Dive Reports – October 2022
Take a look at our dive reports from October 2022! We’ve detailed what we saw, the temperature and visibility, and surface conditions of the Solitary Islands in Coffs Harbour in October 2022.
Dive Reports October 2022 – Table of Contents:
4th October 2022 – Turtle-y Tuesday
It was a beautiful morning for a dive at South Solitary today! There were breaching newborn humpback whale calfs on the way out and a lot of fish action in the deeper water. Dive one was at Buchanan’s Wall where our divers saw some green turtles feeding along the wall, wobbegongs, and nudibranchs. Dive two had cleaner visibility and our divers did a drift from Cleaner Station to The Gantry. Along the way our divers saw grey nurse sharks, eagle rays, lionfish, and even more green turtles.
Congratulations to Kea on completing her PADI Open Water course today and to Jess for completing her PADI Advanced Open Water course!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 19°C
- Visibility: 5m-10m
Dive Report by Maryanne
11th October 2022 – “Shark” gutters, indeed.
Today were a drizzly rainy morning, so a small group of divers decided to get fully submerged. It was a bit bumpy on the south-western side of the island so we decided on Cleaner Station for our first dive.
This dive had plenty of wobbegongs, schooling fish, a semicircle angelfish (today’s dive report image), black cod, and plenty of Grey Nurse Sharks! There was moray eels, nudibranches, and plenty of anenomefish.
For the second dive we moved down to Shark Gutters. Some divers saw a huge Green Sea Turtle, some divers saw a little one, but all divers saw heaps of Grey Nurses. Hanging out in gutters and enjoying the surge, and swimming around rocks. Some divers heading more towards Boulder Wall saw a absolutely huge bull ray cruising around the boulders.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 18°C
- Visibility: 5m-10m
Dive Report by Tara
16th October 2022 – Blue water back at the solitaries!
Glassy surface conditions made for a quick and comfortable ride to South Solitary Island this morning. Arriving at South Solitary we were greeted with blue water and a slight increase in temp to 20c.
Plenty of action on both dives including grey nurse sharks, black cod, turtles, wobbegongs, bullrays and morays. Cleaner Station and Shark Gutters were also buzzing with schools of sweep, surgeonfish and mado!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 20m
Dive Report by Andy
28th October 2022 – Grey nurse galore!
Although the visibility was a little basic, there was still plenty to see underwater at South Solitary Island today! Today’s first plunge was at Buchanan’s Wall. Loads of macro life spotted on this dive including nudibranchs, dwarf lionfish, moray eels and a sleepy green turtle.
Taking advantage of the current we jumped in at Shark Gutters for a drift on dive two. Plenty of big fish action on this dive including a stack of grey nurse, black cod, bull rays and schooling tarwhine.
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 5m-8m
Dive Report by Andy
29th October 2022 – Great diving despite the vis!
Magic surface conditions made for a quick and comfortable ride to South Solitary Island this morning. Despite the low vis, our divers were in awe of the marine life spotted on their dives, including lots of grey nurse, eagle rays, turtles and schooling surgeon fish!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 5m
Dive Report by Andy
30th October 2022 – Vis on the improve
Today was yet another spectacular day to be on the water with glamorous surface conditions. “Shooting” the gap on dive one, our divers were able to get up close with a dozen or more grey nurse and one very friendly marble ray!
Dive two saw us drift down the Boulder Wall. Schooling mado and sweep were about in abundance along with countless turtles and black cod in the entrance to the gap.
Big congratulations to Nigel on completing his 100th dive today!!!
Conditions Report:
- Temperature: 20°C
- Visibility: 5m-8m
Dive Report by Andy
