Swimming between the kelp is just like you have entered a fairy tale. The enormously long leaves of the kelp are kept floating thanks to the air cushions. As you come in deeper water you really stand in the shade of the kelp.

Between the kelp all kinds of animals come in search of protection. Between the rocks on the bottom you regularly can find rays, draught board sharks and various kinds of bottom fish. On the leafs of the kelp innumerable small snails live. Nearly under every leaf dozens of these snails appear. Swimming through the kelp forest is a real discovery trip where you can meet particular animals.

During one of our dives we saw something strange. On one of the kelp leafs we found a strange thing, just like an orange ball. We could not figure out what it was. Perhaps it was the eggs of some animal? Back on board we directly discussed this thing with our dive guide. We had to solve this mystery!
According to our dive guide we had seen a "wandering anemone" (Phlyctenactis tuberculosa). This wandering anemone generally establishes itself on the kelp leafs but he can move around. At day time the polyps of the anemone are completely closed so it doesn’t look like an anemone at all. But at night this anemone reveals its true forms. The anemone unfolds itself and the polyps come out.

Something you just have to do each dive is searching for sea horses. Particularly the "weedy sea dragon" (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) is unique in Tasmania. The first few dives we really had to look well for this animal. He is an expert in hiding in the kelp. But almost every dive you will get the change to encounter a sea dragon. The splendid colors of the animal are more than impressive. Bright orange is varied with clear blue lines. With its long pointed nose with clear white to dots he pigheadedly looks into the world. He really has a funny face. The weedy seadragon is unique for the southern Australian area. It’s been seen from Sydney at the East coast to Perth at the west coast of Australia. But the Tasmanian sea dragon seems to be a little larger than its family members in the south of Australia. For us one thing is clear: it is really a splendid animal. Perhaps less spectacular than the weedy sea dragon are the other sea horses you can find in the kelp. But nevertheless also other seahorses are great to see.