Still no sign of a decent swell so we went scuba diving in the Julian Rocks (those lumps of rock about 2km off Byron which I somehow managed to not photograph). I hadn’t dived for about 18 months and Jack for about 18 years so we did an hour in the pool to refresh some skills before heading out.
Visibility not the best (6-8m) but so many fish around with all the nutrients in the water. Byron is known for lots of aquatic life as the tropical and temperate water currents converge here resulting in 500+ species in the marine reserve.
Freezing cold in the rental wetsuit but a great dive. We saw lionfish, kingfish, grey nurse sharks, string rays and I think my favourite was an eagle ray that glided past and accelerated without seeming to move a muscle. So cool to be able to explore underwater and see a whole extra dimension of a place that you’re visiting.
Had another fairly unsatisfying surf in the afternoon at Tallows. It’s good to rack up the hours in the surf but the vibe was a bit angry with the locals snarling at the tourists and not enough waves to go around. Was one of those frustrating surfs where the shredders pull 5 snaps on a wave and you’re barely trying to get to your feet in the slop and get a turn in before it closes out.
We did have a bit of entertainment though, a Dad trying to “teach” his son to surf by swearing and yelling at him the whole time. Poor little bugger, probably wished he was back at school rather than on holidays!
Surf: Tallows Beach, NSW, 1-2 foot, 1.0hr (16.0 total)
Dive: Julian Rocks, NSW, 1 (1 total)
