Welcome to Total Bottom Time!

Total Bottom Time is my online personal dive log. A place where I can share my dives with friends, family, other divers, and the world. You can find out a bit more about me and see my full log of dives by clicking on my profile on the right. Feel free to subscribe to my dives via email or RSS.

Below are just some of my latest dives.

During a long surface interval, we planned out our second dive of the day on the wreck.

The first half of the plan was to:

1. Descend via the mid-ship line.
2. Make our way to the deck beneath the bridge.
3. Descend into the body of the wreck via the gun turret hole and have a look around.
4. Exit via the only door.
5. Look into the room opposite the door.
6. Head towards the hull exit but take the door on the right.
7. Move into the sonar room and check it out.
8. Move into the next room and check it out (note the cow on the chair).
9. Exit the wreck via the hole in the hull.

HMNZS Canterbury Dive Through

The second half of the plan was to:

1. Follow the deck railing to the prow.
2. Turn around and head back to the bridge while beginning an ascent.
3. Descend into the bridge and check it out.
4. Exit the bridge.
5. Ascend via the mid-ship line.
6. Safety stop.

Bridge

Smoke Stack

It might seem simple but it was definitely the most involved wreck dive through I've ever done. I was glad we had planned it pretty thoroughly. The old adage to plan your dive and ...

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Once a year, the day after the full moon in July, there's a Jewel Anemone bloom. Since sea anemones are animals, that is to say there's a Jewel Anemone spawn. The males release sperm and the females release eggs into the ocean, hopefully they combine, and find a suitable place to grow.

There's a fair number of Jewel Anemone on the HMNZS Canterbury so it's a popular destination when they bloom. I was on a full boat of about 12 divers with Paihia Dive. The boat ride from Paihia to the Canterbury takes about 45 minutes so lots of time to prepare.

We got pretty lucky. As soon as we descended on the wreck, the bloom had begun. But it's not like they all go at once. It's a matter of waiting around and seeing if anything happens. The video below (in particular the second half) was the best one I capture of a male Jewel Anemone spawning.

Male Jewel Anemone Spawning

I also got some good still of some of the action. Things can get a bit ... cloudy.

Male Jewel Anemone Spawning

Towards the end of the dive I found this crayfish hanging ...

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As part of the easing restrictions on the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, New Zealand has progressed to Alert Level 2. That means some normal activities can resume as long as they follow the L2 guidelines.

Time to dive. It's easier to stay 2 metres apart underwater because you have 3 dimensions in which to do so.

It's also easier to stay 2 metres apart on the surface when you gear up in the parking lot.

Dive Prep

Dive Prep

The landscape on the surface and under the water had changed due to a massive swell that hit the south coast, see Huge waves hit Wellington's south coast. 6 metres waves battered the roads, the beach, and the ocean floor.

The South Coast

The South Coast

Just Prior to Descent

An anchor that had rested against a large rock for as long as anyone could remember was still there but the rock was gone!

Anchor

Anchor

Of course the blue cod were still present protecting their turf.

Blue Cod

There were several nests of crayfish too, which I usually don't often see in Mermaid's Kitchen. I even saw the smallest crayfish I've ever seen. It must ...

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