Sydney Sub Aqua Club

Sports Diver Theory Day

 Dive Managers, Dive Leaders and Brass appendages. 

Tropicat picked us up from Mosman Wharf at 10.30am.

We had a full boat of top grade divers aboard for this exploration dive to unchartered waters; Our mission should we choose to accept it was to dive the ‘Artificial Reef’ followed by Magic Point.

The team consisted of;

Alex – Joint Dive Manager and Dive Leader (dive 1)

Dorota – Joint Dive Manager and Dive Leader (dive 2)

Jonathan – Skipper’s point of contact

Disclaimer: This was not an SSAC sanctioned trip. The British Sub Aqua Club does not condone or teach cave diving and believes that it falls outside the bounds of recreational diving. They might be right.

Truk/Chuuk Lagoon Trip Report.

On the 31st March 2011 seven divers from Sydney made a trip to Chuuk Lagoon located in the Federated States of Micronesia

"February 17th and 18th 1944, the US navy conducted operation Hailstorm a coordinated and concentrated attack on the Imperial Japanese Navy. What was then a battle zone is now a world renowned location for the best diving in the world"

After high hopes of an excellent weekend, we weren’t to be disappointed.

I suggested Jill came along, sat on Baz’s balcony overlooking the water, read a book relax and soak up the sunshine.

With Australia Day falling on a Wednesday, what can you do but make a extra loooong weekend of it!

Ross had heard of a large seal colony down at Narooma, so booked us on the Sea Eagle from Narooma Charters .  The Boat picks up from the Wharf, just past the tourist info centre.  Which as the added bonus of being just below the Million Dollar View Hotel (aka O’Brians)– a great place for lunch & a beer post dive.

More a social event than diving as 2 members turned up without diving kit, but since these kind souls fired up the barbie whilst the divers were in the water... we will ofer thm thanks rather than castigating for not getting into the water.

6 divers got wet (I get wetter than most as my drysuit zip is still leaking!).  The viz was pretty average but between us we had a good list of beasties seen on the dive.. octopus, seahorses etc.

Three brave and hardy SSAC members got out of bed early for a Baz dive with Southern Cross.  Dorota and Alex were using their shiny new kit and tec qualifications in anger and Ross was hoping he would not kill himself on his YBOD.  We ventured out to the Dee Why and Meggol.  In spite of the fact that the viz was utter shite, we all had a very relaxing dive.  The soup and tabasco went down a treat. 

WAHAY.. a proper club trip in that we filled the boat; or we would have done had not someone had a memory lapse about going diving.

Cancelled: Weather crapped on us

Jonathan and I turned up at Baz’s for a little kit configuration work on Jonathan’s new twinset with matching pearls. Before we got in the water Baz asked us to keep an eye out for his glasses that fell overboard earlier. Yes of course Baz we said to him knowing the chances were nil. Five minutes into the dive Jonathan finds his pair of glasses!!

OW2 and OW3 - The training continues.

Maddie, Rowan and I set off for some more Ocean Diver training dives, this time outside Baz’s at the Spit.

The good folk Brisbane BSAC decided it would be a nice idea to have a Oz-BSAC get together on Straddie Island, so a bunch of us skived off work early on the Friday arvo and jumped on the plane up to Brisbane.  The hospitality was first class from being met at the airport, to the excellent diving, impeccable catering and magnificent location.

They have written a full trip report which you can view on their website, and here are a couple of pictures of the apres-diving activities:

Golden Anchor Award nominee! (with a silent W)

We all (Rob Jones, Jonathan and I) met up at Mosman and boarded Yves’s boat, two other divers bailed when they saw these real divers turn up so we had the boat to ourselves, I really didn’t understand that but who cares (Yves probably did.)

Report courtesy of Rob Jones:

Maddie’s and Rowan’s Training adventures part 4.

After a couple of years doing Christmas in July at the homestead in Megalong Valley, our valiant organiser Rob had, this time, laid on a more luxurious venue; Eagle Reach Resort near Barrington Tops.  Sadly, teaching committments meant I couldn't make the first night and I was more than useless the next night, so instead I have reporduced Jill's summary of events.  Now I wish I had escaped teaching and come here instead.. far more fun!

Maddie’s and Rowan’s Training adventures part 3.

Maddie’s and Rowan’s Training adventures continue.

Of the 5 (6) people from the club signed up for the trip (should let Al off really, he was already signed up privately), 3 came up with really lame excuses.. overseas for work, sent interstate for work and leg amputation not to go.  Nevertheless, 2 intrepid souls got up at sparrow-fart to get to Baz's shop ready for the off.

Well, the day started early for some with 3 out of the 4 SSAC divers kitted up and on the boat by 0645. For others, the day was more relaxed as having realised a social engagement clash with diving, Diver X decided not to come along... no names mentioned.  For Ben, the bail-out alarm clock failed and so he tried to get as many speeding fines as possible to get on the boat (which he managed by 2 minutes, well done Ben).

Mudgee Wine Tasting Weekend

After a stunning drive through the Hawkesbury, a pleasant start to Saturday evening hosted by Michelle & Ross unfolded, with Jill, Mike, Ben, Stu, Bec, myself and Rob in the spa looking like Al Capone. The Hawkesbury Residence achieved a new spa record consisting of eight of us touching toes and, created something resembling a waterfall down the garden. 

By our SSAC reporter, Jill:

The trip report is coming soon, in the meantime here are some pictures....

Another chunder dive was experienced by a few of us! Due to rough conditions, we dived inside North Head with Mike W, Owen, Vicky, Dave, Julian and Bec.

Plan of attack was:

Day one

With grey skies we met a Clovelly carpark for a single shore dive. Jules and Gary buddied and for over an hour and enjoyed the company of a large hungry blue groper, wrasses, cuttle fish and open water divers. Aimee and Bec took in the delights of the nuseries of baby fusiliers. With warm 20 degree water and 10-15m viz it made for a crusie dive. Rain, lightning and a few sets made for an energetic exit and a good giggle back at the carpark.

100% turnout. All three turned up -- Rick, Jonathan and petit moi.

Meeting with military precision at 0630 at Southern Cross Divers, we kicked the day off by hanging around for half an hour fixing Baz's engine*. With that problem solved, the engineering committee merged into the dive gear assembly committee and finally managed to produce something vaguely resembling a twinset for Gary's first dive on Long Reef.

Another sunny winters day with conditions flat as a tack!

2 dives, the first at 'The Waterfall' - Sydney Nth Head (26m)  and the second at 'The Colours' Sydney Sth Head (16m). Viz ranged from 15-20m on the first dive to 10-15m on the second dive with a fair amount of surge experienced on the second dive. A highlight included a massive 1.5m diameter ray, plenty of soft coral and a blue groper that decided to harass me.

The Colours: http://www.michaelmcfadyenscuba.info/viewpage.php?page_id=273

The big seas on Friday night had dies back to a slow rolling swell which, with the light westerly’s, made for a fast run up to Long Reef from Rose Bay on Yves boat.  The fist dive of the day was the Dunkenfield, a 50m collier which hit long reef & sank in 1889 and now sits at 25m.  The large two cylinder engine is still sitting upright amongst the splattered plates with the boiler just off to one side.  Stu made a good effort of examining every inch of it in the gloomy conditions. 

A most excellent dive.  Yves is offering a 'buy one, get one free' deal for May so we all had a double dive for 35 each.. fantastic.  The boat is quiet and fast, with loads of space.. what more would you want (bring your own Tabasco for the soup).  There was a bit of a sea running so Becs did a good job of feeding the fish (moral... pharmaceuticals are good!), but it was slight, certainly nothing to make getting out of the water difficult.

Following on from Rick's ravings about the diving on Stradbroke Island Ben decided it would be a perfect destination for a joint trip with our northern cousins BeeSAC.  Ben rallied five divers from SSAC and Jason Pacey co-ordinated diving, food for 12, and the BeeSAC divers.

Another great weekend aboard the Ocean Trek run out of Huskinson.

Organised by Bec, who sadly could not dive after being felled by a heavy cold, the five remaining divers were spoilt by some superb dive sites in the bay.

After a shaky start with some dry suit and kit problems (time for a little expenditure on kit service guys?) we started with two dives around Bowen Island to the South before the wind swung around and the diving moved across to the Northern Head of the bay.

It was the Australia Day weekend and the forecast was for hot and sunny every day, what could be better!  Well clocking off work early and getting to Jervis bay by mid evening was one, and having fairly palatial accommodation was another...even if it did have a bit of a Swedish sauna theme to the décor!  The rest of the crew rocked up over the course of evening, although Bec n Jules were staying down the road a local campsite so only swung by to drop Red off.

Three great dives on some of the best sites Shellharbour has to offer.

In an attempt to break the world record for the most $$$'s per dive, three fearless adventurers set off to Mooloolaba (about 1 1/2 hours north of Brisbane) to dive the HMAS Brisbane, which was scuttled just off the coast there in July 2005.

We stayed at the Mooloolaba Motel (no expenses spared on the accommodation) and as it was at 10pm on a Friday night, there is only one place to go for a cleansing ale: the classy and conveniently located Wharf Hotel.

An excellent weekend.  The students (Tash, Pete, Helen & Matina) worked really hard (harder than the instructors Ross & Rick?).  We even managed a barbie as well... wonders will never cease.  Now all that needs to happen is the students scheduling their diving assessments; over to you guys!

Well some may have had their doubts as we set off from Sydney and the clouds started to form.

Friday morning and though overcast the weather was fine and a dive at low tide was planned. As we kitted up the clouds cleared and the sun came out - perfect. A fun dive was had by all, except Roy who's dry suit flooded.

Friday at dusk we jumped in for our second shore dive, the water was calm and the fish were going to bed, as we surfaced dolphins danced around the divers.

Great set of dives, great company what more can you ask for a dive weekend away. Sharks, Dolphins, a marlin and even a snake eel. Great to find a really rebreather friendly boat. We'll definitely be back although next time I'll avoid Friday the 13th!

Between my late arrival and Nic's early departure it made for an interesting Friday 13th! Thank you for being so accommodating picking me up late. Great boat, crew, food, company and oh yes……..the diving, that was pretty good too!

The weather looked ok for the weekend so the trip was all ok to go. The Sevan apartments were excellent. Most of us squatted on the second floor whilst the Penthousers had ocean views, although level snobbery was put aside for the diving and Saturdays bbq.

First shocker of the hols, how much luggage can one girl need – Matina!

The flight from Sydney to Port Vila was like a party bus, Rob tried his luck ordering a beer and a bourbon and coke (well it was free) and was graciously served a very huge glass of bourbon, so it was game on for the rest of the party. Things were in full swing by the time we reached the destination, no one wanted to get off the plane! Air Vanuatu – highly recommended.

Twelve of us made the trip. What follows is a brief synopsis of the twelve and their experiences in no particular order.