The Balcony, off Royal National Park, Sydney, Australia

• Iain Hosking
• Martin Zolfel

5.30am wakey wakey, shower, breakfast, picked up by Martin at 8am. Thin crescent moon in a night sky.

First dive in over 2 years. Dry suit looking untrustworthy, but warm enough in wet suit (but very hard to put on). Blue skies, mild conditions, sea calm with a 1m swell. Dived with Martin - leisurely fin around, over and under huge boulders, surrounded by bullseyes, yellowtail, stripey, blennies, leatherjacket, sergeant bakers, rock cod, old wives and attendant blue groper which even followed us through the swimthroughs.

Highlight was a big cuttlefish which went through the full repertoire of colour changes. Other divers: Andrew and Andrew, David, Cathy, Carol, Olivia and others. Good food as usual. $40.

wet suit, 82 (with 2-year old air), ~ 18lbs lead

See logbook 9