Julian's still recovering from a trip to the UK, but a friend called Alan
joined Janet and myself for an 07.30 dive at Shelly Beach.

(And 'cause it's topical, given the "depth" thread, the reason that we dive
so often there has nothing to do with depth -  or the fact that it's "only a
shore dive"! <bwg>.  It's because, (a) it's close to hand;  (b) there's a
remarkably prolific variety of marine life that it's difficult to see
elsewhere in Sydney on any other single dive; (c) none of us are hung up on
depth for its own sake!  And (d) we all tend to think that recreational
diving's meant to be fun and enjoyable!)  :-)

The sun was up, not a cloud in the sky and just a faint haze with a slight
smell of woodsmoke from a bushfire burning somewhere.  There were large
numbers of Port Jackson eggs on the sand and among the rocks.  Several large
Eastern Blue Groupers swam up to us to be patted.  When they're ignored they
get rather impatient, swimming between the divers and giving them an
occasional nudge as a reminder that they're there.  :-)

The brown algae, present in the water in late September and the early part
of the month has now gone.  Visibility was about 20 metres.  Our depth limit
was 18-metres and because Alan is still new to diving we based our
parameters on his gas consumption.  (We still managed 51-minutes)  :-)

We swam along the reef wall, turning out at the seaward point and across the
sand to Reef #2.  There were a few small rays in the sand and just beyond
one of the ledges we swam across the top of a large resting Eagle Ray.  It
slowly flapped away into the distance.  We found a solitary Weedy Seadragon
close to a large white cluster of Cuttlefish eggs, each about the length and
circumference of a little finger. :-)

Back among the rocks we came across a Port Jackson in a crevice.  It was
mature and carried mating scars on its dorsal fin.  Normally the PJ's will
swim quickly away.  This one just sat there.  On closer inspection we could
see its swollen gonads.  It was laying an egg.  Nearby, beneath another
ledge, was a large wobbegong.   There were lots of damsels, hula fish,
various types of wrasse, seapike, gobys, a big school of large, silver
trevally, and, beneath an overhang, a large octopus that we played with for
a while by waggling fingers in front of it and piquing its curiosity!  :-)

Strike