Dive Reports – May 2018
Take a look at our dive reports from May 2018! We’ve detailed what we saw, the temperature and visibility, and surface conditions of the Solitary Islands in Coffs Harbour in May 2018.
Dive Reports May 2018 – Table of Contents:
3rd May 2018 – Crystal Clear Water at South Solitary Island
After seven days out of the water divers were keen as to get out to South Solitary Island. We were greeted with Clear blue water, First dive was Manta Arch where at least ten Grey Nurse Sharks were sighted around the arch and down the trenches. Also an Eagle Ray glided passed Deb.
After morning tea dive Two was a nice drift from Shark Gutters to the Gantry, the wall didn’t disappoint lots of fish life on the wall. Sweetlips Tarwhine Bream Black cod couple of Loggerhead Turtles. Congratulations to Lily Briah Brielle on completing their Open Water Coarse, and Congratulations to John and Teh on completing their Advanced Open Water course.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 24°C
- Visibility: 25m
Dive Report by Andy
4th MAY 2018 – Certified Students Mix with Sharks and Turtles and Giant Cuttlefish
We had both Open Water and Advanced Open Water students on the boat today completing the last dives of their courses and with a steady northerly wind the surface conditions made things a little choppy but everyone handled them with ease.
Buchanan’s Wall was the first choice followed by a split drift dive on the second with Mike’s group of Advanced students going from Manta Arch through the gap to The Gantry and Stuart’s Open Water Students dropping in at Shark Gutters and cruising around to the The Gantry also. Both dives had loads to see including Lionfish, huge Black Cod on boulder wall, around eight Grey Nurse Sharks at Manta Arch, Green Sea Turtles, Nudibranchs on Buchanan’s Wall and a rare sighting of a Giant Cuttlefish near 5 metre rock.
Congratulations to Bree, Piper, Jasmin Nolan, Emma, and Tyran who all finished the PADI Advanced Open Water course today!!
Congratulations to Luca and Jasmin who have now completed the PADI Open Water course also!!
Visibility 20-25m
Temp 23C
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 23°C
- Visibility: 20m-25m
Dive Report by Lindsay
6th May 2018 – All the Critters at South Solitary Island
Up the northern end of South Solitary Island was by far the best location for both dives and protected from the southerly wind and swell.
Dive one had everyone descend down Manta Arch and get amongst the Grey Nurse Sharks!! There was about 6-8 different Grey Nurse spotted with a few being very small juveniles, big school of Trevally hanging above the Arch, Black Cod and a few White Eyed Moray Eels.
With soups, tea and coffee consumed during the surface interval we dropped back in at Shark Gutters and explored the top end. Boulder Wall was going off with schools of fish while we had a Lionfish in the cave and a tiny Box Fish in Cleaner Station gutter. Mantis Shrimp, Spanish Dancers, Leaf Fish, Turtles and Wobbegongs were some of the other highlights of today.
Congratulations to Lachlan who finished his last dive of his PADI Advanced Open Water Course today.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 23°C
- Visibility: 18m-20m
Dive Report by Lindsay
7th May 2018 – Monday dive has Many Fish.
The Visibility dropped back slightly but brought all the fish with it at South Solitary Island today. With a milky look about it, Shark Gutters had loads of fish just floating about, seeming to block your view by the amount of them. We had everything from two Nudibranchs mating to Giant Cuttlefish at the Gantry.
With a slight current developing across the northern end of South Solitary Island, a drift dive to South Boulder gave us a lovely slow look at Boulder Wall with all the fish-life. Great Diving today!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 23°C
- Visibility: 15m-20m
Dive Report by Mike
8th May 2018-Nice day at South Solitary Island
The trip to South Solitary Island was a bit bumpy, but once we arrived we had some calm conditions in the shelter of the island. Diving up Boulder Wall from South Boulder mooring the group found two Giant Cuttlefish , heaps of our normal fish-life and a Turtle cruising. The Navigation divers played with a Mantis Shrimp at the end of the dive.
Dive Two had the Divers run the other way from Shark Gutters to South Boulder, whilst an Advanced Search and Recovery dive was on at the Gantry with the Snorkelers. Visibility dropped a bit during the day, and whilst the vis was down a bit, the fish were everywhere.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 23°C
- Visibility: 15m-18m
Dive Report by Mike
9th May 2018 – Blue Water At Manta Arch
After a challenging ride out we were greeted with clear blue water.
Dive one was Manta Arch and soon as we dropped down the mooring line you could see the bottom and a couple of Grey nurse sharks were spotted hanging around the bottom of the line, The arch didn’t disappoint a big school of Silver Trevally were guarding the entrance as we dropped into the arch at least seven Grey Nurse Sharks were spotted one of the them being a small juvenile. After morning tea it was decided to do a drift dive from Shark Gutters to South Boulder, North boulder wall was full of fish, we are going to have to rename this site to fish soup! Some of the life seen was Black cod, Morey Eels schools of Bulleyes, Tarwhine, Bream, a couple of Green Turtles were seen and the Giant Cuttlefish was spotted again on the wall.
Congratulations to Stephen Vaughan who completed his last dives of the Advanced Open Water Course.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 23°C
- Visibility: 25m
Dive Report by Lindsay
10th May 2018 – Samuel getting Certified amoungest Grey Nurse Sharks
After a smooth ride out it was decided Manta Arch would be the first dive site, you could see some of the Grey Nurse Sharks on the bottom so we knew the visibility was good. Two groups of divers descended down the mooring line one group headed down the trench to 30 metres to do some deep dive skills, the other group headed to the Arch, they weren’t disappointed at least six sharks were in the arch circling around. The other group saw four sharks down the trench at 30 metres.
Surface interval done at the southern end of the island it was decided dive two would be Cleaner Station to the Gantry. The top end didn’t let us down, lots of activity going on, everywhere you looked there were fish, lots of Wobbegong sharks on the move, schooling Travelly, Loggerhead turtles, Lionfish, Mantis Shrimp, Painted Crays and North Boulder wall was full of all the usual fish.
Congratulations to Samuel who completed his PADI Advanced Open Water Course today!! Safe travels up north Sam.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 23°C
- Visibility: 25m
Dive Report by Lindsay
18th May 2018 – Fishy Friday at South Solitary Island!
After a few days out of the water due to rough seas, we were all itching to go diving today. Manta Arch was today’s first port of call. Plenty of Grey Nurse, Black Cod, Lionfish, Trevally and Tarwhine were some of the highlights on our first dive.
Taking advantage of the slight current, today’s second dive was a drift from Shark Gutters to South Boulder. Turtles, Nudibranches, Kingfish, Bullrays and Angelfish were spotted on this dive.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 22°C
- Visibility: 10m-15
Dive Report by Andy
19th May 2018 – Griffith Uni Divers Explore South Solitary
Full of excited divers, both “Wildfin” and “2 Wild” headed out to South Solitary Island this morning. Divers explored Manta Arch and the Cleaner Station on dive one. Plenty of Grey Nurse Sharks at the arch, lots of the usual critters including Black Cod, schooling Trevally, Loggerhead Turtles and Tarwhine. After a nice surface interval it was decided dive two would be a drift from Shark Gutters to South Boulder. The wall didn’t disappoint! Two Giant Cuttlefish, Green Turtles, lots of Bulleyes, sleeping Morwong and more Black Cod were spotted by our divers. Congratulations to Fran on completing her PADI Advanced Open Water Course today!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 22°C
- Visibility: 10m-15m
Dive Report by Andy
20th May 2018 – Giant Cuttlefish at South Solitary
Calm seas and great visibility made for fantastic diving at South Solitary Island today. The number of Grey Nurse Sharks hanging about at Manta Arch is definitely on the rise as winter approaches. The gutters on the northern end were full of life. Black Cod, Octopus, Nudibranches, Lionfish and Angel fish made up some of the highlights. The ever amazing Giant Cuttlefish are still playing on the Boulder Wall too!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 22°C
- Visibility: 15m
Dive Report by Andy
27th May 2018 – Five Giant Cuttle Fish on Boulder Wall
Southerly winds and swell have pushed in some beautiful blue water to South Solitary Island.
Dive one had our experienced divers get in at Manta Arch and get up close to about 20 Grey Nurse Sharks, while the students went to Cleaner Station and found Barney our local Loggerhead Turtle.
Dive two was a drift dive from Cleaner Station down to South Boulder, plenty to see with huge schools of fish, Eagle Rays, Blue Angel Fish, Mantis Shrimp and Bryce spotted 5 different Giant Cuttlefish on Boulder Wall!!
Photo taken today by Lindsay of Craig Lewis admiring this beautiful Giant Cuttlefish
Congratulations to Tim and Xinyi who finished their PADI Open Water Course today
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 22°C
- Visibility: 18m-20m
Dive Report by Lindsay
28th May 2018 – Humpback Swim Between Dives!
The swell had dropped off overnight making it a pleasant ride out to South Solitary Island for this mornings dive. Shark Gutters was our first port of call. Our divers spotting plenty of life including schools of Tarwhine, Trevally, Bream, Blue Fusiliers, Black Cod, Eagle Rays and Green Turtles. Dive two was spent exploring Buchanan’s Wall. Two big Green Turtles sleeping off the wall were the highlights on this dive.
Taking advantage of the great conditions, we returned to the island this afternoon for two more great dives. Manta Arch was packed with Grey Nurse and the Boulder Wall was screaming with fish life! Divers on this afternoons trip were even lucky enough to swim with some very curious Humpback Whales during the surface interval!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 22°C
- Visibility: 15m
Dive Report by Andy
