Our most recent dive at Second Valley

Our recent dive at Second Valley started at the jetty steps. There was enough activity in the immediate vicinity to capture our attention. This Tulip Shell below the jetty steps could not be ignored due to the amount of growth on its shell: –

Tulip Shell, Pleuroploca australasiae

I had previously photographed these Pleuroploca australasiae eggs in this location during the month of January: –

Someone had been chipping away at the growth on the heavy anchor chain laying below the jetty steps, revealing the chain links in detail: –

Anchor chain link revealed

A small school of Zebra Fish usually seen close to the jetty steps was seeking the attention of a couple of juvenile Moonlighters for cleaning purposes. Two or three of the largest Zebra Fish were seen swimming in a vertical position to attract the two Moonlighters in order to be cleaned by them. The school was a little distant from me and, by the time that I had got my camera ready and moved a little closer, the school of Zebra Fish moved away a little. I missed capturing the moment, but still managed this quick shot (cropped from the original): –

Juvenile Moonlighter with Zebra Fish school

This shot shown below was the kind of shot that I was looking for: –

Zebra Fish in ‘cleaning mode’

It was taken on an earlier dive at Second Valley.

This tiny little crab shown below was seen nearby (It was not clear whether or not it was alive): –

As I swam out towards the point, I came across this strange structure: –

It reminded me of a similar structure seen at Rapid Bay: –

And this one seen at Waikiki: –

I only took these other two photographs (as I casually made my way around the point and into the second bay to exit the water and walk back to the car park): –