The weather was looking touch-and-go leading up to the weekend but a final text message from Ben at the crack of dawn on Sunday meant the dive was on. However, upon arrival in a cold but sunny Wollongong the wind had increased and conditions looked marginal. Luckily a change in the mornings shipping movements meant we could defer the decision to dive by another hour. After muffins and coffee in the local harbour cafe the dive was on again!
The decision to limit the number of divers to five proved to be a wise one since twinsets and rebreathers meant we were tightly packed on the United Divers boat. After a short and surprisingly smooth ride we were soon hooked-in above the wreck of the SS Bombo. The wreck lies in 30m on a flat sandy seabed and attracts lots of fish. The visibility was excellent and there was plenty of time to thoroughly explore the entire wreck. Most of the Bombo is upside-down but the stern is upright with the propellor clearly intact.
See video: SS Bombo Wreck Dive
After the dive we anchored-up for a short surface interval off the Five Islands Nature Reserve. Then we all splashed-in for a second dive at Martin Islet, a place known for its seal population. It wasn’t long before we were all surrounded by the playful seals and the occasional ray. Again the viz was excellent and there was plenty of other marine life including moray eels, old wives and starfish etc.
See video: Martin Islet Seals
Overall it was an excellent days diving!
