Nz chapter out again

[Gunna Do]

What a fantastic day,
As I write this I am still on a major Buzz.

Got up at 6.30am this morning ( Just mildly seedy after last nights efforts)   .
and it was blowing a North/Easter about 20-25 knots.
After a lot of Muttering and Cussing, jumped on the blower and rang up my dive buds.
The general concensus was it was going to be way to rough, to even waste our time heading out, so back to bed for some more kip..About 8.15am the phone starts ringing and no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, It wasnt gowing away
So dragged my Butt out of bed, it was my dive captain.
we were "On" the wind had died down to barely a breath and the sun was beaming down.

So off to Muttonhoe ( Which is 1/2 way between Christchurch and Kaikora). It takes about an hour and a half to get there.
All the way scanning the skys and trees for the promised southerly expected later in the day.
Just one nervous moment when we passed cloud banks trying to encroach ( Part 2 to follow)

[Gunna Do]

Part 2

So we got to Mutonhoe about middayish.
As we have to go out a river with a bar everything is very tidal orientated, So we had a down time off an hour or so till the tide has come in far enough to get the boat out.

Finally were off were heading north to Kingfish reef, A spectac reef with starting depth of 18mtrs and dropping down to approx 35mtrs. The water temp was a tepid bath of 14 degrees..
And  " Finally " at least 35mtrs  Vis.  ( I have never even come close to this type of vis before ) Ohh for twins.
after playing paper, scissors, rock to see who got to dive first
which I promptly lost, John and Robyn teamed up together

[Gunna Do]

Above is John
and below Robyn

[Gunna Do]

And what can you do when the Sun is beating down on your Cranium.
You play

[Gunna Do]

and play ( Just curious, How many have tried to hit the bottom without a weight belt)

[Gunna Do]

Finally, it was my trn up to Batt and im off

[Gunna Do]

And I suppose id better introduce my Dive Cap and totally sane and reliable guy Alan

[Gunna Do]

So we had a dive off 40 minutes, maximum depth off 32mtrs
all as I can say is awesome.
On my second dive I kept around the 17 mtr depth mark for 40 minutes also.
The colours were just fantastic and all the fish life that was around is just to abundant to name.
the highlight of the entire dive was when a seal came around for a nosy ( Scared the Bejesus out of me when he first buzzed me ( Matter of fact i may have screamed like a girl thru my regs)). But hey we Kiwi lads are tough so I sucked all further screamin in.
So Mr Seal was nice enough to Buddy me for about 10 mins or so.
I just wish I had an operational underwater housing for my camera, Just for these moments

[Gunna Do]

On the way back, we came across a major Kawai work up.
It seemed the sea was alive and churning with all the action just below the surface

[Gunna Do]

Now smoked Kawai is one of the best eating fish..
So what do you do in a situation like this.
James bond move over