Articles

Everything VIZ has written up: waves and conditions, the marine life of Sydney, the citizen science, and the community behind it.

Years of work that is not a dive site map: the science behind the conditions, what lives in Sydney, and the projects the community has run.

Conditions and the science behind them

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  The physics of wavesWaves explained for divers: height, period, refraction, diffraction, and the underwater surge that decides whether a site is diveable.
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  Wave and wind occurrences in SydneySydney's wave seasons from the Longreef buoy: which months bring the biggest swell, from which direction, and how often.
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  Dive site forecast explainedHow the VIZ dive site forecast works: what the scores mean, the model behind them, and a site-by-site guide to Sydney entries and exits.

Marine life

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  Bull sharks in the harbourDo bull sharks live in Sydney Harbour? An article reviewed by a NSW Fisheries scientist, with the tagging data behind the answer.
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  The Port Jackson sharkThe Port Jackson shark: why Sydney's most common shark aggregates here, how far it migrates, and the months you will see them.
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  The Hammer OctopusThe hammer octopus in Sydney: how to recognise one, where divers have found them, and why the sightings are worth recording.
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  Dobroyd - PocilloporaPocillopora aliciae at Dobroyd Head: a survey of the southernmost known colony of this coral, with the position and the date.
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  Flash photography and fishDoes flash photography harm fish? The published research gathered in one place, so the argument can start from the evidence.

Citizen science

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  VIZ tracking projectTen marine species tracked across Sydney from VIZ visibility reports since 2019, showing when and where each one turns up.
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  Sea turtle trackingSea turtle sightings around Sydney, collected from VIZ divers since 2019: where they turn up, when, and what brings them this far south.

The community, and the places it looks after

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  Seagrass at Cabbage Tree BaySeagrass at Cabbage Tree Bay: why it matters, how boating damages it, and how to report irregularities in the aquatic reserve.
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  VIZ code of self-regulationThe VIZ code of self-regulation: how to share sightings and dive site information without putting the species or the site at risk.
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  Attack in Sydney HarbourThe 1942 submarine attack on Sydney Harbour: documentaries, the finding of the M24 wreck, and the best resources gathered in one place.
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  Photo Shootout 2020The first VIZ photo competition, October 2020: the Critter Count and Portfolio categories, the target species list and the results.
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  InterviewsInterviews from VIZ: marine scientists, citizen science founders and diving organisations on the work behind Sydney diving.
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  Interview with DANWhat DAN offers a recreational diver beyond travel insurance: an interview on accident cover, the advice line and emergency help.
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  VIZ in the newsVIZ and Sydney diving in the press: shark activity, beach conditions and the stories that reach beyond the diving community.