On the 23rd of Feb 2008 a group of 16 divers headed to one of our favourite locations in Nelson Bay for a weekend of diving and fun. In spite of other diving being cancelled all around the NSW coast, our group managed 2 boat and 2 shore dives over the weekend.
First up on Saturday morning was Halifax Park with its wonderful fish life, sponges and other marine life. It did not disappoint our divers with wobbegongs, many nudibranchs, octopus and moray eels. It was then time for a quick lunch and then off to the marina to board Pro Dive’s boat for the afternoon dive. This dive was at the sheltered site of Little Wreck at Cabbage Tree Island where in addition to the interesting sunken trawler wreckage we found the amazing Donut Nembrothas.
This nudibranch species Nembrotha rosannulata with colourful pink and orange circular patterns grows to at least 12 cm in length and present information suggest it feeds exclusively on the stalked black ascidian Sigillina cyanea.
Not only did we see the nudibranchs but some divers saw fiddler rays, eagle rays, and surprisingly some of the normally elusive Red Indianfish with up to 3 on the dive. All on the boat arrived back at the marina with very big smiles that afternoon.
Dinner on Saturday night was a BBQ feast thanks to Jane for all the shopping and all her helpers in preparation. After a dessert of magnums and drumsticks and a few glasses of wine everyone retired to prepare for another days diving.
Sundays shore dive was at Fly Point and the magnificent sponge gardens with all the resident critters. Some lucky divers even got a peek of a pineapplefish under a ledge. For the afternoon boat dive, the whole group was happy to go back to Cabbage Tree Island for more nembrotha and Red Indian action with some better visibility than the day before.
Another great weekend in Nelson Bay.
For more images go to http://www.dive2000.com/blog/Photos/TravelPhotos/NelsonBayGallery
