Robert's Ramblings

          Four beautiful little short-headed seahorses, Hippocampus breviceps, on yellow algae.

On Saturday we headed over to Edithburgh for a lazy diving getaway. No students, no teaching, no courses, no pressure and no expectations. Just Jennifer, myself and my camera gear. We also planned to meet up with fellow 'fish paparazzi' friend Fred but with no expectations on when we would actually get in the water. I had not used my camera underwater for a few months so the time spent in inspecting and preparing every seal and 'o'-ring of my housing and equipment was both meditative and an important part of the day.


          Sand Flathead, Platycephalus bassensis, waiting for a passing morsel.

I dropped below the surface of the chilly lapping water just after 8:30pm. A stark contrast to the cosy surrounds and hearty meal at the Edithburgh Hotel just a short time earlier, this cold and dark underwater world beneath the jetty immediately comforted me with familiar sounds, sights and the animals I just love to watch, photograph and wonder about. As always Edithburgh Jetty was alive with the the critters of the night out hunting, being hunted, being photographed or just hanging around.


          Lightning volute, Ericusa fulgetrum, on the hunt for other molluscs.

In my hour underwater I saw volutes searching for prey, sand snails laying eggs and flatheads waiting camouflaged in the sand ready to gulp in a passing morsel. I found short-head seahorses snapping at passing plankton, helmet crabs scouring the the sandy rubble and baby sea-urchins feeding in the sea grass.


          Unusually unadorned decorator crab, Naxia tumida

One of the most important things you can do on a night dive whether you are taking photographs or not is to spend a little time just resting still. Hover if you can or drop gently to some insensitive bottom and just wait for 5-10 minutes. It is amazing how you become aware of animals around you which were always there but you simply would never notice at a cursory look. Also after a while, animals which you may have originally scared away come back and you get to see what your little spot in the ocean is really like.


          Being eyballed by a beautiful giant cuttlefish, Sepia apama.

When it was time to return to the surface I took one last look around just in case any new creatures had wandered into the sandy clearing below the jetty steps.


          Sea urchine, Amblypneustes pallidus, feeding in the sea grass.

I wanted to linger longer, to take more photographs and to just be part of the scene around me, but time, diminishing air and the cold soon won out as they always do.



Until the next post, take care out there and keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert

All Photos: Robert Rath, Edithburgh, May 2011. Please ask if you want to know more about my images.