Despite the algal bloom, Second Valley has had some fantastic conditions for diving lately, with images and video circulating of crystal clear water and weedy seadragons. So Second Valley was yesterday’s diving destination with my long-time dive buddy Andy.

It was a hot day – South Australian heatwave kind of hot – which made the wetsuit donning something akin to being reforged in the fires of Orodruin. On surviving Mount Doom, the cool 22°C waters off the jetty were an exquisite delight!

We tracked around the headland, noting how healthy the marine life seemed compared to deeper north into the gulf. Andy found two weedy seadragons, which made the dive perfect. We found two tiny little juvenile blue devils a few centimetres in length.

My delight for the dive was this spotted pipefish – one of the syngnathids I rarely see and have never really captured a good image of.

And I am still trying…