On Thursday, December 19, 2002 9:40 PM, Julian Pool wrote:

> Been busy all day, so have only just got to this - almost forgot - but how
> can I with the Kiwi on my case!

Mate!  Now that you've done your duty, we can get Alan to write the next
one!  :-)

(snip)

> However, there were plenty of rays swimming about and a huge ball of
catfish
> (Alan thought it was a big rock to start with - until he realised it was
> moving !).  Then as Strike was peering down at something when a big Blue
> Groper decided to nudge him gently on the shoulder - never seen him jump
so
> fast.

My first thought was that it was a giant octopus about to wrap all of its
tentacles around me and drag me - kicking and screaming into the regulator -
into its lair!  (Without cowards like me, there'd be no yardstick by which
to measure the deeds of the brave!)  :-)

> Just below us (next to #1 motorbike, for those familiar) was the most
> enormous Dusky Flathead I have ever seen, well over 1 metre long (that's a
> real metre not a 'Strike metre'),

Mate!  I take exception to that remark!  It's just that the rest of you
never seem to see the same critters that I do when we're buddying together!
:-)

>very dark brown and gnarly looking.  What
> is more it sat there quite happily as we swished the sand off its back -
> would have been a perfect pic, but no camera today. As we swam away it
swam
> with us for a while until it got bored and veered off across the bay
>
> Onto the rock ledges and found Wobbegongs all over the place and a few
> cuttlefish.  Also a good selection of Nudibranchs and plenty of the other
> usual critters as well.
>
> We were going to search out the Baler Shell that was laying eggs (having
> read that it can take them weeks and that the young from the initial often
> hatch during this process), but Alan was getting through his air, so we
> headed back.
>
> On the way back as well as many of the usual locals we saw some nice blue
> gobies (not sure what sort) that like to dart under a rock when you get
> near.  Also a Seadragon that was not very well, some of the fins were
moving
> and so was the eyes & mouth, but it was drifting around, up and down and
on
> its side!!! Not long for this world I would think.

It was certainly acting strangely and in an area where we've never seen
Seadragons before.

> I also spotted a nice crab (about 7-8inches long) with a few anemone its
> back.

Not taking the camera is a cast-iron guarantee that we'll see things that
would make great pics! :-)

Strike