Dive Reports – October 2015
Take a look at our dive reports from October 2015! We’ve detailed what we saw, the temperature and visibility, and surface conditions of the Solitary Islands in Coffs Harbour in October 2015.
Dive Reports October 2015 – Table of Contents:
1ST OCTOBER 2015 – GREY NURSE SHARKS KICK OFF OCTOBER
The weather report was 100% correct today, with ocean like a mill pond and the water a beautiful blue colour everyone on the boat was super keen to get in!!
Lots of Grey Nurse Sharks at the arch with some very BIG females cruising around. Our divers spotted about 5 turtles near the top end and some big schools of Tarwhine. A Spanish Dancer, Mantis Shrimp, and a flat worm were some of the little critters seen today also.
Congratulations to Victoria who finished her Advanced Open Water, Tayla for finishing her PADI Open Water Diver also to Dylan and Douglas for completing their PADI Junior Open Water Diver course.
Next stop tomorrow North Solitary Island!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 21°C
- Visibility: 25m
Dive Report by Lindsay
2ND OCTOBER 2015 – HAMMER HEAD SHARKS AT NORTH SOLITARY ISLAND
The conditions this morning were perfect to make the 1 hour trip up to North Solitary Island for 2 dives.
We dived at Anemone Bay and Fish Soup, both dives were amazing with 25m visibility and so much to see.
One group was lucky enough to see a school of 20 Hammer Head Sharks cruise past. Black Cod, Sweet-lips, Barracuda, Wobbygong’s, Anemone fish and Octopus were also some of the marine life seen today.
Photo taken today by Nathan
Lots of singing whales underwater topped of a great day to North Solitary Island.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C-21°C
- Visibility: 25m-30m
Dive Report by Lindsay
3RD OCTOBER 2015 – BLUE WATER SURROUNDS SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND!
With “Wild Fin” full of excited divers, we shot out to South Solitary Island for this mornings dives. The calm sea allowed us to start and finish our first dive at Manta Arch. Our divers swam with a dozen or so Grey Nurse Sharks as they made their way under the arch while a huge school of Cow Nose Rays were spotted swimming over head.
Dive 2 was a leisurely swim from Cleaner Station to the Gantry. More Grey Nurse, Black Cod, schooling Tarwhine, and our mate “Barney” the Loggerhead Turtle all made appearances on this dive.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 21°C
- Visibility: A lovely 25m
Dive Report by Lindsay
4TH OCTOBER 2015 – HAMMERHEADS AT SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND!
Today’s dives at South Solitary Island were nothing short of amazing! The whole island was exploding with life!
Dive one was at Manta arch, with some very close encounters with 20+ grey nurse!
On dive two, our divers were lucky enough to spot 2 Hammerhead Sharks just near 5m rock, that were cruising towards Boulder Wall. Check out this amazing shot taken by Nathan.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 21°C
- Visbility: 25m
Dive Report by Andy
5TH OCTOBER 2015 – 30M VISIBILITY AT SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND
Wild Fin headed out to South Solitary again today in perfect conditions.
Dive one saw our divers drop in to Manta Arch, where 30+ Grey Nurse were seen between the arch and back gutter.
After a nice long surface interval, with a spot of whale watching thrown in for good measure, We dropped in to Cleaner Station.
A whaler was seen cruising the shallows past shark gutters, where three grey nurse were found cowering in the back of the gutter!! a Cownose ray was seen off cleaner station, and a pair of mantis shrimp were found out in the open near South Boulder mooring.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 30m
Dive Report by Lindsay
10TH OCTOBER 2015 – SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND HOME TO ENDANGERED BLACK COD
South Solitary Island treated us with beautiful sunshine and good visibility, the surface was a little choppy which made everyone keen to get off the boat!!
Manta Arch had about 15 Grey Nurse Sharks and some of them were getting very close. Dive two was a drift from Shark Gutters around the corner to The Gantry, some very large King-fish on Boulder Wall, Snapper, Nudibranch’s, schools of fish everywhere you looked and a beautiful Black cod in the third gutter.
Great morning under the water!!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 15m-20m
Dive Report by Lindsay
17TH OCT 2015 – COW RAY MANIA AT SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND
Amazing school of Cow Rays along with Grey Nurse and Dusky Whalers were on the list of sights today at Manta Arch on Dive 1 and then again on Boulder Wall on Dive 2 . Along with all the normal attractions of turtles, schools of Tarwhine and huge Bull Rays, The divers could not stop talking about the action. A great day to start the PADI Advanced Course for Lucas and finish the PADI Open Water course for Andrew and Eli
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C-21°C
- Visibility: 20m-25m
Dive Report by Mike
18TH OCTOBER 2015 – HAMMERHEADS AT SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND
Yet another amazing day of diving at South Solitary Island! Among all of the usual creatures including Grey Nurse Sharks, Black Cod, Octopus and Kingfish, our divers also spotted a Hammerhead Shark and a Dusky Whaler!
Congratulations to Bryce on passing his instructor exams in Sydney today. Well done Mate!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 21°C
- Visibility: 15m
Dive Report by Mike
24TH OCTOBER 2015 – JETTY DIVE CENTRE, BEST DIVING ON THE COAST
There is no better way to spend a Saturday then underwater at South Solitary Island! Sheltered from the southerly breeze, today’s dives were held at the northern end of the island. Grey Nurse Sharks, Black Cod, a HUGE Lionfish, schooling Tarwhine and a cute yellow Box Fish were just some of today’s highlights.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 10m-15m
Dive Report by Andy
25TH OCTOBER 2015 – RAYS EVERYWHERE AT SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND
Although the Northerly winds made it a little choppy on the surface everyone had a really good time underwater.
Dive one was at Manta Arch/Cleaner Station, we saw lots of Grey Nurse Sharks at both locations, the visibility wasn’t amazing but this just made the encounters even more exciting with the sharks!!
A drift from the top end down to The Gantry had a lot to see including Eagle Rays, Cow Rays, Black Cod, Slipper Lobsters, Bull Rays, Whaler Sharks and large schools of Tarwhine near Cleaner Station.
Huge thanks to all the divers from Cooly Dive on the Gold Coast who came down for the weekend with us!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 12m-15m
Dive Report by Lindsay
30TH OCTOBER 2014 – COW NOSE RAYS AT SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND
The sun was out and the wind had dropped right off, this made an easy trip out to South Solitary Island on our boat Wild Fin.
Dive one was at Cleaner Station and dive two was a Drift from Shark Gutters down to South Boulder. Both dives had lots to see including Grey Nurse Sharks, Bull Rays, Lionfish, Black Cod, Nudibranchs and a large school of Cow nose Rays out wide near Cleaner Station.
Beautiful day on and under the water!!
Vis 12-15m
Temp 20C
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 12m-15m
Dive Report by Lindsay
31ST OCTOBER 2015 – SPECTACULAR DIVING AT SOUTH SOLITARY ISLAND!
South Solitary Island showed it’s true beauty today! The northern end of the island was buzzing with life. Grey Nurse Sharks, Black Cod, Green Turtles, Lionfish, and schooling Tarwhine were just some of the highlights on dive one!
Dive two was a leisurely drift from Shark Gutters to the Gantry. More Grey Nurse, Bullrays, two huge Green Turtles and a Slipper Lobster were some of the sights.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 15m-20m
Dive Report by Andy
