I am not sure which location I prefer for Leafy Seadragons, The Bluff or Rapid Bay.
Rapid Bay has an incredible diversity of sea life and never disappoints even if I do not see the critters I have come to photograph. It is a safe bet for a great dive even when the conditions are not so good.
The Bluff on the other hand is rough, has poor visibility, is exposed to southern swells but I never fail to find Leafys here. Even though this dive does not have the variety of life the Rapid Bay offers it has a rugged oceanic appeal that makes me come back time and time again for the Leafys of course but also for the great granite bombies, the thick kelp, seals, crays and of course the usual suspects (a technical term for local South Australian reef fishes).
This Leafy Seadragon (Phycodurus eques) is being swept back and forth through the kelp and around boulders but doesn’t seem to mind at all. This is typical of their environment here and is what makes this dive so appealing.
Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Dragon Alley’ 1/200s f/3.5 ISO100 15mm
oh wow. Now it’s this one Robert!!! Absolutely beautiful!
As you wish! 🙂
Though all of your photos of Leafies have been stunning, for some reason this one just made me go “Oh! So beautiful!” and I had to say it to someone, so passed it on to a friend of mine who lives in Normanville, and is very familiar with the marine environment there. She too was impressed, commenting ” A truly beautiful photograph, one of the clearest and most colourful I have seen”.