Dive report - Lighthouse Bay Tuesday 15 September 2009

Exmouth was a little breezy and choppy today but we pushed through it and had two great dives in Lighthouse Bay. Blizzard Ridge was insane with action! As descended, big spangled emperor challenged us all the way down the line coming right up to our masks and nipping at our hands. Naughty fish! Olive sea snakes are at it again, mating everywhere we looked. White tip reef sharks, a huge roughback stingray, tons of schooling fish and nudibranchs made every inch of space interesting to look at. We also had juvenile batfish, lionfish and cleaning action. Extremely active dive.
WATER TEMP: 23C
VISIBILITY: 3-5m
CURRENT: mild
SURGE: moderate
DEPTH: 14m

Labyrinth was just as busy, but without the renegade snapper on the line! Two chunky estuarine cod were just hanging out at the bottom of the mooring line when we arrived and didn't seem inclined to move. They were still there when we returned, swaying gently on the sand. We had an extra member in our dive group once we got to the main site - an enormously fat olive sea snake followed us for virtually the entire dive. He wasn't aggressive at all, though he was a little intimidating for those who haven't dived with one before! We had numerous turtles all along the site, colourful nudibranchs waving in the surge and tumbling balls of sailfin catfish under every ledge. So much happening!
WATER TEMP: 23C
VISIBILITY: 3-5m
CURRENT: mild
SURGE: mild
DEPTH: 14m


We also watched a group of about 8 bull humpbacks harassing a single female humpback whale. It was quite the spectacle!