DIVE LOG AUSTRALASIA FEB 2026

Night Freediving in Port Phillip Bay: Mating Southern Dumpling Squid

text and photos by Vadim Belakhov

Challenging and Teeming with Life Night dives are very special to me. I try to hit the water at least once a week all year round, usually doing night dives on weekdays after

work. There is so much to discover in the shallows of the Bay, especially after sunset. The water around you is pitch black, and you can only see as far as your torch allows, so I mostly concentrate on small and macro subjects.

My favourite locations are Rye, Blairgowrie, Portsea and Flinders Piers, as well as Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary. Portsea and Flinders Piers are also home to Weedy Seadragons, which can be spotted even from the surface, depending on the visibility on the day. The more time you spend in the water and the more familiar you become with these sites, the more species of marine life you start to notice — from tiny, perfectly camouflaged creatures to some of the Bay’s larger residents.

Mosaic Leatherjacket.

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DIVE LOG Australasia #416 February ‘26

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