my news from Oz!

[triplefin]

G day mates!

Several people have asked me to report back as I went round oz, so I am doing as requested, also some people were particularly interested in what the diving was like in WA in particular exmouth. (its rather long I'm afraid).
I arrived in Perth about 2 months ago, unfortunately I got held up there due to banks arguing (long boring story....) anyway whilst waiting did some diving off Rottnest Island, (just off the coast near Perth). Super diving, what made it so good for me were the ricks that were absolutley covered with corals and sponges etc also a good amount/variety of other marine life. The diving was with Dolphin Dive on a good spacious boat which was not over crowded and was very well organised. The surface interval was lunch cooked on a huge gas bar b que on the back of the boat! (i think the HSE in the UK would have had a fit! )
Anyway they are such a load of softies over here. They kept telling me most people wernt diving cos it was the middle of winter (days were bright and sunny like the uk spring summer ones but nights were very cold - mind u I am camping so I would notice!). Anyway they kept going on about how cold it was and having done the dives i checked the water temp..it was 19!! warmer than I've ever dived in the UK in the summer and they were complaining about the cold!
Once i left Perth I made my way up to Exmouth and the whale sharks, which was why i had started my trip from Perth. The season for them was coming to an end, but I made it just in time. Arriving in Exmouth I met Lisah (now a YD member! ) from Exmouth dive centre. She was extremly helpful throughout my visit with advice etc and helped me arrange my diving so I got a range of what the area had to offer.
My first trip was with Ningaloo Blue to see the whale sharks. A great bunch of people who were a really well organised outfit and good fun. We swam with some Mantas to start with (another first for me!) until the plane spotted a whale shark. We then followed the shark for some tiome dropping in and out of the water to snorkel with it. Those that are lucky enough to be strong swimmer were able to keep up with it for while, others like myself thrashed along for a while then decided to save out energy for the next drop in. During lunch a group of humpbacks were spotted which we followed for a while and finally a pair of dugongs on the way home! I couldnt possible have had a better day. The day was all videoed (which you can buy a copy of) which was just as well cos most of my pathetic attempts to take pictures of the whale shark failed and most of the time I just wanted to watch it.
The diving for the remainder of my time there was also great. I used Village Dive as well as Exmouth while I was there. All the companys seem to pick you up from the holiday parks in/near the town, like they do in Sharm etc - the difference being they turn up! and they are usually on time. A lot of tours etc and excursions to do/see other things also seemed to do this, so you dont really need to have your own transport.
I also saw my first shark on the Ningaloo Reef, a one and a half m tawny nurse shark. The sites we did on the Reef were teeming with life and were fantastic dives. Of course one of my reasons for coming here, beside the whale sharks was to dive Navy Pier and it certainly lived up to its reputation as one of the worlds top 10 shore dives.
The first dive unfortunaltey was very murky with bad viz due to the weather so I had to stay and do it again! In fact after the second dive I was very tempted just to stay and dive it over and over again there was such a fantaqstic amount to see. However, I had a lot I wanted to do and so left. I have travelled along the top of oz stopping at various National Parks they are absolutley fabulous - I loved the Kimberley region and visited Kakadu before dropping down to the centre and Alice Springs where I am now. I've 'done' Ayers rock and The Olgas also Kings Canyon which is absolutley fantastic also lots of stuff round the MacDonnell ranges that go east and west of here. Considering its the centre it has been a little chilly with temperatures only getting up to about 20/21 during the day(I'm back in jeans!) and its definately chilly at nights.
Anyway I'll be leaving here in a day or so and heading across Queensland and to the East Coast. Just gotta keep my fingers crossed about my car, (heap of crap that I bought in Perth) things keep falling off it!!

I've put some links here for my photo's (hope it works!). Although most of them are cr@p compared to all the wonderful stuff people put on here I know some people wanted to know what the diving was like in Exmouth so hopefully this will give you a vague idea. I'm not planning on entering any competiitions with my pics (and I've only just digital and its a new camera) so be gentle with any critisism. As you will notice I've had a lot of trouble placing the strobe in the right place and ended up with a lot of shadows on many pics but was gradually beginning to get better. Hopefully next year I can get one of those magical programmes to help with enhancing some of the slightly better pics, like the painted angler fish (although he actually was very creamy brown).

http://photobucket.com/albums/a148/j...ottnestIsland/

http://photobucket.com/albums/a148/j...MurionIslands/

http://photobucket.com/albums/a148/j...vyPierExmouth/

Take care all of you and have a good summer and loads of safe diving
Jane

[Simon TW]

Top report Jane, have some green and keep us updated

Take care

[Jen]

Ditto ... great report!

Good to hear you're having a fab time down under. Keep us posted up top

Jen

[Corky]

Great report - I am jealous you had more than one dive on the pier. I dived the Navy Pier at the end of July. By far the best dive I have ever done. Even the three metre giant stride entry was fun. Reef sharks, wobbegong sharks many different varieties of fish including frogfish and all in 12m of water so dives of an hour or so. Enjoy the rest of your trip an keep us posted.

[rooster]

Hi Jane

Rottnest, Exmouth, Coral Bay, Murion - it brings back so many great memories for me!

You still have the Yongala to come, you are in for such a treat. If you want any diving info or contacts for the East Coast, let me know.

Enjoy the rest of the trip!

Regards



Roy

[triplefin]

Thanks for the greens! wasnt expecting that I'll have to do a few more reports!
I've made it to the east coast and without anything else dropping off my car! Couldnt believe the size of the trees!!!! no more little gum trees and spinifex grass .....I miss it! and no more red sandy desert Its like a different country over this side quite unbelieveable.
Anyway to cheer me up I've booked on Taka for a 5day/4night stint!
I have got Yongala on my list 'to do' Rooster and i know it is very dependent on the tides/weather so i am very lucky cos i can 'hang around' till the weather is ok.
Take care all of you and have a good safe weekends diving
Jane

[D.D.J]

awesome report jane and your pictures are great have fun, look forward to hearing more of your travelling

[purple vonny]

Great report and lovely pics, makes me wish I was there not here! look forward to more reports, keep them coming

[Stray Catfish]

Hi Jane,

good report and really great pics! I'm going green with envy...
19 C does not sound bad at all....given you are used to UK diving.

Glad you are enjoying your time in Oz!

Keep us updated and have a loads of more good dives

Karin

[JasonP]

Originally Posted by triplefin

Thanks for the greens! wasnt expecting that I'll have to do a few more reports!
Anyway to cheer me up I've booked on Taka for a 5day/4night stint!
I have got Yongala on my list 'to do' Rooster and i know it is very dependent on the tides/weather so i am very lucky cos i can 'hang around' till the weather is ok.
Take care all of you and have a good safe weekends diving
Jane

I went on Taka, it was a good trip even though the weather was too bad to let us get out to Osprey.

The wreck of the Lady Bowen out of Mission Beach is well worth a dive too, though not in the same league as the Yongala.

Jason