Amazing things in Tasmania

[walkinTas]

There are some amazing things out there in Tasmania.

Check these out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=yMq26GtVAVY

[ILUVSWTAS]

Yeh thats cool!! Are they the things found off the South Coast??

[walkinTas]

Yes, in Bathurst Harbour.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Awesome!! I think they are also found further out, but Bathurst Harbour mimics deep water with it's tannin couloured water. Alot of things only found in deep water reside in Bathurst.

[shazcol]

They are Sea Pens. They are an amazing creature. They pump water into the central stem that makes them rise out of the sand and then they filter the water as it goes past. Once they are done they release the water and return to the sand. They are quite common around Tassie in water deeper than about 30M with sandy bottom.

This is one I photographed at the mouth of the Tamar River a few years ago in about 35M of water.

Tamar River Sea Pen

[whynotwalk]

Great photo shazcol. You obviously scuba dive to get to 35m!

Parks has some more great video footage from the area on their podcast/vodcast page at http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=7715

Scroll down past the "Overland Track" audio podcasts (which I prepared for Parks .. ), and look for the 2-part video podcasts headed "Port Davey Marine Reserve". We surely do have amazing things in, on and around our little island,

cheers

Peter

[north-north-west]

Looks like far better viz than I'd have expected near the Tamar.

[shazcol]

The mouth of the Tamar has some of the most spectacular diving you will find. The walls of the channel are covered in soft corals and all sorts of ascidians and sponges. It is more colourful that the tropics in places. You can only dive on the slack water but the river is flushed every tide change and 30M visibility is not uncommon. The only time it is poor is when the rivers are flooding or major run off.

If you ever get the chance and it is on again, Jon Bryan has an excellent presentation he has put on several times with some of his magnificent photo's taken in the area. Night diving the area was also quite spectacular.

If you want bizarre things take a look at this guy:

Goblin fish - Kelso Tasmania

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Cross between a small baby bird in the nest and a fish. The strangest fish I have seen in Tassie. Taken on a night dive at Kelso in about 15M of water. I have many more 'strange' things pictures but we are off track here in a bushwalk forum.

[north-north-west]

So? Off track is good.

Sounds a bit like The Rip, but with slightly more reliable viz. Will have to see what I can organise next trip. Hopefully I'll be diving again by then.
What's the maximum depth there?

[shazcol]

Out on the farewell beacon choose your limit, just follow the channel side down to your preferred depth and work your way back up. I think the bottom is a bit over 60M so too far for air safely. You use the beacon as the start point and enter on the last of the incoming tide and after the turn follow the wall back to the safety stop under the beacon. Boat required for this one. Boat must be outside the channel behind the beacon as well. I remember quite nice kelp forests behind there as well at times.

Next best is the 'Fish beacon' off the end of the breakwater at the pilot station. Lots of different dives here. Max depth about 40M from memory. Done as a shore dive or boat. Easier as a shore dive and more enjoyable. Lots of sea whips and sea pens here in the right spots. Nice sponge gardens as well plus heaps of other interesting stuff.

Directly off the monument at Georgetown is a good option as shore dive or night dive. Only 10m walk to the water from nice car park. Kelso is a great night dive off the pontoon to the north down the channel wall and finish up in the sea grass beds to the south. Follow the channel wall down for some great basket stars, seahorses, blue ring octopus, cuttles, squid and all manner of strange critters and colourful plants.

You might try to contact the club up here as it is a regular dived area by the locals being so good and so close to L'ton, just very tidal.

Couple more for the divers amongst us....

Goat Fish Detail - Kelso Tasmania

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Basket Start (closed)

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Jelly at night - Tamar River

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Colourful Anenome - Tamar River

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[Rick]

Excellent pics Shazcol, thanks for sharing!!

[north-north-west]

Out on the farewell beacon choose your limit, just follow the channel side down to your preferred depth and work your way back up. I think the bottom is a bit over 60M so too far for air safely.

Speak for yourself.

Thanks for the info. Will have to get sorted for the next trip.