The blue green waters lay rippled in the stiff breeze as we prepare on two days to suit up and enter the cold waters of Westernport Bay, Flinders, Victoria. The new concrete pier stretches out alongside the old worn wooden one, with its weathered timber boards click clacking as you slowly walk along them, whilst you peer into the shallow water to see how clear it is, and to look for the familiar shape of the stingrays that swim nearby.
After deciding that all looks good, we finally pull our wetsuits and dry suits on, then with gear checked and cameras in hand, we make our way under the pier and into the shallow water. As the cool water wraps itself around you, a slight shiver washes through your body, then momentarily, as you submerge yourself below the water, a mini brain freeze reminds you that it is winter and that this is Melbourne.
At first the visibility is not so great as the sediment spirals in the current before your eyes, with the soft sunlight painting itself on the rippled sea floor, then as you swim into the slightly deeper water, it clears a little so that you can now see 6 to 10 meters in front. The terrain has changed from the last visit several weeks ago, after large strands of kelp have been carried into the shallows from the severe storm from the other week, that now are held in a steely grip by the normal seaweed and fishing line that intertwines it all. At first there is very little to see in the way of life, with just a few small fish and sand crabs dotted here and there, however about half way down the length of the pier a couple of weedy sea dragons float aimlessly, as if waiting for our arrival. From this point forward, fish life increases to large schools of grass whiting, and leather jackets, then at about three quarters of the way we come across 6 to 8 weedy sea dragons floating in harmony with one another. On both days this was something that had not been seen before, and it was at this point that the even great number of these creatures was recognised than had been. Small schools of fish swam around, peacefully searching for food, making every effort to not take the morsel that was attached to a steel hook, suspended on the invisible line from above. Most did this successfully, but some were pulled quickly from the water not to be seen again. My wife Julie and I swam slowly around admiring the beauty as we always did capturing what it was we saw, and the increased weedy population was just out of this world. This was a shorter dive due to temperature and conditions, as compared to the second day with PT, my other long term dive buddy, but it was wonderful just the same.
On the first dive day, the graceful ray came and went before being spotted for a brief moment on our return to leave the water, but on the second day, the same sting ray glided through the old wooden, sponge covered pylons, twisting and turning , with me keeping up alongside as it lead me out into the weeded area away from the safety of the pier. It was as though it knew what awaited as a small draught board shark swam slowly from the other direction, before gliding to a stop on top of the weed in front of me, with the ray gliding over it. We had met before many weeks earlier, or at least another one the same, and as it swam towards me once more, brushing past my lens then swimming off into the distance, I swam back to where my buddy was to tell her of what I saw. With her facemask buried behind the lens of her camera capturing the resident weedies, she had not seen what I had seen with the ray, and had not even known that I had gone. So after spending a short while with the weedies again, we headed off to see where the shark and ray had been and if we could find them, and there, swimming towards us once more was the shark. Hello’s were said and at the same time I felt bad because I knew how bad my wife would feel after I told her what I had found, having not seen the same the day before, but then that is sometimes what nature does and I guess that is why I have the video camera, so that I can share those moments.
We left the shark alone and went in hunt of the large ray once more, without much success, and settled for some more weedy group shots, then another bit of magic happened, once again as PT was getting more weedy images and I was just swimming around. I was startled as a large object propelled itself from under me, and as I focused, I realised that an octopus had been disturbed and now danced upon the pylon, watching me inquisitively. I attracted PT’s attention and we both captured a series of images and footage before it swam away. The dive finished with a search of the far end of the pier, where more weedy sea dragons could be found, and then we ended our dive having seen far more than we could ever wish. A great two days full of awe and wonder and all the good things that diving brings.
This weekend was the first time that I had been able to get my GoPro 3D set up working and the footage contained is the culmination of two amazing dives with two great dive buddies.
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