Visibility: 5 m Water Temperature: 13 degrees

Divers: Deon, Marilyn, Julie, Mark, Youri, Puspendu, Karen, Phil, Ian, Mick, Stuart

Surface Crew: Caro, Marilyn, Denis, Barb, Vikki


Chilly Crab - Saturday diver at Rye Pier 04/06/11
Just as Melbournians flock to the Mornington Peninsula to play and strip off to sunbath the giant spider crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) of the Southern oceans flock to Rye Pier to moult each year in late autumn and early June around the full moon. . The spider crabs march through the heads and across the bay forming into large herds which eventually congregate in large piles up to metres in height. For a few days they moult and then when their shells are hardened up they return to the deeps. While this event is not unusual amongst the world's spider crabs species, Rye's moult is unique as it is accessible to recreational shore divers.
The word was out that the crabs were in so the Saturday morning divers were dispatched to Rye. It was overcast a bit choppy, water temp 12.5 and visibility only fair but we're excited to get a glimpse of this bizarre natural event. Under our entry point at the boat landing things looked promising with lots of freshly discarded shells but as we ventured deeper all we found were more shells, which at some places were piled 20 - 30 cm deep. The spiders had gone! It looked like the end of the night in a Chinese seafood restaurant said "Karen" There wasn't much sea life at all except a few remaining red swimmer crabs. This one appears to be protecting her young progeny from either the crazy spider crabs or me. Shortly after this photo my camera case also decided to moult and I surfaced with trepidation. Luckily it was only a close encounter and not a near death experience.
Next year I think we will have to take a day off for diving as soon we hear of the spider crabs arrival. I might be able to organize a few sick certificates!
Have a look at these U-Tubes to see what we missed. There is always next year.
Stuart Garrow