gemfyre | Snorkelling at Shoalwater Marine Park

Headed down to Rockingham today with Marie and Margaret. Forecast was for 27 and thunderstorms. It was overcast and a bit breezy, but not too cold. And the water was pretty calm, if a bit murky in parts. The storm didn't really come in until later in the day.

Was the first opportunity to try out my new waterproof camera in saltwater (having previously tried it out in a lake). Some of the shots are no good, but a surprising amount are, and they contain fish! First fish photographed were a few Stripeys in the shallows right near where I first put my head under.

Did the usual areas, out past the point to the "pillars", an area of limestone outcroppings and caves. Then across to White's Rock and back again.

It was a day for Cowfish, Gold-spotted Sweetlips and Scalyfins. More than I've ever seen in this area before. Also spotted two Eagle Rays swimming away through the murk, and got surprised by a large school of Banded Toadfish (blowies) suddenly appearing.

Seems my new torch isn't terribly useful for lighting up areas under ledges, hopefully it becomes worth the money when I start to scuba dive. The camera however is excellent. The only problem is the battery went flat after a while. Next time I must make sure I have enough power to take some macro shots of the tiny gobies and blennies among the rocks right near the shore.

New fish - Moonlighter, Black-throated Threefin, White-barred Boxfish. Possibly others, but wrasses are a bitch to ID!

The rest of the photos are here.

Species seen (not a full list)

Eagle Ray
Striped Trumpeter
Red-striped Cardinalfish
Yellow-finned Whiting
Tarwhine
Western Australian Butterfish
Gold-spotted Sweetlips
Blackspot Goatfish
Woodward's Pomfret
Common Bullseye
Western Buffalo Bream
Silver Drummer
Stripey
Banded Sweep
Moonlighter
Old Wife
Western Scalyfin
Red-lipped Morwong
Crested Morwong
Western King Wrasse (female and juvenille)
Brownfield's Wrasse
Brown-spotted Wrasse
Blue-throated Rainbow Wrasse (female)
Long-rayed Weed Whiting
Wavy Grubfish
Germain's Blenny
Black-throated Threefin
Twospot Goby
Shaw's Cowfish
Banded Toadfish
White-barred Boxfish (female)