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| A Leopard Shark (Stegostoma fasciatum) cruises overhead. Photo: Ryan Pearson |
By Ryan Pearson
Yesterday's dives at Julian Rocks were lovely. Not quite as epic as last time we were there (we didn't see a million Manta Rays this time), but still great with plenty to see. We were too late booking in so couldn't get onto the second dive of the morning so we had to do the first, and third dives. This was great for the fact that we could go and get some food in between dives, but it was also awful because we had to get up at 4am to get there on time. Regardless, we had a great day and I snapped all of the shots below on the two dives.
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| Nudibranch 1 (ID. TBD). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
Vis was a lovely 15-20m in the morning, but dropped down to about 10 by the afternoon. Temp was generally about 25°C but dropped in the thermoclines to about 22°C. As you can see, there were lots of leopard sharks, and nudibranchs, as well as the usual suspects of the rock. One highlight was a giant guitarfish that for a split second I thought might be a small great white... upon swimming towards it I quickly realised it wasn't. Ha. Unfortunately, it was on the dive that I had my macro lens on so I didn't get any pics of him.
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| A Remora (Echeneis naucrates) on a Leopard Shark's back. Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Nudibranch (Aphelodoris varia). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Leopard Shark (Stegostoma fasciatum) with a fetching moustache. Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Banded Coral Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Nudibranch (Aphelodoris varia). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Leopard Shark (Stegostoma fasciatum) with Matti Virkki. Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Goldspotted Rockcod (Epinephelus coioides). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Leopard Shark (Stegostoma fasciatum). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| A hungry school of Silver Drummer (Kyphosus sydneyanus). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Spotted Wobbegong (Orectolobus maculatus). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Blacksaddle Goatfish (Parupenus spilurus). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Leopard Shark (Stegostoma fasciatum). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Tube-Worm Blenny (Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Black Margined Glossodoris (Glossodoris atromarginata) Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Nudibranch (Aphelodoris varia). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Red Rockcod (Scorpaena jacksoniensis). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| How not to photograph nudibranchs. I took this pic because I thought it might actually be an egg sack, and I was going to have a look at it later. I didn't realise it was actually a really awesome looking nudi, so didn't pay enough attention to my focus *sad face*. Orange Ring-tipped Aeolid (Flabellina bicolor). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Can anyone tell me what this is? I assume it's the jawbone of something... but what? Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Tube-Worm Blenny (Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| DD Virkki. Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| White Eyed Moray (Siderea thyrsoidea). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Matti Virkki. Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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| Ornate Wobbegong (Orectolobus affinis). Photo: Ryan Pearson |
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