod, Lionfish, Trevally, Eagle Rays plus big schools of Tarwhine and Sweep. Check out this picture of Paul mixing it with one of the Grey Nurse!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 24°C-25°C
- Visibility: 15m-20m
Dive Report by Andy
7th February 2018 – Open Water Students Mix with Turtles
South Solitary Island treated us to some good diving today and lots to see underwater.
We had some students doing their very first dives and some students doing their last two dives of the Open Water Diver Course today, the northern end of the island was by far the best and most protected from the southerly.
Both dives had plenty to see including Green Sea Turtles, Hawksbill Turtles, Huge Black Cod, Flutemouth Fish, Bullseyes, Nudibranchs, and some beautiful Lionfish.
Congratulations to Steph, Fran, Miriam, Tess and Bruce who all finished the Open Water Course today!!
Conditions Report:
- Temeprature: 24°C
- Visibility: 15m-20m
Dive Report by Lindsay
8th February 2018 – Grey Nurse Sharks Test Open Water Students
We had plenty of Grey Nurse Shark action today with two females in Cleaner Cave, there was one big adult and a very small juvenile, they were not shy of our Open Water Students and got super close!!
Boulder Wall was intoxicated with marine life today and we had to nearly push our way through to get to South Bolder. Our divers also spotted a couple Eagle Rays, Nudibranchs, Lionfish and a very rare Leopard Blenny hanging around the third gutter.
Congratulations to Theo and Micaela who finished her PADI Open Water Course today!!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 24°C
- Visibility: 15m-20m
Dive Report by Lindsay
9th February 2018 – Manta Madness @ South Solitary!
Spectacular conditions at South Solitary Island today! 25m visibility, 25 degree water temp, doesn’t get much better! A bit of current on the northern side but everything was out, Black Cod, Turtles, Eagle Rays and this beautiful Manta Ray who is almost all black in colour! Conditions look great for the weekend so maybe the Manta will hang around for us. Snapshot courtesy of one of our divers today, thanks Marcus!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 25°C
- Visibility: 25m
Dive Report by Andy
10th February 2018-Great Drift Dive gave divers a Dive with the Lot!
Like having a Hamburger with the lot, today’s drift dive from Shark Gutters to the Gantry had it all. It was as if everything was out on show, Turtles and more Turtles, Big Black Cod, Big Bull Rays and just thousands of fish. “One of the better dives for a while” was one comment.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 24°C
- Visibility: 25m
Dive Report by Mike
11th February 2018 – Manta Arch was buzzing with sharks
The vis dropped a little over night but the arch didn’t disappoint at least twenty grey nurse sharks were spotted. The divers made there way from the arch towards the gap where conditions improved a couple of loggerhead turtles were seen. Dive two was completely different we started our dive at Shark mooring where the vis was easily twenty five metres with a strong current heading south. All divers dropped down in to shark gutters heading towards the Gantry. South boulder wall was teeming with incredible schools of sweep, bream and tropical species such as Moorish idols and blue tang. Giant black cod, turtles, an octopus and nudibranchs were found among the boulder.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 25°C
- Visibillity: 20m-25m
Dive Report by Lindsay
13th February 2018 – 30m Visibility at South Solitary Island
What an amazing day out at South Solitary Island today with calm seas, 26C water and crystal clear 30m visibility.
Our divers jumped in at Manta Arch and your could clearly see the Grey Nurse Sharks on the bottom in 25m!! Once under the Arch there was about 16-20 Grey Nurse there and they were stacked on top of each other trying to get through.
Dive two was a drift from Shark Gutters around to The Gantry, Boulder Wall was absolutely going off with marine life, our divers saw plenty of Black Cod, Bullrays, Spotted Sting-rays, a sleepy Leopard Shark near South Boulder and more Turtles than you could count as we headed around to The Gantry.
It has been a long time since we had conditions like this!!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 25°C-26°C
- Visibility: 30m-40m
Dive Report by Lindsay
14th Feb 2018 – Fish galore at South Solitary Island
It was a matter that you can’t see the sea for fish today at Boulder Wall on our drift dive. Thousands of Sweep clouded the wall, along with Tarwhine, Bullseyes and Pomfreds, not to mention heaps of Goatfish and Morwong. A couple of playful Bullrays topped off a great dive at the end.
Dive one was special as well with 15-20 Grey Nurse at Manta Arch followed by a swim through the gap to the Gantry. Again so many fish at the gap entrance, we lost count naming the varieties.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: a balmy 25°C
- Visibility: 25m
Dive Report by Mike
15th Feb 2018 – Grey Nurse and Leopard Sharks topped the list today
Dive 1 today was again amongst the Grey Nurse Sharks of Manta Arch, including the one with a bite out of it and a real small baby, all hugging the bottom of the Arch. Nice clean water and a bit of current.
Dive 2 Started at Cleaner Station and finished at South Boulder Wall. Vis dropped a bit with the southerly wind on top, Cleaner Station had a few big Black Cod hanging around and other than the thousands of fish along Boulder Wall, the end of the dive was a highlight when we found a Leopard shark.
Picture is Neil from Australian Underwater Products with the latest Atomic BCD and Regulators.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 25°C
- Visibility: 25m
Dive Report by Mike
24th February 2018 – Warm water at South Solitary Island
Wildfin was loaded up today as we headed to South Solitary Island, although it was a little lumpy going out we were greeted to about 15-18m Visibility, beautiful 25C and plenty of marine life at Buchanan’s Wall.
Lots of Blue Tangs near the mooring, Black Cod and Nudibranchs.
Dive two was a one way swim from Buchanan’s Wall to The Gantry where the Open Water Students saw 5 different turtles who were grazing on the bottom. There were also a few Blue Lipped Anemone Fish around 5m Rock who were very protective of their homes.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 25°C
- Visibility: 15m-18m
Dive Report by Lindsay
