Sunset in Northland

As a wee celebration – for both Abby passing her PADI Open Water course and the implied start of summer – the ladies booked out all the spaces on Yukon Dive Charters and we headed up to the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve for a days diving.

Its a bit of a tradition for us to travel up on the Friday night and stay in Ngunguru – having a couple of wines and a few laughs before we go diving the next day.

We laughed and laughed at videos on youtube while we waited for everyone to arrive – and I’m going to show you one of my favourites (thanks to Anna).

Saturday morning dawned a wee bit rainy – but who cares right, we’re going diving and we’re going to get (a little bit) wet anyways!

We loaded kissed Noel and Jo hello, loaded up Arrow, cheered with Skip and Richie (token girls for the day) arrived and then headed off to the Poor Knights.

Dive One : Middle Arch

Skip and Richie went first, Bonnie and I were team two and Deralie guided Trudie while Anna guided Abby (and her Mum Rachael).
I had decided even before we geared up that I wanted to head straight to the left hand side of Middle Arch and go and see the bluebell turnicates at the top of Bernies Cave.

When we got to the wall, one of the things that caught my attention immediately were eggs wound around bryozoans.
Does anyone know what lays these?  Possibly a sea hare – or a nocturnal nudibranch?

Eggs - but who do they belong to?

What a score!! The wall was covered in them and then up in the cracks, I found a gem nudibranch crawling over the bluebell turnicates.

Nudibranch and Turnicates at Middle Arch

Dive One Data || Depth: 16.8m | Time: 58 mins | Temp: 16 degrees | Visibility: 8m

Dive Two : Marys Wall

Marys Wall is a spot that I love!
Small change in dive teams – Deralie joined Bonnie and I however to ensure that we found the wall, I half guided us there.  The visibility was down a bit with the spring algae in the water and if you miss the turn, well you can end up …. way way way out!

We got to the wall – and I often just sit back and say “Wow” to myself.
Even in low visibility, there is always something to look at – on the walls, in the cracks, at the bottom in the rocky part.

I came across these beauties.  I think they might be a type of ascidian

Colours and textures on Mary's Wall

Bonnie and Deralie and I spent ages on the wall.  And then I found a Red Banded Coral Shrimp that just wanted to keep posing.  It moved in and out of his little hole and put itself in all sorts of positions.  He was so easy to see – everyone had a go with him!

Dive Two Data || Depth: 19.7m | Time: 62 mins | Temp: 16 degrees | Visibility: 8m