Dive Reports – October 2017
Take a look at our dive reports from October 2017! We’ve detailed what we saw, the temperature and visibility, and surface conditions of the Solitary Islands in Coffs Harbour in October 2017.
Dive Reports October 2017 – Table of Contents:
1ST OCTOBER 2017 – WARM CURRENT BRINGS BLUE WATER!
Despite the much needed rain, divers made the most of their day and were treated with warm blue water out at South Solitary Island. Plenty of Grey Nurse Sharks were swimming in and out of the gutters, also Barnie the Loggerhead Turtle, Green and Hawkesbill sea turtles, Nudibranchs, Wobbygongs, a Octapus, Bullray, Bubbleshell, Groupers, our lost Orangutan Crab, Black Cod, Blue Angelfish, Juvenile Clown Trigger Fish, schools of Bullseye and many more.
Congratulations Adam, Chris and Emily, in completing the PADI Scuba Diver Course.
Visibility 15-20m Temperature 19-20c
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 19°C-20°C
- Visibility: 15m-20m
Dive Report by Andy
2nd October 2017 – Barney welcomes divers and blue water
We had some very happy customers on 2 Wild today after an awesome morning diving at South Solitary Island.
The visibility had improved to 25m – 30m!! Grey Nurse Sharks were in all the gutters while a couple Eagle Rays were making the most of the current out deeper, our divers saw lots of Kingfish, Travelly and a school Barracuda during the drift on the second dive.
Some of the divers were lucky enough to get up close with Barney who is our Local Loggerhead Turtle! She doesn’t away from a good back scratch when shes in the mood.
Congratulations to Dylon and Jai who completed their PADI Open Water Course today!!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 19°C-20°C
- Visibility: 25m-30m
Dive Report by Lindsay
3rd October 2017- They saw everything today! Underwater and on top.
The Morning Dive trip was amongst the misty rain, but not enough to put off the keen divers. The rain cleared and the Underwater action proved to be fantastic! Visibility was again, well above average and the sea was nice.
Diving Buchanan’s wall and the a drift dive From Shark Gutters to the Gantry gave the divers a taste of everything, Turtles and more Turtles, Grey Nurse Sharks, even a glimpse of schooling Cowrays, Black Cod out everywhere and just so much more. To top off all of that, they had heaps of Dolphins along side of the boat riding the bow-wave and finishing off the trip to South Solitary with a display of Humpback whales on the way home.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 20m-25m
Dive Report by Mike
4th October 2017 – Hammer Heads and Grey Nurse Sharks!
South Solitary Island had all the cool fish today. Open Water students on their very first dive were greeted with a Hammer Head Shark at Buchanans Wall, and then again on their second dive at Cleaner Station. Grey Nurse Sharks were also cruising around the gutters, along with Eagle Rays, Bullrays, all kinds of sea Turtles, Wobbygongs, Moray Eels, Slipper Lobster, Blue Groupers, Black Cod, Juvenile Clown Trigger Fish, Nudibranchs and even the a whale song in the distance.
Congratulations Ryan and Summer in completing their PADI Open Water Dive Course, well done!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 25m+
Dive Report by Andy
5th October 2017 – Congratulations Newly Certified Divers!
Water conditions at South Solitary Island had unfortunately deteriorated overnight. We opted to dive at Split Solitary Island where the water clarity was quite nice!
Lots of Nudibranches, Moray Eels, Lionfish, Juvenile Blue Angel Fish and an Eastern Blue Devil Fish were just some of the highlights!
Congratulations to Max and Owen on completing their PADI Open Water Course and Riley on completing his PADI Scuba Diver Course.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 19°C
- Visibility: 10m-15m
Dive Report by Andy
6th October 2017 – Big Blue at South Solitary Island
South Solitary Island was inundated with clear blue water today, pushed in by a super strong current!
Lots to see around the Island. Black Cod, Eagle Rays, Turtles, Moray Eels and Lionfish were just some of today’s highlights!
Congratulations to David on completing his PADI Open Water Course today!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 20m
Dive Report by Andy
8th October 2017 – 21 degrees at South Solitary!
With the current still moving around South Solitary Island, divers were shocked with 21 degrees and blue water! Fish were in the masses around Manta Arch, Cleaner and Shark Gutters, seeing over a dozen Grey Nurse Sharks, Barnie the Loggerhead Turtle, Lionfish, Bullrays, Eaglerays, Black Cod, Blue Groupers, nudibranchs and loads of schooling fish.
Congratulations Phoebe in completing the PADI Advanced Open Water Course, well done!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 21°C
- Visibility: 30m
Dive Report by Andy
13th October 2017 – 30m Visibility holds at South Solitary Island
It was another amazing day diving South Solitary Island. We were welcomed with 21 degrees water temperature, 30m visibility and rather calm surface conditions on the northern end of the island.
Everyone on board thoroughly enjoyed both dives and saw plenty of amazing things including Grey Nurse Sharks, Bullrays, Slipper Lobsters crawling the bottom, Lionfish, Turtles, huge schools of Trevally and even a visit from a Dusky Whaler Shark!!!
Congratulations to Taylah and Matthew who went down to 29.8 metres today to finish their Advanced Open Water Course!!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 21°C
- Visibility: 30m
Dive Report by Lindsay
20th October 2017 – Hammerheads patrol Buchanan’s Wall
Sheltered from today’s northerly breeze, we jumped in at Buchanan’s Wall for the first dive of the day. Lots to see including Turtles, Octopus, Lionfish, Moray Eels and two large Hammerhead Sharks Cruising about in the shallows!!!
Making the most of the current, we started our second dive at Shark Gutters and let the current take us to the Gantry. Grey Nurse Sharks, big Bull Rays, more Turtles and lots of schooling fish on the Boulder Wall were just some of the highlights of dive two.
Happy Birthday to our boat “2 Wild” on turning one year old today!!!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 15m-20m
Dive Report by Andy
24th October – Lots to see at South Solitary!
While the conditions on the surface were quite choppy, underwater was ideal for diving today!
Manta Arch was up first. Grey Nurse Sharks, Bull Rays, Black Cod, schooling Tarwhine and a huge Wobbegong were just some of the highlights on this dive.
Dive two was spent enjoying the Cleaner Station area. More Grey Nurse, Turtles, Lionfish, Sweetlip and Trevally!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 15m
Dive Report by Andy
25th October 2017 – Hammer Heads!!!
The NE wind and chop made for a slow trip out to South Solitary Island this morning. We sheltered at Archie’s cave for dive one where we spotted a few Grey Nurse Sharks, Gropers, Kingfish and Green Sea Turtles.
The wind had dropped off by dive two which allowed for a pleasant drift from Shark Gutters to The Gantry, some of the scuba divers were lucky enough to see a school of Hammer Head Sharks around the Cleaner Station. The divers also swam with Bullrays on Boulder Wall and Barney the Logger Head Turtle.
We also had the PADI Advanced Freediver Course being conducted by Adam Stern who is the 4 x Australian Freediving record holder!! Everyone did really well and thoroughly enjoyed the course
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 12m-18m
Dive Report by Lindsay
28th October 2017 – More Hammerhead and Grey Nurse Shark Action!
Water conditions were just perfect today at South Solitary. Cleaner Station was the first stop, then followed by a casual drift from Shark to the Gantry, seeing Grey Nurse Sharks, Bull Rays, Eagle Rays, Clown Trigger Fish, Green Sea Turtles, Hawksbill Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle, Crayfish, Spanish Dancers, Black Cod, Blue Groupers, masses of schooling fish and a Hammerhead on the surface.
Congratulations Kira in completing the PADI Open Water Course, well done!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 21°C
- Visibility: 30m
Dive Report by Andy
29th October 2017 – Turtles everywhere!
It was yet another great day at the lighthouse. Buchanans Wall was the first stop, then followed by a drift from Shark Gutters to the Gantry, seeing over half a dozen Turtles, Slipper Crays, Moray Eels, Nudibranchs, Bullrays, Grey Nurse Sharks, Wobbygongs and schooling fish everywhere.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 5m-20m
Dive Report by Andy
