Andrew with coral trees and zoanthids on our first dive in Bradshaw Sound. The water was beautifully clear with a strong green cast in the shallows.
Snake star on black coral
Tube worm
One of many crayfish in Bradshaw Sound
Tiny amphipod on Ectopleura hydroid
Feather star or crinoid Atagema carinata nudibranchs are typically found in water less than 8m deep.
Cup coral, Caryophyllia profunda
Black coral with entwined snake star arm
Jock Stewart or Sea perch, Helicolenus percoides
Skip's Yellow Doto are common in Doubtful Sound. These tiny nudibranchs are fairly easy to find once you have your eye in. They are almost always found on the orange coloured hydrioid, Halopteris campanula (?). Their egg masses are a birght yellow colour and are easier to spot than the slugs which are often down amongst the hydroids. They seem widespread in Fiordland and are not uncommon at the Poor Knights Islands at the other end of the country.
Snake star on black coral Telescopefish, Mendosoma lineatum
The Gut was as good as ever and remains one of my favourite dive sites of all time
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