Jan

21

Dive Number: 123 06/01/11 18.00  Rippleside Pier

Wind:   10-15knot  S E’s.

Tide: 1.5hrs before 0.84 high tide at Geelong.

Conditions:     Wind had turned to an easterly aspect and chopped the surface up a bit. Visibility was horrible!

Visibilty: 1-2m

Water Temp: 22c

Bottom Time: 67 minutes

Max Depth: 5.3m

Air usage: 70bar/1000psi

SAC: ???? litres/min

Details:  This was one of those dives where you say to yourself  “What the hell am i doing???”. The entry to this dive requires about 100m of trudging through shallow calf deep mud since the pier is fenced off. Once i got deep enough to actually swim, i plunged into dirty water of about 2m of vis.  After finally making it out to the first arm i decended to a whole lot of nothing. Swimming around to the main pier i eventually came across ascidian poo hanging off the pylons like christmas decorations,  with all other marine growth covered in a thick brown silt. I was almost going to call the dive, but i ventured out to the second arm. I lay on the muddy bottom and studied the little fish. Many-rayed Threefin were there as expected, but i also came across a goby that i’d never seen before. A Bridled-Goby – (Arenigobius-bifrenatus). Always happy to find a new fish species so it was worth the trudge.  One of the threefin also enjoyed carrying around a small shell. Photos were scarce due to the vis, and came out ordinary. I MAY even try it again when conditions look nice. 

Camera Details: Canon  100mm , single SS200 strobes

Dive Report: