Tuesday 20-VII-82
Arrived at Clerke Reef at about 11.30am. After a cup of tea, Ray, Loisette & I went for a swim from boat at anchor to a patch of reef just S of the boat. We only had time to swim around it but it was very attractive with very shallow drop at reef edge then a slope which was more gradual deeper down.
#1 - plenty of dead Periglypta (? puerpera) & Tridacna. Saw what seemed to be T. gigas (medium) & one Hyotissa hyotis (large) Turbo chrysatoma dead, Haliotis ovtina. Came back to ship for lunch then as tide was falling fast we went over (except for Paddy Gerry & Charlie) to reef edge (Station #1) on NE corner of reef just N of North Passage. Water was flowing fast out of the channel but the wide reef (#2) flat was well exposed. Lots of clams - mostly Tridacna derasa - most burrowing into dead coral - all sizes up to about 6" in length. Fairly common were what I took to be Tridacna maxima larger - longer - & in more exposed situations between corals & on the sides of dead coral clumps. Some saw Hippopus on way back - inner reef flat. - more sandy areas - to about 1 foot long - quite heavy - Someone found what looked like a T. squamosa - might be maxima. No oysters seen - even on large bombies on reef crest. Though, there were a few small scungy bivalves in crevisces on it (?oysters). Rock bombie was riddled with burrowing barnacles (2 spp?). saw few - very small - spondylids - 1 dead lithophagi. Saw only dead chamids. Got 1 small, very flat, haliotid. Plenty of Trochus niloticus (large) Tectus pyramis (white base!). Trochus hanleyanus (but query this identification - might be more like T. conus heavy robust - pointed spire tip, rounded keel at base.) Turbo agyrostomus (?also chrysostomus) (couldn't see or feel pustules on opercula). No nudibranchs seen, only Onchidium on large bombie on reef crest. - various thaids on bombie. - most common gastropod seemed to be Vasum (?turbinellum?). Found various fasciolariids. Astraea rhodostomus rare. Patch of dead Tridacna derasa with dead Lambis (broken of D surfae of body whorl) on inner reef flat - no other species of Tridacna - what caused deaths? Shells do not seem to be dead for some length of time (Another patch seen on side of [?] later).
Wednesday 21-VII-82
After breakfast & some processing Peter shifted the ship arpund to the West Lagoon by going south from the achorage & over the reef which runs approx N/S & divides the lagoon. Then Paddy, Gerry & Charlie went over to the outside of the western reef, while Ray, Loisette & I went in a dinghy to the sandy lagoon W of the ship.
Dredge Station A,B: About 1/2 way beyween Bedwell I. & the Western Reef. - coarse sand & a little weed - about 3in. - live Nassariids abundant (2 spp), live terebids (?2 spp), live mitres (2 spp), crabs, worms, fish, echinoderms (brittle stars & 1 heart urchin), 1 Niotha type covered with hydroids or octocorallia type. Then tried to dredge closer to island in deeper water - abt 25-30' but too many bombies - kept on gettin hung up. Got very small catch - 2 spp of nassarids - prickly Nassarius type from outer area & a very callused large Parcanassa type - live Fragum fragum, live mitre.
Came in for lunch. After lunch Fred organised the raising of a large Tridacna gigas from a patch reef near the boat. (Photos). Later went over to West Reef.
Station #5 - LWL at abt 5.15-5.30 so we were racing against darkness - great flow of water out over the reef. - many shallow channels - coarse sand, very few turnable rocks. Various species of cones, cowries (Cyp. eglantina? Cyp. annulus. like moneta. Small Hyotissa numisma under rocks, Lamellariid (Chelynotus tonganus?) on dead coral. Spider shells (chiragra?) dead Periglypta (orange teeth). Waded back to boat over exposed coral magnificent sunset. two boats had to find way back to ship in near dark (no moon).
Thursday 22-VII-82
Another marvellous day - very calm. Dropped Ray at island to do some dredging with John & Gavin to film. the rest of us went out in ship through the North Channel to Ne tip of reef - very   calm but turbidity high - so came back along reef to about 3 miles N of North Channel to dive on outer slope. Gerry & Charlie went in first - current very strong particularly in top 20 feet. Jerry deposited rotenone in deep cove, came up & waited for about 10 minutes - Paddy tried to go down with him to help gathering fish but his cold prevented him - same with Fred. When current had dropped a little Loisette & I went down.
Station #6: Below & in front of ship 50-60 - went to lip of steep slope (drop-off). Very luminescent coral growth with deep sandy channels - more or less like spur & groove formation, & sandy channels as well as coral spurs dropped off sharply (Gerry says this sharp drop was to about 100' or so & then became a more gradual slope again.) However we stuck to the shallower water in order to have more time. very diverse coral & soft corals, lots of gorgonians (mostly Mopsella type). Pteriids on grey gorgonian. Found very large (?10" diameter) Spondylus in cave but couldn't detach it.  No oysters seen. Quite a few clams op top of coral spurs - derosa (really crocea?) & maxima/squamosa - no gigas seen here. Found live Haliotis ovina on side of clam. Coralliophillids on coral (Montipora) - drupes etc. Tellins (Quadrans) om sandy channels near drop off. Ovulids (2 spp) on different gorgonian. Large dead Acrosterigma. Live Steptopinna on top of spur. Caught Sargassum weed with 2 spp fish, shrimps, anemone, nudibranch, goose barnacles & crab. 
After lunch wnt on to Berdwell  - collected from beach drift - 4 spp cuttlebones - tellins (4-5 spp). Periglypta? reticulata (orange) & puerpera(?). Collected on eastern intertidal sand flats - live Fragum fragum - live Tellina (Tellinella?) (- live Exotica & Gari) about 6" below surface - do they leave short 4" straight or curved trails? - also found heart urchins (pink & red) in same habitat. Lots of nassariids (2 spp) on surface & to least 6" below. & tube building worms - saw striped sand eel - (abt 12" & thin & shiny) lots of mitres in shallow subtidal sand - live & dead terebras & lie cones (pilicarius!) - large grey (crab eating) eels & rays in shallows. N end of island - out to other sand [?]conys is strongly ripple marked abt 2' apart & high. W side very different - a lot more beach rock - extensive Caulerpa beds - found live Tonna pomum, live Bulla, dead but unbroken Nautilus pompilius did not see any Pinna though Ray found a juvenile shell in drift. Ray & Paddy found a fantastic octopus arm length about 8-12" (depending on contraction). Whitish transparent with white & cream opaque spots - long head - pustulose-papillose skin. 2 pairs of longers arms. 1 pair short, 1 pair shortest & of those one shorter than the other. Eyes prominantly raised - blended perfectly with sand. Folded arms around shelf & maintained low profile. Found 1 valve of large Acrosterigma. Caught ghost crabs for Ray - brown markings on back. Fimbria, Pinguitellina, Trochus, Pinna, Arca. navicularis, Semele, Barbatia fusca, Haliotis ovina, Gari, Glycymeris, Stomatia, Spondylus, Isognomon, Codakia pinctata, Fragum fragum, Modiolus, Haliotis asinina, Corculum cardiosa, Exotica?, Tellina (Tellinella?) 2 spp?, Scutarcopagia. Dendostraea, Hippopus, Hyotissa, Glycodonta ?, Pilarinae - (hebraica?), Plicatula, Cardita variegata, Anapella, Ostrea?, Chlamys, Chama, Tellina (Quadrans), Scropicularia? see back of book.
Friday 23-VII-82
Weather deteriorated overnight wind & cloud - only sprinkling rain. After breakfast processed material. Dissected Tridacna gigas. Labial palps not or only faintly ridged, lips expanded (particularly upper one) median to palps mouth small. Small median aperture "posterior" to gills - no commensals in inhalant cavity. Large arms median & central in exhalant cavity. Couldn't find any aign of renal &/or gonadal pores. Commensal shrimp in exhalant cavity - its mate could have been the one I found dead on deck near clam last night. No water tubes seen opening into exhalant cavity. Removed adductor muscle to eat. Palps v large if gills are not used or only sparsely used for feeding.
Yesterday 22-VI-82
C,D,E - Ray dredged on sand banks/intertidal or shallow subtidal off E side of Bedwell Island. dead Acar (Tenella?), live Glycodonta, live Pinguitellina, dead? Quadrans, dead ? lepton c double pall. line sl. divergent ant add m scars. Strong R ant lat & strong ribs (?not Ctena bella). (& others duplicating beach drift)  dead shells included in beach drift collection, live shells included in sand flats, E side Bedwell 4 collection.
[Friday 23-VII-82]
'Piscean' moved to S end of lagoon near emergent sand cay - weather deteriorated further - strong wind warning in mid afternoon. Dissected clams gathered at Station #2 on (20-VII) Tuesday. Tridacna species diead before Hippopus - probably because of injury when wrenching from substrate & because hyssal gape allowed dessication. Tridacna crocea contained 2 commensal crabs & a shrimp in the exhalant cavity. T ? squamosa/maxima no commensals. Hippopus - larger of 2 specimens contained 1 commensal shrimp in exhalant cavity - actually in median exhalant passage (other specimen c commensals). Anus in all species small - exhalant cavity epithelium tends to be brightly coloured. Hippopus has grooved ferat & pedal gape as in Tridacna - no byssus of course. Gonadal pores are in median exhalant passages. In Hippopus gonads were running. No urinary pore obvious - pore might be urino-genital pore of course. Hippopus has two flaps from sides of exhalant cavity below exhalant aperture. Labial lips of Hippopus do not have flaps medial to labial palps.
Saturday 24-VII-82
#7 - Left ship before breakfast to go (in Zodiac & Brooker) to reef west of southern anchorage. Sand cay was more or less emergent but much less so than it should have been because of high wind which was associated with high water level in lagoon at least. Collected on SW corner of Clerke Reef - high reef flat -> crest with plenty of coral slabs to turn over. 3-4 spp of Phillidia, Pleurobranchs, large cerithiid, one very dark many very light Cypraea tigris, Cypraea isabella, only dead cones. ?Vanikoro sp - smooth inflated/ Paddy found live Lima fragilis (or whatever) - tentacles banded transversely - I found 1 dead valve. Plenty of spondylids under rocks.
Dredging SW corner "F"
red-> white, very fine long spines when young; Black & white Plicatula; Oysters - ? small whitish (one dark) Hyotissa; Arca navicularis; Lambis truncata; Lambis chiragra; Turbo chrysostoma; Acar (tenella?); dead tan - Malea pomum; v many Tridacna maxima; some T. maxima; Hippopus; Spondylus v fine; Trochus; Chlamys finebris?; Chlamys sp.; Chama on upper surface of boulders; small cream isognomid; Haliotis asinina; Pinctada margaritifera; Pinctada sp? juv.; Sea grasses on inner edge of intertidal reef flat - soft slimey but calcified red (pink) on outer reef flat. Came back to island in time for lunch - left Gavin & John, Ray & Fred & Paddy on island while rest of us went in 'Piscean' to NE end of reef (abt 3km N of N Passage). Gerry & Charlie went down first & as current wasn't too strong Louisette & I went down soon after. 
#8- Bottom very dissected with deep channels so that tops of bombies between were <30' while bottom of deepest channels were >60' deep. very few molluscs - but varied coral - lots of fish (big Potato Cod) - & lots of gorgonians & black coral (coiled & kinked 0 in caves) - fan corals (Mopsella type) & sea whips (2 spp) very abundant. (Collected a lot of them) - comparitively few ophiuroids compared to those from gorgonians collected on 22nd July - collected about 7 or 8 ovulids from gorgonians (orange) & spider crabs red/orange c white stripe down backs - crinoids but shells mostly dead. Halimeda in patches. Periglypta ? puerpera; Acar ?; Chlamys pallium; Chlamys ?vexillum (orange); Chlamys ligris?; Chlamys -small - sculpture; ?Modiolus (fragile); Scutarcopagia; Chlamys (juv); Gastrochaena; Astrosterigma; Trapezium; Turbo agyrostomus; tectus pyramis (green striped base); Ovulids; Conus; Vasum; Cypraea isabella (longit. lines); mitre; fasciolariids; Coralliophila (axial ribs); Conus - small white fine spots striped spire[?]; Chelynotus tonganus; Nudibranch - vivid blue c yellow rim & black lines.
Sunday 25-VII-82
#12 (out of sequence) - 
Ray Fred Loisette John & I sett off early (7am) in dinghy - went along W side of island to just E of N tip of reef. Reef flat well exposed - little live coral - no Acropora - quite a few rocks & coralites to turn over. John filmed us finding various animals - among them a Halimeda crab. Found 4 poisonous crabs under one boulder - under same boulder lots of oysters - mostly white - some pinkish-fawn (Hyotissa?). Lots of young & older spondylids. Few large & smaller chamids (usually on upper surface). few Arca few Acar. Small "montacutid" like Ephippodonta but not white- pinkish brown. - only one found in burrow - possibly of crustacean. Lots of Lambis chiragra over sandy & reef flat - some crushed by large fish - presumably a large ray. Cypraea ?histrio?. Very few Cypraea tigris, few Cypraea isabella.
Came back to ship (sett off at abt 10:00 arrived aby 11:00). Had breakfast. Ray & John went on to island - rest of us departed in 'Piscean' for Mermaid Reef. About 1/3 way there the alarm sounded on one of the engines. peter decided to keep going on the other engine alone which was slower, of course. We went up the west side of Mermaid reef around the north end & back to the channel about 1/3 way down on E side of reef (ie in about same relative position as in Clerke Reef). This channel is fairl wide & lagoon is much deeper than in Clerke Reef. we anchored over towards W side ie in NW Quarter. Gerry Charlie Paddy & Fred went in for a dive beneath ship. Bottom <6-' with pinnacles of coral rising to about 30'. fred & Paddy brought up some Lopha cristagalli from pinnacle - also spondylids, live Chlamys & other small attached oysters ?Dendostraea. However there weren't enough tanks filled for Loisette & I to dive & it was getting rather late, so we settled for tomorrow. Processed material.
Monday 26-VII-82
Up at about 6am - sunrise at 6.30 - left about 7am after tea juice toast & cereal for W reef near wreck. (Paddy Fred Loisette Gavin & I) Got to reef before low tide after slow trip across sand zone which lies proximal to reef flat - inner reef flat with lots of Acropora, outer reef flat (intertidal) with plenty of sea grass (?Posidonia) & increasingly less Acropora & more massive corals to outer reef flat with no Posidonia - plenty of larger small Acropora rocks to turn over & then beyond this fewer rocks - all massive corals cemented to substrate, bunches of articulated corallines -> (no Liagora) reef slope with breakers. More cones on outer reef flat - no piscivorous species - apperently only vermivorous spp. Plenty of spondylids beneath rocks, few chamids beneath & on top of rocks, few oysters. (Hyotissa numisma?). Various spp. of Cypraea (depressa, histrio, isabella, caputserpentis, annulus & smaller species). Various fasciolariids & buccinids, 1 pair columbellids, Clanculus atropurpureus, Tectus pyramis (white, white c green & white c brown stripes) Tectus sp (white tall, radial ribs), Tectus (Rochina) niloticus particularly on outer reef flat Trochus ? maculatus, Trochus ? conus, Turbo chrysostoma (no T. argyrostoma found). Small dead Turbo ? silosus. Haliotis ovina H. asinina (inner reef flat). Small dead lucinids ?(smooth) 1 live Periglypta resticulata (orange teeth) many dead, Glycymeris sp (wide ribs, brown spots), small Pinctada, small Tridacna derasa, dead juvenile T. maxima. Loisette found large T. squamosa on inner reef flat - turquoise & grey mantle, yellowish shell. Plentry of live & dead Hippopus on reef flat. Dead Pseudocopagia on inner reef flat. Plenty of poisonous crabs, snapping shrimp, grey eels, snake eel, lion fish. Gavin photographed a few things with us all. Had to wait till tide rose to get boat out - variety of brittle stars, crinoids, few echinoids, few starfish, dead urchins tests. Plenty of Cypraea tigris & Lambis chiragra.
#9: Came back to ship - arrived about 11am. - had brunch - & then we went for dive. During morning Pete had free dived to pinnacle & brought up a Hyotissa hyotis - quite a large one. When Loisette & I dived I found a few Hyotissa - took 2. Lopha cristigalli all around pinnacles on dead coral - usually but not always Acropora, Spondylus sp & Chama sp on dead coral. Very few dead shells, sand was very fine silt which clouded water when disturbed - water very turbid anyhow probably because of previous diving. A large potato cod followed us everywhere - stayed within 12"->3" from us - apparently very curious but not aggressive - just persistant, but bothersome. Didn't see any other fish. Pinnacles & mounds surrounded by flat areas of long staghorn coral. - not very interesting- though we didn't have time to explore them. On pinnacles 2 spp of Halimeda, 2 spp of Caulerpa, running though silt & over rocks & dead coral. Plenty of soft coral, no gorgonians seen, variety of fragile corals (Pectinia etc). Came up after about 30 minutes. Not really a pleasant dive- too turbid, very heavy tanks, not enough air, & that damn fish! But I collected a series of Lopha which was great.
Departed for Clerke Reef not long after we came up, ging around N end & down W side of Mermaid Reef again. Arrived about 4pm. Ray & John had gear on island organised to load on board but weren't too put out to find tha we were staying an extra day because of strong wind around Broome (& Lacepedes). Though tent was down Fred, John, Gavin & Gerry slept of the island. Processed late. 
Tuesday 27-VII-82
#11: After toast & tea Loisette, Fred, Peter, Glenys & I set off for SE side of reef. Low tide was at about 9am so we arrived before low water. Reef quite different from elsewhere we have sampled - strong runoff throughout long period of falling, low & rising tide - few molluscs. Plenty of Tridacna crocea, few Tectus pyramis, more Turbo chrysostoma, v few oysters (Hyotissa numisma), v few live Periglypta, some nice worms - possibly very small Balanoglossus (yellow, smaller than at Rottnest). Snorkeled in shallows - mostly dead coral & sand & then over to lagoon edge. Lambis trincata, dead Pseudocopagia. Small  Pedina seen & collected (broken) on inner reef flat.
#6 Repeat, probably nearer #8. separate number? #14?
In afternoon went to approximately the same position as on 24-VII-82, about 3km N of N Passage on NE side of reef. Ship anchored on outer slope in about 50' of water. Gerry & Charlie & Fred & Gavin went in first. Then Loisette & I went in with Gavin filming us crashing into the water, swimming down towards him (fortunately our ears behaved) & then swimming away. The bottom was very interesting with lovely coral formation - not exactly spurs & groove - more irregular - probably being due to being on the lee side of the reef. Very few molluscs - pteriids on gorgonians (no ovulids - but no orange gorgonians either). No oysters (?except Hyotissa hyotis). Few dead bivalves in sand - one live terebrid found - plenty of trails in sand - too little air to do much. We had arranged for Gavin to come into the water to film us ascending but somehow the wires got crossed & he didn't. We had to leave for the anchorage practically straight away - after Gerry & Charlie ascended. When we got there Loisette & I went into the water again so that Gavin could do his thing. I had only just enough air. I had used Paddy's regulator as mine was playing up - air escaping at demand valve - must get it fixed in Broome or Darwin. After processing we were all weary so had a fairly early night. 
Wednesday 28-VII-82
[Traveled to Lacepedes] We anchored on the N side of West Island about 2/5 length of island from E end.
Thursday 29-VII-82.
The day began early (sunrise at about 6.30 as usual) & we had a light breakfast before going ashore on West Island. I (with Loisette at first) walke over to the embayment which cuts deep into the island from the east side. We then went along the N side of this bay which was edged by beach rock. The brown boobies (with young) were very obvious and abundant (PHOTOS). Plenty of oysters on rocks - Saccostrea sp (looked like commercialis with strong ribs on lower valve, but also like echinata with very well upturned[?] antero-ventral lap on lower valve with upper valve fitting down into the lower one but definitely smaller) - muscle scar of L valve dark in most seen. Collected a good series - no young found (spined or not). Further up bay (to F side & to more exposed conditions) cuccullata began to appear within vertical range of Saccostrea sp but towards lower part of this range. No dead or live juveniles of other species senn. Loisette collected some species on N side W of anchorage (with fewer Saccostrea sp than she had seen on W part of N shore of embayment). Only other oysters seen were some small dead ones - possibly Dendrostrea sp on undersides of boulders at abt LWL or below & some small white ones possibly Hyotissa sp in same habitat. Went over to see young frigate birds with Gavin (photos). Found a couple of mangrove crabs & a large Syrinx with which I was filmed. Also made a sound recording for John about giant clams. All came back to ship between 1 & 1.30pm & we set off for area where Charlie might dive. fred was to buddy dive but current strong, turbidity high - couldn't find Charlie who collected a few pieces. We then set off for Broome - photos of Brown Boobies flying beside & above ship. Stopped briefly for lunch & for dinner but otherwise kept on. 
Friday 30-VII-82
Arrived at anchorage off Broome Jetty about midnight. [Notes on day at Broome, unpacking, meals etc]
31-VII-81
Charlie had taken off during the night (3am) & Ray & Paddy left about 6am, Fred having taken them out to the airport. Fred & I went down to do the odd bit of shopping & then we went to the mangal off Dampier Terrace near Historical Museum (Previously Fred, Loisette & I had called into Broome Caravan Park to see Peter & Glenys & to return fishing basket & such. Arranged to meet them tonight for dinner at Tropicana.) Oysters (very young and tubuled) on outermost mangrove trees - Avicennia - also larger flat oysters on more sheltered trees - no other bivalves - some barnacles. Potamidids on mud (2 spp). No Cerithidea. Only Littorina scabra in trees. Larger oysters (S. comm) on axel[?] with wheels (cogged) dumped in mangal. Large oysters taken - little evidence of recuitment here. Came back to chalet for lunch. In afternoon Loisette & I left for Gantheaume Point - went past racecourse where Race Meeting- including Broome Cup was being run. Collected on NE side of Point - plenty of intertidal boulders 0 tide past low - (LWN). Oysters all S. cucc but further down bay - under stones were many v. juvenile S. comm. with tubules. Apparently none survive with stage. Also collected series of Lamellaria sp. - colourless with opaque white cream spots & black spots on fawn sponge(?) & only on this. Under some stones were growth series of this sp. On few sponge colonies no Lamellaria found. Afterwards walked along to Point - saw  cast of dinosaurs' footprint - must find out more of history of this area. Came back to chalet - processed material - showered & changed & we all went to Tropicana at about 7pm. Peter & Glenys arrived shortly afterwards & we had drinks, followed by dinner. 
1-VIII-82
[List of expenses from dinner and drinks]
[Descriptions of two Blue ringed octopus specimens including processing (1)Hapalochlaena lumulata & (2)Hapalochlaena sp.]
In afternoon (1.30) Neil Sarti (F^W) & Gerry Allen called in & we all went off - firstly to Broome Caravan Park & then to Crab Creek where Gerry wanted to collect some more specimens of a new species of Rainbow fish, & we were to look through mangroves. No oysters in most of mangal - but encrustations of small mussels thick on branches & trunks of Avicennia with barnacles above & below. Further down creek deom parking area a section of mangal had even thicker mussel encrustation (PHOTO) & also oysters on pneumatophores - mostly dead (PHOTO) - In bed of creek (deep) & on sides - on permanent features such as star picket or old car battery (PHOTO) were flat young fast growing oysters c spaced ribs (possibly S. comm.). Oysters on pneumatophores were crowded & cupped & very sharp - most dead. No larger or adult specs. We then came back towards Broome & stopped at more sandy area of Bay where there were rocks. (PHOTOS) Oysters on high intertidal but only under ledges & in shady protected places. More exposed juveniles dead - no predators seen. Plenty of recruitment. Species seemed to be S. commercialis - few limpets (true & Siphonarians) collected. [Returned to Broome, dinner etc]. (1) 31 live oysters to Pat Dixon from coast between mouth of Crab Creek & Broome (S comm) (2) West I. Lacepedes, 63 S. comm 5 S. cucc. (3) Gantheaume Point, Broome, 12 S. cucc (4) Broome (off Dampier Tce) 17 S. comm.
Monday 2-VIII-82
[Morning activities including processing] Went into town to check details of data on octopus with Barry Sharpe. Loisette & Fred went to Willie Bay - Loisette collected some beach shells & some live oysters S. cf commercialis - said - clear water, possibly >1 species. After lunch went out to Riddell Point to collect Ostrea tuberculata - LWL at abt 4pm but water high and turbid at 3pm & stayed at that level for about 2 hours - too turbid to find corals let alone oysters. [Returned to chalet etc]
Tuesday 3-VIII-82
[Departed Broome 10.20 on flight to Derby, then flight for Darwin, arriving 3.45]
Wed 4-VIII-82
Darwin Museum Collection - dry only.
Hyotissa hyotis: N3000 juv. E Arm, Darwin NT dead. P 693 juv. No loc.; Dendrostraea folium: P691, 692. Vashon Head; Saccostrea sp cf S. comm.: (1) (juveniles, dead, mostly L. valves). No. 67 Yinungwalya (aboriginal name?) Emerald R. beach. J Waddy 14-VIII-76. chamata usually complete, pale LV, RV c darker muscle scar - shades of purple grey interiorly, exterior purple-grey c 2 white stripes outside darker central stripe. clockwise. (2) No label except sticker "ararikurra (23) 14.2.76" (From mangrove ?S. comm?); Pinna deltades: (1) Lee Point, Darwin NT. iii-81, rocky reef - [?] among rocks G. Pini (2) loc?; Pinna bicolor: (1) East Arm Darwin (2) Groote Eglandt[?] (Mamija) 136026'x140 (3) South Pt; Atrina pectinata: (1) Casuarina Beach Darwin VT VII-79 (2) 13°06S 136°36 E (3) Aruru Pt, Coburg Pen (4) Mindal Bch, Darwin (5) Pt Essington; Pinna sp: East Arm Darwin - rocky reef in muddy sand ii-81, v long & thin - pall line[?], sinualey indented - smooth with median coloured ray anteriorly; Atrina vexillum: Vashon Hd, Coburg Pen (very scaled, stunted?); 1042 Saccostrea echinata: Victoria, Pt Essington, NT IX-73. J Stuart (1 large RV).
[Visited Darwin Museum] Worked in collection (very cold! - air conditioning uncontrollable!) on 6 or so specimens of oysters in collection- also on pinnids - again very few. [...] I left with Roley for a quick trip to see some oyster localities. 
D1: Darwin Harbour, N.T. - Stokes Hill Wharf. Mid-tide level & above - jetty piles & steps. Lower down the oysters - though fairly small - were undoubtedly S. echinata with long slender black hollow spines on the RV. These tended to be straight & vertical but occasionally were curved - but probably only when the oysters were crowded. Higher up there was an increasing density of spat which settled on the jetty and on the shells of S. echinata. These spat (?S. commericalis) were lighter in colour and of a more reddish hue. Though they didn't ever occur of a size >1cm in diameter. Their spines were short- more open & curved - partly because of the wide flaring of the tip. So it appears that there are two species here; that S. ech. is lower down but overlaps with the vertical distributional range of S. ?commercialis & that S. commercialis for some reason doesn't survive here - perhaps no real splash zone.
D2: We then went north to East Point to the rocky intertidal area on the north side of the peninsula. Here the oysters were of median size - very few young - most were heavily abraded - difficult to tell but possibly two species S. ech. & S? comm. overlapping. Only spined young found looked like S. ech. 5 specimens of S. echinata from Station D1 & 29 specimens (perhaps mixrd) from Station D2 were prepared for sending to Pay.
D3: We went further up Ludmilla Creek but tide too high. Roley dropped me back to motel.  I wil phone him about 9am re arrangement for work.
Thurs. 5-VIII-82
[Went to Museum collected equiptment, met collegues etc] We actually departed in prawn research Breaker (18'?, wide) at about 10.45 or so, & went firstly around East Point a little closer to mouth of Ludmilla Creek than Station #D2 - mangal with muddy-sand flat between it & rocky shore. Mangal of large trees - some Rhizophora & ?Bruguiera no oysters but collected on rocks. [Sketch map of stations localities] 
1 or 2 Photo of rocks mudflat & mangal. 
Stn 4: N side of East Point near entrance to Ludmilla Creek ( a little further upstream than Stn#2 of yesterday). Mangal of Avicennia, Rhizophora, ?Brugiueria. No oysters on mangroves.
Stn 4A: Upper->mid intertidal ?S. commercialis on rocks no young seen. 
Stn 4B: mid. intertidal ?S. echinata (mixture?) v few young seen.
PHOTO of rocks & gravel beach
Stn 5: Rocky islet in Middle Arm Darwin Harbour. Probably same distribution of oysters as at Stn 1, 2 & 4 with upper intertidal levels covered by masses of small oysters with very sharply upturned edge to LV. Lower down near water level oysters flatter ? S. echinata.
Stn #6: PHOTO of mangal & rocks. Channel I., Middle Arm Darwin Hbr. No oysters on mangroves. (Avicennia, Rhizophora, Bruguiera) except few small dead on stones at edge of mangal. On rocks further down apparently same distribution of oysters - v few juvenile S. echinata low down in intertidal. No juv. S. comm. Melina ephippium in mangal with nerita & Telescopium. Another isognomonid with S. comm. & mussel in rock.
Stn 7: Berry Creek off Middle Arm & also Middle Arm near Middle Arm Landing Darwin Harbour. Oysters on Rhizophora prop roots hanging into water (at HWL) also Enignomia.
[Returned, processed specimens for transport etc]
Fri 6-VIII-82
[Flew to Cairns then to Papua New Guinea]
Sat 7-VIII-82
[Traveled to Motupore Island]
Motupore Stn#1: Came back to station & had lunch gathered gear & went collecting on NW point. Mangroves - mostly Rhizophora muddy sand & some rocks - sea grass to N&E (sparse). Posidonia? On prop roots of isolated Rhyzophora small Sacc. echinata juveniles c spines. Larger S. echinata no spines, very delicate & large elevated lips - particularly AV but often all V section - these lamellar lips wide, fragile, black (sometime reddish) in colour. However young c spines dark. Spines usually long & slender - even when shorter are never as stout as in S. commercialis type. Sometimes ie: in oyster 3cm long (along clockwise curving axis) the V lip of lower valve is well upturned & sinuous (with sometimes the lip of RV equal or subequal) but some spines remain on upper valve particularly posteriorly.  In some older specimens attached to stones on stoney beach the LV becomes ribbed A, AV, V, PV with quite sharp close ribs resembling those of S. commercialis. The sculpture of the RV might be completely abraded. But spines form along the edge of the RV with the scales rolled outwards so that the ^ of the lower valve at the top of the groove fits into the open base of the spine [sketch of lower valve]. In addition the lower valve forms spines on the ridges but in these the scale is rolled upwards. these LV spines stick out & down the RV spines generally frayed[?] upwards. Larger specimens rarely show any sign of ribbing on LV. S. cuccullata - range overlaps with that of echinata - completely on mangroves - very little on exposed boulders & outcrops - almost completely on flat beach of loose stones (shifting of stones possible - or likely). Worked on specimens at night. Large murex predating oysters on boulders.
Sun 8-VIII-82
[Table calendar of tides at Port Moresby, Sat 7 Aug to Fri 20 Aug]
Worked on specimens in lab.
Motupore Stn #2?: In late afternoon went collecting in mangroves along E side of island - around S point & up west side to NW Corner.
Motupore Stn #3?: Large echinata all around island - generally low in cuccullata zone. S. cuccullata are all small & pinkish outside - similar to those from Pelabuhan Ratu in Java but larger. There tend to be more slender (A->P) than Australian specimens & with fewer ribs.
So far S. echinata & S. cuccullata - all coasts. Hyotissa hyotis - medium - at base of intertidal rocks N.W. Corner, many dead shells on S of E side. Hyotissa sp (small white) under rocks NW corner & W side -> S. Dendrostrea sp (1 spec) NW corner.
Mon 9-VIII-82
Worked on specimens in morning. [Notes on airline and accommodation]. 
Stn 1: Went collecting on NW corner again - no more Dendostrea sp (crenulated) but 1 (or 2) specimens - flat - chalky shelf low intertidal. [Notes on accommodation].
Andrew says - clams not often eaten, oysters sometimes on sale in markets, Strombs always eaten - always on sale. Venerids eaten.
Tues 10-VIII-82
Worked in lab during morning - at about 9.30am the Dutch couple (Drs Heijs & Brown) to whom I have written about oysters came over with some students. They are botanists studying productivity in sea grasses & algae. About 7 spp of sea grasses here. Halophylla - large leaf (smaller leafed species present on mainland somewhere - Dan Hartog is describing it as new species). Syringodium. Posidonia. Very large robust species. -all except this large species (?Halophila also?) produce 1 leaf/week but large sp produces about 1 leaf/month. Measuring prodcutivity (O2 production rate?) in algae with different light levels - this was project with students today - also used in their own study Hypnaea "fruiting" - reproductive bodies present. Very kind - gave me use of their formalin & vials - imported on that grant (Dutch Govt) from Australia - have been here abt 2 years - will go home in  about 6 months.
Stn #4: Andrew didn't turn up for promised dive so Igi (technician) took me to reef which extends from mainland around SE corner of Bootless Bay. Dived on W side of this reef - actually sand & weed flat - possibly intertidal with sharp dropoff on E side (& possibly W side) to about 35 feet (but hard to tell - very turbid) - wide variety of corals - sponges - gorgonians. Oysters: Hyotissa hyotis, ?Hyotissa sp (2 promyal passage), few Ostrea tuberculata - small, dead Dendostrea Porities & other on Acropora, Beguina, Arca, dead cardiids, only 1 clam seen - T. crocea (collected - thought it was T. maxima), Chryostoma (orange) dead, No turbans, Pedium in Porites, dead coral riddled by living & dead lithophagids & gastrochaenids, Plenty of small brittle stars on corals, Plenty of crinoids in branching corals (none collected), Plenty of chamids (red-orange) & few [?] but abundant spondylids, few starfish (dead coral) ? juvenile blue Linkia. Dead coral - Linkia multiflora (?). dead coral - spotted long arm jobs (photo). dead coral - obese armed job (photo). sea grass - solid starfish with tubercles (photo). Plenty of yellow & purple simple tunicates. Worked on specimens later & into evening.
Wed 11-VIII-82
[Daily activities, changing accommodation etc]
Thursday 12-VIII-82
[Flight to Madang via Lae]
Fri 13-VIII-82
Had breakfast in hotel dining room - very pleasant.
Madang Stn#1: At about 8.30 started along intertidal rocky area to SE of hotel - only oysters found were a very few S. cuccullata. Some limpets (acmeids patellids siphonarians & fissurellids) plenty of thaids & drupes - some cones - rocks apparently riddled with peanut worms which extrude whole anterior end to a length of about 4cm out over rock surface when exposed at low tide. Found variety of dead shells, taking them for preference over live ones of same species. 2-3 spp of littorinids, 1 ellobiid, 1-2 acmids, 1 patellid, no live trochids or turbanids seen. Came back past hotel & around into inlet - oysters on jetty piles - (S. comm. or S. echinata) decided to leave them until Tuesday. Collected variety of dead bivalves - most had been eaten or used for bait by 'nationals'.
Madang Stn#2: Went round post bridge into sheltered inlet - collected oysters from rocks on banks near small freshwater outlet - would flow after rain - watched fiddler crabs on banks 2-3 spp. 1 red & black c variable amount of white on carapace - largest - highest? 1 yellow - smaller - lower. 1 very small black with white tips to claws - same distribution as yellow? Couldn't catch any - far too quick & stay near holes; in fact small black & white ones seem to stay at hole entrance & others stayed very near.
Madang Stn#6: Went down to golf course - collected dead FW snails from a lily pond in grounds. Thiarids, lymnaeids, & ?Planarbids (?Physastra).
Went searching for other localities over at the back of the town. [Met with people returned to hotel].
Sat 14-VIII-82
[Morning activities]
Madang Stn#3: Went out past Milibog I to an unnamed reef just S of E of Siar village. Snorkelled to about 20-25ft - reef or at least a couple of large coral rock bombies - exposed at low tide - almost circular falls off abruptly on all sides but on NW side is a coral rubble slope probably because prevailing winds & seas from SW. Hyotissa hyotis - spined specimen seen 10' attached to dead coral not collected. Larger specimen - flat - under dead tabular Acropora or somesuch coral. Ostrea tuberculata plenty in medium Porites bombies but not randomly (or evenly) distributed - perhaps some aggregation factor influencing settlement. All in fissures in coral name seen underneath - perhaps not looking hard enough. Impossible to extract any without damage when only snorkelling. Most seen below 10' (below LWN). Also saw & took 1 specimen of Alectryonella from Porites bombie but more exposed & easier to get because of growth form - not so deep in fissures. [sketch of Porirites fissure]. Extracted this small specimen without damage & also another which I took to be Alectryonella but which might be O. tuberculata - gaped soon after collection - finer shell but V lip upturned on LV & somewhat folded or ribbed. Variety of coral - not much gorgonian - irregularly branched fawn-grey species with plenty of crinoids on it. Actually lots of crinoids in general - most folded in to form a globular mass. 1 B&Grey sea snake seen, plenty of fish - but no large ones. Starfish - ochre & tan mottled or spotted (small->med) orange long arm (small-med), 5(&6) armed jobs with maroon & cream variable pattern - (tried to keep them but had to throw them back the next day). Large Phyllidia type & 2 small ones (blue & black - little yellow) V v few small white Hyotissa. Plenty of arabic-type cowrie, few cones of textile group or other worm eaters. No Pedum seen. Tridacna ?maxima (?squamosa) & Hippopus ?hippopus (rather light). Dead Periglypta (orange teeth). Dead & live Venus (Ventricolaria) toreuma. Only 1 juvenile Pinctada found. Some dead valves of Chlamys spectabilis? Plenty of Arca & Beguina in corals. Reef not as rich as one would expect - possibly over exploited by shell collectors - fishermen - divers groups. 
Madang Stn#4: We then came in towards coast stopped at a very small islet off NE end of Bilau I because waters were too shallow (low water) to get through between it & Bilau. Collected intertidally - water quite turbid - got a variety of species - 1 small white Hyotissa, few S. cuccullata, dead Hyotissa hyotis. Dead S. echinata - (may have been brought there or washed from adjacent island). Fairly large turban shell, Turbo (Argyrostoma) ?ciliaris? greenish grey. Alive in pockets in intertidal rocks. Cypraea ? arabica. C caputserpentis. C. mauritania. Tridacna squamosa. Young girl Josephine 14 years taking hermit crabs to use as fishing bait. She helped us gather specimens. Shared bunch of dry biscuits & cheese & bananas with Paul.
Madang Stn#5: Bilau I. near Madang PNG - deep embayment (N side Rhizophora mangal mid to low WL) We then rowed over to Biliau I & went into inlet which opens to N. Collected S. echinata from mangroves - young with deep thin upturned lips like those on mangroves at Motupore I. - none seen with spines. Large ones were within tangle of prop roots of Rhizophora at mid tide level or below usually in sheltered positions. Plenty of dead shells on banks - don't know whether fossil or semifossil or washed or brought there - except for Corbiculids which were apparently washed there - & a freshwater mussel. Found live Gafrarium there. Then went back to hotel arriving at jetty at about 2.45 or 3pm. Paid Paul K6.00 ffor day. - no receipt. Went back to hotel & processed animals in evening - had dinner in room.
Sunday 15-VIII-82
[Met colleagues, visited local museum, worked on specimens]
Monday 16-VIII-82
[Met Colleagues in morning]
Madang Stn#7: Set off at 10am went over past shipping wharves & collected on jetty piles in Madang Hbr stadning by themselves on S side of wharf. - echinata mostly - some large -plenty of spat. - some near top of band were lighter in colour & more open & shorter spines - could these be S. ?commercialis. Few S. cucc more along flat wall below wharf. Below these were large oysters - looked like Hyotissa - couldn't get them as I didn't have any rope to tie on to piles - very awkward!
Madang Stn#8: Went round into Binnen Harbour & collected on piles supported bulk loading wharf on W side of harbour. Possibly all S. echinata except maybe few spat on upper edge of zone. Very difficult to tell because some echinata pale (but seem to range from blue black to white). When crowded spines are bent, some (apparently the same species) are not spined but are finely ribbed (as seen at Motupore). 
Went further up harbour trying to find river shown on maps but apparently these are out of date or else it is only a creek in the rainy reason - all inlets are backed by mangals except for obvious infilling for airport. Had to paddle back against a strong breeze from the E which funnelled down into Binnen Harbour but was at its strongest coming across Madang Harbour - almost pooped by the time I got back to the beach (got K30 deposit back). [Shopping in town etc]
Tues 17-VIII-82
[Breakfast etc]
Madang Stn9: Met Bill Tewis (Cousin is in "Love Boat") (Houston, Texas) at Dive Shop at 9.00 - We went out to outer barrier reef off N end of Mitibog(?) I - dived on outside of reef but didn't go below 30' because of air flight this evening. Collected O. tuberculata in Porites (not under any corals). Collected D. folium on sea whips & black coral in cave at abt 25' (gonads ripe). Also Pteria penguin on black coral D. folium...