Fairy Bower 23rd February 2008

Dive No. 298. 10.39 am, 22 degrees, 67 mins, 8.5 max, 6.4 av
The tide was high, and the swell was too, with big seas coming from somewhere in the Coral Sea. Waves were reaching halfway up the metal stairs leading to the beach at Fairy Bower and the sea was almost level with the pool. We’d heard that the dusky whalers were back so Liz, Julian and I headed east towards the seagrass beds; I saw one almost straight away and excitedly made the shark sign once I was able to get Liz and Julian’s attention, but the shark quickly disappeared into the sandy vis. Liz and I had another brief sighting not long after. We scanned the seagrass beds carefully and then headed west. We saw a boarfish, schools of yellowtail, drummer, mullet, tarwhine plus some stingarees, a giant cuttlefish, at least four large flatheads and the usual blue gropers, crimson-banded wrasses maori wrasse, hulas, mados, morwongs, old wifes, etc. Julian ran out of air and exited without catching a glimpse of a dusky, a sight he still hasn’t had the pleasure of experiencing (he’s a shark-freak so was bitterly disappointed). Overall it was a nice dive in the warm water though the vis was compromised by the suspended sand caused by the rough seas from the east-north east storm cell (which had been flattened slightly by a gusty sou’wester that morning). I videoed lots of things but missed as great chance to capture a dusky darting past me because I was too preoccupied with getting Liz’s attention. Hopefully we’ll get a good show before summer ends!