Dive report - West Side Friday 12 June 2009

Gorgeous clear blue water at the Floats for our first dive of the day.  The swim throughs were filled with baitfish and we had to sweep our arms in front of us in places so we could see where we were going.  A big potato cod hung out above the site for the whole dive but wasn't interested in coming down; even at a distance he looked larger than any of us! Manta rays cruised off the back of the site. A huge school of convict surgeons completely covered the reef and roiled over each other to the next peak, their yellow bodies flashes vividly against the deep blue water. The biggest ever eagle ray with an amazing pattern on his back buzzed several of the divers; he was so huge that at first they thought he was a massive manta ray!
WATER TEMP: 26C
VISIBILITY: 20+m
CURRENT: slight
SURGE: moderate
DEPTH: 16m

Central Station had some very cool treats for us. A school of at least 100 stripey pufferfish greeted us at the base of the mooring line before turning as one and drifting off. There were quite a few turtles including a very large guy who only has three flippers - his front right one is missing and is just a stump. Doesn't seem to bother him too much at all! The lovely blue water really made the small sea fans and soft coral outcrops stand out in their purples, reds, oranges and yellows. Beautiful!
WATER TEMP: 26C
VISIBILITY: 15-20m
CURRENT: none
SURGE: none
DEPTH: 16m