This past week, divers were pleasantly surprised with relatively clear water.
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Despite the rainy weather above the surface, underwater explorers enjoyed 7-8m maximum visibility until the weekend, when the silty runoff from heavy rainfall from the catchment came through, reducing the visibility to approximately 3m.
The water was 19C, and there were reports of more tropical fish around, including the a charismatic juvenile Dotted Sweetlips (Plectorhinchus pica) - usually found in Queensland waters.
Unfortunately underwater clean-ups that were supposed to take place in conjunction with Clean Up Australia Day (March 6) were postponed for one month, in the hope that conditions will be better for volunteers to safely partake in clean-ups then.
With decreasing tides and more rain forecast this coming week, the underwater conditions are unlikely to improve until the tides get bigger from next week, starting Monday, March 14.
Though as always, Mother Nature often has some tricks up her sleeve, so if the rainfall isn't too heavy, and if the water outside the estuary is still relatively clear, divers and snorkelers can always be treated to better-than-hoped conditions.
Fingers crossed that's the case.
- Meryl Larkin is a Port Stephens marine scientist and PhD researcher at Southern Cross University.
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