PURG Dive Cod Grounds

We arrived at the shop by 7.00 am (well some of us did anyway) to be greeted by overcast drizzly conditions. Pete had informed us that it will be choppy conditions with a current as that's what they experienced on Saturday. After the last of us arrived we had the boat launched and were off for the half+ hour trip to the Cod Grounds. The seas had abated from Saturday which made things a little more promising.
On the way out we noticed that although the skies were overcast the ocean still had a promising colour. Arriving at the Cod Grounds we had the anchor set and the visibility looked good with only a hint of current. Gearing up is always a hectic time on board with finding gear a treasure hunt. We finally hit the water with warm 23 degrees on the surface and blue water. Descending down the anchor line there was a slight current which gave me a work out lugging my professional camera gear but the water stayed warm and the visibility was good at about 15 meters.
Swimming to my favorite site the anemone fields I hadn't seen a Grey nurse so was content in photographing fellow divers and a friendly Blue Grouper. At 32 meters my time was running short so I started my way back to the anchor when I glimpsed a Grey Nurse just as it fin slapped its way from one of the divers. Conditions back on the surface had stayed the same as Pete fed us cake and coffee for the 1 hour surface interval. Michelle also won the hearts of her fellow divers with some nice banana and chocolate muffins she baked. The conditions were taking their toll with 3 divers succumbing to there movements (although chukka doesn't need much encouragement and the different medication was also a flop - keep trying).
It was finally time for our second dive and the conditions were the same as the first. Michelle and I had decided to head back to the anemone fields due to the lack of shark activity and Jeremy followed for a look. As we hit the bottom we veered off and were greeted by a school of huge Jew fish that were resting in the gutter. Trying to get a few shots they just didn't want to co-operate and moved off to watch us from a distance. When we got to the field there were two large male Grey nurse sharks just cruising and were not at all disturbed by our presence but also just kept at a respectable but un-photographic distance. Michelle and I have learnt that if you just stay in one spot and wait the sharks will come in closer, if they want to, so we settled in for a short wait.
As we waited we explored this beautiful field of sea whips and sponges and the Tiger anemone that I love to rave about. As is the case with most experiences while you wait something usually happens and we had a very small blue Spanish dancer swim right between us and settle on the bottom. It was if it just wanted to have its picture taken so we obliged.
Being at 32 meters our time was all too soon up and the sharks were out of site so we headed back to the line and started our slow ascent to the surface. With everyone on board we started back to Laurieton with a swag of photos and more memories of this unique site.