Saw a fair bit of life on this night dive, including a few species of nudibranchs, a Sea Hare, Hermit Crabs, Sea Horses, and lots of Dumpling Squid. There were some very large schools of small fish, and only a few Calamary Squid. We learnt later that a solo diver died here the night before. No information yet as to why...
William Batchelor about to take a giant stride into the water from the dive platform on the Blairgowrie Pier as the sun sets.
An unidentified nudibranch on the sand under Blairgowrie Pier during a night dive. Many of the species that you see at night are well hidden during the day.
Soldierfish are found in most places there are eelgrass beds. They have venomous spines
Soldierfish are found in most places there are eelgrass beds. They have venomous spines
Encrusting Rose Sponge. It occurs widely in sheltered environs, and is often seen on Jetty pylons.
Very well-camouflaged, if you can find them the Big-belly seahorse is easy to recognise, with a number of tassels on their head. They can be brown, white, yellow, grey, orange, or have a mottled colouration. This one was out hunting at night. As with other seahorses, the male carries the fertilised eggs in a brood pouch on the belly. A pregnancy lasts about 30 days.
Very well-camouflaged, if you can find them the Big-belly seahorse is easy to recognise, with a number of tassels on their head. They can be brown, white, yellow, grey, orange, or have a mottled colouration. This one was out hunting at night. As with other seahorses, the male carries the fertilised eggs in a brood pouch on the belly. A pregnancy lasts about 30 days.
Red Mullet (Goatfish) have two long barbels under their chin, used as feelers to probe the sea floor for prey. There are around 60 species in this family, and most are referred to as Red Mullet, as they all turn bright red at night, when stressed, or after death. They can vary in colour from white to brown. The species most commonly seen in Port Phillip would probably be the Bluespotted Goatfish, which has a dark stripe running from they eyes down the side to the base of the tail, as well as thin blue lines or spots also running down the body.
The Southern Gobbleguts is a member of the very large Cardinalfish family. During the day it is generally found in caves and ledges. They can vary from a pale grey to a reddish brown depending upon the location and depth and habitat. They can grow to around 14 cm.
The most common Squid seen in Victorian waters, the Southern Calamary looks like a cross between a Cuttlefish and a Squid. The arms, head an body look like that of a squid, but the fins extend all the way around the mantle.
The Little Scorpionfish is generally only seen at night, as it buries itself in the sand during the day. It grows to around 12 cm.
Feather Duster Worms are sedentary marine tube worms in which the head is mostly concealed by feathery fronds, called radiole, used to filter out small floating organisms, which are moved toward the mouth, located at the center of the crown. Feather Duster Worms live in tubes of a tough, parchment-like secretion, strengthened with sand and bits of shell, and can rapidly retract the radiole into the tube when disturbed.
Hermit Crabs have a soft abdomen, and as they grow they need to find new gastropod shells to use as a home. Sometimes there can be fierce competition between crabs for the limited number of shells of the correct size. This one appeared to be sizing up a shell as a new home.
This Sea Hare is probably a Sydney Sea Hare. They are common around the Southern half of Australia. They have a small internal shell, and, like octopuses and squid, can release a purple ink when threatened. The largest individuals can weigh more than 1 kg. Herbivores, eating seagrass, seaweed, and blue-green algae, they only live for a year.
Long-finned Gobies live in coastal sandy habitats and under jetties. The have a very distinctively shaped tail, and grow to around 9 cm.
The Southen Dumpling Squid is normally only seen at night, as it hides under sand during the day. It has a short, rounded body, with oval fins attached half way along the body. An iridescent green-yellow, with fine black or brown spots, they can change colour, squirt ink, and they have a light organ filled with luminescent bacteria, situated in the mantle cavity which is used to disguise their silhouette when hunting. They are not born with the bacteria required for their light organ and must capture them from before the light organ can develop.
The Southen Dumpling Squid is normally only seen at night, as it hides under sand during the day. It has a short, rounded body, with oval fins attached half way along the body. An iridescent green-yellow, with fine black or brown spots, they can change colour, squirt ink, and they have a light organ filled with luminescent bacteria, situated in the mantle cavity which is used to disguise their silhouette when hunting. They are not born with the bacteria required for their light organ and must capture them from before the light organ can develop.
The largest of all stingrays, the Smooth Stingray can be as long as 4.3 metres and weigh up to 350 kg. They can be quite inquisitive, and it isn't uncommon for them to circle around divers several times, and come back again and again. Not aggressive, they do have a large venomous spine on the tail, and they are often seen under piers without their tails.
Divers: William Batchelor, Peter Batchelor
Weather/Sea: Calm.
