Unfortunately with predicted 25 knot winds, breaking 1-2 m sea and a thunderstorm approaching we skipped the Pinnacle off the exposed tip of Kingscliffe and opted for a 20 m dive off the NE of Cook Island and a second dive near Mary’s Rock.  However these two dives proved rewarding with the sea life observed despite the visibility being reduced with the rain from earlier in the week and both dives presented an opportunity to practice those open water skills in our buddy pairs.

During the first dive we saw at least five green sea turtles sleeping under ledges in 20 m of water with plenty of swim throughs and small caves while listening to DJ Whale in the distance. Mark and Russ went looking for the whales off to the east in deeper water while Laura snapped a nice photo of a massive spotted wobbygong and leopard shark both resting in the same sandy nook. As we were diving buddy pairs, we got to test those navigation and DSMB skills at an unfamiliar area of Cook Island but this is much more fulfilling compared to being led around underwater by a dive guide and not actually diving! Mel and Wally opted for a long 1st dive and returned to the mooring after 90 minutes with no probs. Great navigation.

Second dive was a little more difficult with vis reducing after the low tide and the tweed river just to our north. Still a nice dive around Mary’s rock looking at the cave on the western side with lots of sweet lip and painted crays out in the open and at least two mantis shrimp in the cave along the ridge towards the NE. The surge and vis was proving sporting in combination. On the return leg we found the old mooring with a pile of coiled rope in 9 m of water but no actual mooring with boat attached. Out came the DSMB again to mark our position to our look out before the 60 minute run time came up only to surface 5 m from the boat having swum under it without seeing it at all!

We will have to plan another dive to the Pinnacles and Alberta wreck in the not too distant future (about 5 nm south of the Tweed river). No bananas permitted or rain in the week prior!

Thank you everyone for the diving and lunch meet at the She Oak café. It was fun.