After loading up we donned lifejackets for our trip through the bar and set off for our first dive off Blackhead Beach. I again buddied with Suzanne. The visibility was not clear but to make up for it throughout the entire dive we heard the songs of the whales. I desperately hoped that a whale would suddenly emerge into my view but had to be content listening to their songs whilst we dutifully recorded the marine life. The site was a large and prolific sponge garden teaming with sea pens, ascidians, sea stars, sponges and hard plate coral. Half way through we swapped over so I had the digital camera while Suzanne took over the slate. Our maximum depth was 21.9 metres with a total dive time of 49 minutes including a 5-minute decompression stop at 5 metres.
On deck we looked at the photos, had coffee and a biscuit and changed tanks whilst travelling to our second site, Redhead Gutters with a maximum depth of 11.7 metres. The highlight of this dive was a large ornate wobbygong plus a giant cuttlefish accompanied by a smaller cuttlefish. We also recorded male and female grouper, maori wrasse, rock cod, old wives, leatherjackets, hula fish, nudibranchs, sea stars, scads (yellowtail), mado and bullseyes. When we spotted the giant cuttlefish Suzanne indicated she wanted the camera back and took off after them at rapid knots with me trailing behind. One of the downsides of becoming absorbed in fish identification is that you easily lose track of the anchor rope resulting in a midwater 5-minute stop at 5 metres before a swim back to the boat. Our total dive time was 51 minutes.
HEATHER ARMOUR
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