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

(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

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

BIA - Bare Island Anglerfish (red fingered anglerfish)

PPH - Pygmy pipehorse

BBSH - Big belly sea horse

RIF - Red indianfish

USDP - Upsidedown pipefish

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+

Just after low tide, very shallow, only 3.4 metres at the end. Viz only 3-4 metres at most. Bottom sand with weed everywhere. Water 18C mostly but 17C last 10 mins. Camera flash mucked up, either would not fire or was full power. Went in from beach on right side, walked out about 50 metres in water. Went to end along southern side, then back to the middle section on northern side. Around the platform and then back on northern side to shallows. Saw three sea dragons, all small and dark coloured. Lots of colourful cowfish, two small stingrays, quite a few large octopus, some larger fish at the end, including small leatherjackets. On the way back saw a goby in a pylon, very cute. Saw one other diver on the way back. Would have been a better dive at high tide with more water, very difficult due to the shallowness of most of the dive. Visibility poor.

Cancelled another boat dive, four in a row and have not taken it out now since 2 March. Quite a strong outgoing tide, only 1.1 metre change though. Viz was 6-7 metres and warm 21C. Could not find the first BBSH, Andrew said it was in the gap but I looked heaps. Second one on way back found. Looks like the other one is gone for good as not seen now for 8 weeks. No anglerfish at all nor PPH. Came back shallow, quite an effort really. No sea dragons despite going west past the exit point. Other people saw one, ATJ five! not the best dive here. Visibility fair.

Last minute club dive, six all up. Went in from past Carol's Plaque. Quite dirty shallow, lots of sand floating, perhaps 3 metres. Deeper after SHC it was 7-8 m. More sand everywhere, some things now covered, including outboard. Seas were over 6 m 10 days ago. The two BBSHs are still there, found the new sea dragon just past here. Went to SHC where the wobbegong is still on top of Block Rock. Two tiny pipefish still near SHC, no BIA. Saw a large blue devilfish here, out in the open. Then went along the wall and across to 15MR. Back to SHC this way. Here we saw Ron and Donna. Found that they had seen an ornate ghost pipefish. We went back and found it (next day they found a robust). Also two larger pipefish, one yellow and one dark red. Then back outside to sea dragon and BBSHs. All my rocks from the pile I have been building to show exit are gone. Collected more and also the scattered ones. Will need to rebuild. Very good dive. Visibility poor.

Too windy and big swell to dive elsewhere. Not a big tide and no current till right at the end of the dive. Water 22C except for last two mins when 21C. Went in behind Shiprock as steps still not fixed. There is a new plaque on concrete to jetski rider who died Xmas Eve 2022. Over the wall and there is a pineapplefish in cave there. Then around normal way. A pipefish on inside of the largest bommie and later I found another. A few octopus, a large sole, a huge wobbegong shark near where the pineapplefish used to be and a ball of small catfish here too. Went a fair way before turning around. No nudibranchs but lots of bream, leatherjackets and seapike. On the slope two convict gobbies and three tiny pipefish. A very nice dive. Visibility poor.

First boat dive for 7 weeks due to weather. Huge seas from east on Good Friday and even the past two days. Dropped dramatically today and only a little slop. However, the long period swells meant the bottom stirred up and lots of sand floating everywhere. Yesterday a strong current was here but when we arrived, none. However, getting it, a reasonable current. Got down and little on bottom. Viz was 3 m but some spots 7 or so. 20C on bottom but 23C on safety stop. Anchored on S end and went N to caves and around the end. One blue devilfish in first cave, lots of seapike in last cave and around the corner heaps of one-spot pullers. On the way back two cuttlefish in overhang. Strong current on safety stop but second group had none. Much better dive than expected. Visibility very poor.

For more details about these dives and other dives this year, click here.