Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving Web Site
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Kelly Talking on ABC Sydney about Shipwrecks
NSW Dive Sites
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Australian Dive Sites
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Dive Related Equipment
Shearwater Predator and Heinrichs Weikamp OSTC 2N
Uwatec Aladin Dive Computers
Apollo AV1 Underwater Scooter
Bauer Compressor
DIY Oxygen Stick - Nitrox
GoPro HD Hero Video Camera
My Camera Setup
Purchase of New Dive Boat
My Dive Boat - Mak Cat
My Old Dive Boat - Le Scat
My Dive Gear
GPS and Diving
Make Your Own Car Tank Rack

Marine Life
Rarer Sydney Marine Life
Bare Island Pygmy Pipe Horses
Bare Island Sea Horses
Bare Island Nudibranchs
Bare Island Marine Life
Encounter with Southern Right Whale and Calf

Other Dive Info
How Weather Affects Diving in Sydney
Visibility and Wave Averages in Sydney
Waves and Diving
Diving Weather and Sea Conditions
Tide Tables
Dive Accidents and Incidents
Dive Book Reviews
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Noel Hitchins 1951-2005
Lloyd Bridges - Mike Nelson in Sea Hunt
My Yachting Adventures
Below is a list of links to the main pages about my yacht, Catlypso and My Yachting Adventures:
  • Purchase of Catlypso
  • Details about Catlypso
  • Cleaning/Repairing Catlypso
  • My Yachting Adventures.
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    Michael's 4WD Trips
    Click here for a list of my Four Wheel Drive and Camping Trips.
    Home Brewing
    Click here for an article about Home Brewing.
    Sydney Dive Site Hints
    "The Wanderers is a great reef deeper than 40 metres"
    My Recent Dives - July, August, September 2025
    ALL DIVES IN SYDNEY UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

    DIVING ACRONYMS
    In this log I use some acronyms to make it easier for me to remember where I went and what I saw:

    LOCATIONS 
    (Mostly at Bare Island unless otherwise stated - see website pages for locations) 
    SHR - Sea horse rock
    OHR - Opera House rocks
    STR - Sea tulip rocks
    SHC - Sea horse corner
    BR - Block rock (also Big Rock at Inscription Point)
    RIFR - Red indianfish reef
    IR1 -Isolated Reef 1
    IR2 -Isolated Reef 2
    15MR - 15 Metre Reef
    LR - Long rock
    AR - Anglerfish rock
    N, S, E, W, NE, NW etc - compass headings
    LBR - Little big rock at Inscription Point
    ER - Exit Rock at Inscription Point

    FISH ETC
    BIA - Bare Island Anglerfish (red fingered anglerfish)
    PPH - Pygmy pipehorse
    BBSH - Big belly sea horse
    RIF - Red indianfish
    USDP - Upsidedown pipefish

    VISIBILITY 

    Shithouse - less than 2 m
    Very Poor - 2 to 4 m
    Poor - 4 to 6 m
    Fair - 7 to 10 m
    Good - 10 to 15 m
    Very Good - 15 to 24 m
    Excellent - 25 to 30 m
    Very Excellent - 30 m+

    25 July 2025 - Pistol Crack South
    First dive after trip to the Simpson Desert. Dive on Russ's boat. Strong W wind but seas very sloppy. Anchored to the south of where we used to dive here, about 6 years since I have dived the actual location. Dropped over the wall to a cave which had hundreds of yellowtail and some yellow-finned pomfrets in and around it. Went S following a well for a bit and then W into a sort of cove and then E. Then N back past anchor to an area with lots of boulders. Found the others reel line here and then followed it back to anchor. Then S to the cove area and back. A different dive to the one we normally did here but nice. Visibility good.

    25 July 2025 - PJ Drift
    Second dive, did a drift south from the Desalination Plant Inlets. Dropped straight down and was between 2 & 3 but S. Went to 3 & 4 and then W to a wall at about 19 m and followed this S with a very slight current. At one time we were in 14.5 m and could see white water above. Stayed about 14 to 16 m for 15 mins and then dropped back to around 17-18 m for 8 mins and then shallower to start ascent. Swam E while ascending to make sure not near the rocks. Ended up about 400 m S. So many PJs, one cave had at least 30 piled up inside. They were all over the place. A large wobbegong shark, Kyle saw a bullray and we heard whales for a bit. A good dive. Visibility good.

    26 July 2025 - Henry Head
    Back on MakCat for a club dive. Ended up two boats with seven divers, a few pulled out so one boat also pulled out. Forecast was not good, very strong NE winds and large NE swell and rain. It rained from 4 am till 6 am and then stopped. No wind as we headed out but it picked up later, we were pretty sheltered. Went S for 18 mins and then back past anchor for 5 mins and back. Nothing really special seen, a wobbegong shark, a couple of small moray eels, a six-spined leatherjacket was about it. First group and the other boat saw 3 RIF and a blue devilfish! Much better dive than expected. Visibility fair.

    27 July 2025 - Bare Island Deep Wall
    First dive at Bare Island since 13 May! Absolutely flat seas, so went off the W point and out to the wall. Very cold 15C. Viz was about 5 m out there and perhaps 7 shallower. Could not find the sea horse on the wall, may be gone now. Very few nudibranchs, only purple dragons and a couple of pink okenias. A few PJs, lots of small leatherjackets, no pipefish or PPH. A few moray eels, no RIF but found the big belly sea horse near STR. A nice relaxing dive. Visibility fair.

    29 July 2025 - Inscription Point
    First dive here since 12 April! Incoming tide, blue water, flat seas and about 12-15 m viz. Very little current so easy swim. Only had 190 bar so only did 69 mins. Lots of PJs, no sea dragons, only one big belly sea horse now. The kelp has all been ripped out and is quite sparse. Lots of opera house and tritonia nudibranchs and quite a few other species as well. Ron found a spindle cowrie and later the grey BIA, but I had already headed back. I also saw a fiddler-ray at the start. A very nice dive. Visibility good.


    Written by Michael McFadyenMichael on 01 July 2025 00:0013 Reads - Print
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    Website created 1996!