Scuba Shack Toukley

2010-01-19T15:24:00.000-08:00

Yet another amazing weekend for diving last weekend! Once again we were busy busy busy so it was all hands on deck! Greg took the an Advanced Open Water Course, Rusty and Toni took out 3 Shore Dives, Jim took out a Night Dive on Saturday As well as all the diving Bib and Louise manned the market stall at the Marine Discovery Centre opening.

It looks like the weather will be just as great this weekend coming so get in and get your name on the board for a dive!

The boat will be an excellent option this weekend with the gorgeous conditions so phone early if you want a spot! BOAT DEPARTS: 9:30am from Norah Head Boat and is going to The Bull & Bird Island. Please call us if you want to join this dive. Also the Australia Day Dive to the Apartments only has a few spots left so call now if you want to be included! Please DONT LEAVE BOOKINGS UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT.

Shore dives will also be running all weekend again with Russel Leading Saturdays dive to the Skillion and Suzi leading Sunday to Cabbage Tree Bay. Bookings are essential!!

Congratulations to our newest Advanced Divers! Copper, Alex, Jason and Nelson! You guys did a great job and we hope to see you all on our night dives from now on!

BOAT DIVES
We have been having some awesome conditions of late with up to 20m vis! It really has been awesome! Bengally Heads is proving to be a favourite of mine because of the variety of sites in the area. There is always something to tantalise and such a variety of sea life! Lately we have been regularly coming across nudis, blue grouper, morays, wobbys, schooling fish such as yellowtail and kingfish, giant cuttlefish. Dragons Marbles is also full of life and we have seen similar sea life along with regular sightings of weedy sea dragons, hence the name.

SUNDAYS SHORE DIVE REPORT
Another beautiful day on the Central Coast - great for diving!

Toni Lee headed to Terrigal Haven with a myriad of people. Mark, Eric, John, Doug, Gina, Jackie and a guy from Lithgow. This being Mark's first dive since the Coolidge and feeling rather hot decided to don his 3mm wetty. Maybe not the right choice. Water temp 24 degrees.

After a sweaty suited up we headed into the water for a cool down first and then off. Having to fin out to the first read buoy we descend and headed to the second red buoy before turning towards the reef to dodge the hoards of fisherman on rocks. Visibility at the start was only 2m but by the time we hit the anchor it opened up to 5.

We saw the usual playful blue and brown groupers and 1.5m blind shark twisted among the rocks, before sliding through them to hide in the kelp bed below. Baby cuttle fish, which I might add I was quite happy to go up to and play with, only to watch them change colour (I'm not usually this friendly with these marine creatures). As we continued around to the point staying at 9m the visibility extended to 10 plus. Schools of whiting, bonito and bream circled above, resting mangrove jacks, goat fish fossicking the on the sand bed below, moray eels, shrimp hiding in the crevasses and an eagle ray glided by.

All in all we were there nearly 50 mins before surfacing, to watch the storm roll in from the south. Everyone enjoyed the dive and Mark realised he needs more body fat as a 3mm here in Australia just not warm enough.

TRAVELLING WITH SCUBA SHACK
Our trip to Vanuatu is completely booked out now with 21 people going!! Thats going to be a fabulous trip! So its now time to start thinking about our trip to Truk Lagoon in October! We are already taking bookings for this one so please get in quick as we can only take a maximum of 12 people on this trip!

The Truk Laggon trip will truely be one NOT TO BE MISSED! Divers from all over the world will testify that this place is amazing! Dont believe me .. Check this out and you will certainly see what I am talking about!

MARINE DISCOVERY CENTRE OPEN DAY
Louise, myself and Natalya spent the day promoting Scuba Shack and all its awesomness at the Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre on Satruday. After 40mins of me fighting and swearing at the shade tent I finally figured it out and the display was up! We were nestled amongst the trees and staegically placed next to a wonderful veitnamese food outlet which kept us fed and watered throughout the day.

The day was a complete success with hundreds of people stopping by to have a chat about diving and dive gear and marvelling at all our lovely photos and video display. Since we have been back we have taken numerous calls from people who dropped by to have a chat and now have 8 new members!

A big thanks to Gina and Jacki who lent us a stand for the day. And for those wanting something to do with the kids these holiday, definatley drop into the Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre, they will love it!!

RIP CHARLIE

2010-01-18T21:21:00.000-08:00

It it is with great sadness that I have to start this blog to inform all members of the passing of Charlie Johnson. Charlie was one of our local dive identities. Greg and I spent plenty of time at his factory at Tuggerah talking about everything diving. You never went there if you were in a hurry as he could talk for hours about his passion. For those who didnt know Charlie, he was the man to go to if you wanted your dry suit fixed and made those fantastic soft weights that the shop sells.

Charlie died while diving on the Curtin Artificial reefs in Queensland. It was on the second dive of the day when his dive buddy ran out of air, they both surfaced but a long way from the boat, his buddy was too exhausted to swim to the boat so Charlie towed him, the buddy got out of the water but when they look back to Charlie, he was floating on the surface. A heart attack is suspected. His family and close friends said good bye on Tuesday in a ceremony in QLD.

The dive industry has lost a wonderfully colourful character & Scuba Shack has lost a great buddy.

The weather perked up a little this week and bought us some lovely sunshine! This weekend has promised the same thing! So dust off that diving gear people and come and enjoy that 21 degree water and clear conditions!

Once again the boat will be going out this weekend. On Saturday from Ettalong a double dive to the Valiant and Dragon Alley, then on Sunday a Double Dive from Ettalong again this time to First and Second Point. For bookings on to this weekends boat dives, please call us ASAP as the boat does fill fast!

And the Winner is!

2010-01-18T21:20:00.000-08:00

What a fantastic night! The room looked amazing decked out in the underwater themes of bubbles, seaweed and fish! Congratulation to the winners.......

Male Diver of the Year .......................Darren Taylor

Female Diver of the Year ...............Alison Tye

Junior Diver of the Year..................Alex T

Photographer of the Year...............Jane Sherriff

And a big congratulations to all others who went away with prizes of Dive Bags, Trips away, Over Seas holiday vouchers, Sport Diver Subscriptions, Caps, Boat Dives and much more!

We would like to Thank, Oceanic Australia, Dive Adventures, Mountain Ocean Travel, Neil and Lynn Vincent, Scuba Shack Charters, and Cardzilla for there generous support.

The highlight of the night was definately the brilliant fireworks display bought to us by Millenium, thanks guys we enjoyed every minute of it!

Those who were enquiring about the DVD SCuba Shack 2009. Yes they are for sale for $5 if anyone wants to order one we are taking orders now. Its a great way to show your non diving mates what you have been up to this year with Scuba Shack!

We hope to see you all again soon for some fantastic diving in 2010!

Clairs is gone........ oh no!

2010-01-18T21:19:00.002-08:00

As you may have read last week, Clair has taken a position further north, we wish Clair all the best in her future endeavours. We will probably all still see her when we venture up to Nelson Bay for dives so be sure to go up and say hi, she is attending our Christmas Party so you all will have a change to say cheers. Al is still here and will still be leading dives as usual.

Our summer snorkelling range has now hit the store so if you are looking for a really good bargain for friends and family for Christmas this is the place to get good quality gear and a great members price! A dive course is also a great gift for Christmas for those non diving friends or family! Or what about a specialty course or a gift voucher for those divers in your life??? Maybe you divers out there could hint hint about what you would love from Scuba Shack for Chrissy!

Now speaking about Chrissy, I have to give the venue final numbers on Monday for the Chrissy Party and Annual Diver of the Year Awards Night at the Beachie so all money is due in now. Over $6000 in prizes!! And vvery guest gets a fantabulous present thanks to Scuba Shack and SDI TDI! These fabulous gifts are only available at the chrissy party so you have to be there to get one, but it’s a secret so I cant tell you what it is.

This is also your last chance to get in your pics for Photographer of the Year so please Send in your pics by this Weekend or you will miss out on the Fantasic prize.

Once again we will be showing the Year That Was at Scuba Shack DVD. These will also be available for purchase. The DVD will have pics of club dives and events that have taken place through out the year. It’s a great way to relive the fun times here at Scuba Shack with your friends and family.

Finally I would like to welcome Steven Lipar to our team. Steve has just commenced Dive Master Training and is chomping at the bit to get started! Steve actually learnt to dive with us many moons ago at the old shop at Norah Head when still in high school, then throughout the years did courses up to rescue and specialties and now is ready to take the plunge to DM! Steve is a great guy and we encourage everyone to come on in and say hi to Steve during his training.

A lot of you will be seeing more of Mel Fahey in the shop as well. Mel has taken a position at Scuba Shack on weekends and will also be undertaking DM training at a later date, Belinda (me) will mostly be in the shop on weekdays and Greg will be mostly here on weekends instructing or leading dives

Those of you who have been asking about Suzi Diver. She is back and rearing to get in the water. Suzi will be Divemastering starting end of December and will be here every couple of weekends, so come along to those dives and say hi. Suzi has also taken that next step in her career and she and taken up Assistant Instructor training so everyone wish her luck! Jane will also be completing her Dive Master training this Christmas and we will be seeing a lot more of her in the new year! Rusty and Al both still here doing weekend dive master duties.

Ok so you are all up to date with the comings and goings here at Scuba Shack. We hope to see you in the water soon.

Sorting the Men from the Girls

2010-01-18T21:19:00.001-08:00

Sunday was the day to sort the men from the boys and the women from the girls. Greg, Dan, Gunn, Barney, Joh, Carpo, John and Dem were doing Lakes Reef with a 400m surface swim to get there and a surgy ride to finish. We geared up in pre blistering heat and walked to the water. This was helped by the brand new boardwalk so we don’t have to scale a sand dune any more. We lost our first two divers as we went into a very small surf entry. One swallowed half the ocean while another went for a tumble and slide back up the beach. After a quick beachside consultation two opted to stay on shore.

After a nice brisk swim across a large channel , with talk of sharks, crocodiles and cries of “are we there yet” we got to the outer edge of the reef. Once under the dive is very nice with crevices, overhangs and boulders galore. We found a couple of swim throughs, some Cuttle Fish, Yellow Tail, Whiting, Bream, Sgt. Bakers and Red Morwong. After about 50 mins we reached the far end of the reef and had two people low on air So 4 of us surface swam back while 2 stayed under to ride the wild surge. Soon we were back on the beach, after a friendly visit from the surf club rubber duckie to make sure we were all OK, and walked back to the cars in the now blistering heat.

I think that next 40 degree day we do something a bit more sensible like the light house. Its only a 500m walk with a few stairs thrown in for fun.

2010-01-18T21:17:00.001-08:00

You won’t hear it often but Cabbage Tree Bay was the best dive site on the coast this weekend.

We were supposed to dive The Coal Loader but a NE wind and E swell wiped that out. If you have ever looked inside a washing machine you would understand.

We opted for Norah Head as it was the only site that had calm water. So, without expecting too much more than a chance to get wet, we headed down to the bay.

Once in the water it was surprisingly clear. We had about 10 – 15m visibility and 19 degree water. We were instantly followed by a large Blue Grouper, saw some baby blue grouper, cuttlefish, moray eels and loads of little reef fish. We finished the dive in just over an hour with lots of smiles all round.

A big welcome to our newest club members, Barney and Jo, who got to see the bay at its best. We also had Damien and Melissa visiting from Abyss in Sydney. David, Sean, Peter and Greg finished off the group

The vis was about 8-10 meters as long as you stayed above 8m in depth, there was a soupy green layer sitting on the bottom, I introduced Greg to an interesting new hand signal while involved pointing at the yukky murk and following that with ‘the bird’ signal…..he understood perfectly !!! We enjoyed a 64 minute dive and were surrounded by schools of One Spot Pullers, old wives, yellowtail and a massive school of Kingfish! I must say that the days dive was a very very pleasant surprise!!

2010-01-18T21:14:00.000-08:00

The weather was beautiful and sunny, and the long walk a little daunting; but sometimes that little extra effort is greatly rewarded. That is exactly what happened on Saturday when we decided to go the
extra mile (well more like another 100mtrs) and dive The Trench around to the Coal Loader.We all assembled in the Carpark (Demster, Wayne,
Jesse, Eric, David, Brandon and myself - Allen). When we reached the entry to The Trench we dicided to take a 5 minute break and have a relaxing swim after the hot walk before heading on in. I had never dived
The Trench before, but with some prior advice from Greg and Google Earth we were all set. Once in the water I was able to rely on Demster's experience at the site to help get through the dive incident free and without getting lost ;-). What a great surprise this dive site was, it is a very pretty site with quite a bit of sponge and soft coral growth. We were spoilt with about 15 mtrs vis and around 18 degree water temp.

THE TIDE IS HIGH AND IM HOLDING ON- IM GONNA BE YOUR NUMBER ONE

2010-01-18T21:13:00.000-08:00

The crew… Demster, Brendan, Geoff, Jim, Eric Gordon and myself Clair had an awesome dive plan…. Jump around the point at Halifax about an hour before the slack tide to get an extra dive in and max our dive time! I had double checked the tide time with the local dive shop, confirmed that it was a nice BIG 1.8m tide so in the scheme of things we had a GOOD plan!

At 12.30 we stumbled into the water (speaking for myself that is…the others we far more graceful!) and excitedly headed under to start the drift, we descended deeper and deeper, hitting the 18m mark and …no drift…got to 20m …no drift, now this is not good because in my mind this could only mean that we got the tides wrong( something only Greg does)and this is the slack tide!! Uh –oh!!! This could mean that at any point the tide could turn giving a nasty swim INTO the current !!! Trying not to appear to be in too much of a hurry I marched everyone along , keeping within the dive plan (except for the ‘no drift’ bit) and tried to wind up the dive without a drama. Also going through my mind was that Sean and Lisa had come all the way up to join us on the slack tide dive and I am cringing thinking I’m going to have to break the bad news.’ “.oops ! sorry guys..missed the tide..you can go home now!”…was I stressing?? Not much??? Anyway the guys unsuspectingly had a great little ‘drift with no drift’ dive’, vis was not too bad at about 5-8m and plenty of critters to spot ! Dem discovered that he is in fact ‘A Nigel’, Nudibranch lover…with his new eyes on he spotted at least 4 Nudi’s, and was rather excited about this! Yawn!

On surfacing I noted that the tide had not turned yet and still seemed slack so chased the guys to gear up again, quick ! Quick !so we could get another dive out of the slack…so like well oiled machines, tanks were changed and back into the water we went with Sean and Lisa in tow this time. As we descended it was as though someone had turned off the lights since our last dive! The vis had dropped down to about 2m (that’s generous!) but still no current so we proceeded as planned and as long as you were close up, everthing was still very pretty, heading back to the exit after 35 minutes I was still confused as there was still no current, or much to speak of…….a mystery I guess, the dive shop swears that the tides were right!

BRRRRRR

2010-01-18T21:11:00.000-08:00

Cast your minds back to last Saturday…..raining, cold, foggy and basically not the type of day that makes you think of going for a night dive….BUT WE DID!

Joined by some tough, rain proof divers, Allen, Phil, Sean, Lisa and myself we stood at fly point in the rain and miserable weather and asked ourselves “Why are we here??”

To make things worse, my new dry suit neck seal was too loose threatening me with a thorough drenching on entering the water…..however, hard core as we are we geared up and walked down the steps at ‘Fly’ and into the water with a small amount of foot dragging…once waist deep we noticed that the water was incredibly clear and we started to get more enthusiastic! This was also Lisa’s first night dive so I was really hoping for a positive experience for her and this was what she got!

Once under the water we enjoyed the usual array of fabulous marine life found at fly- sea pens, sponges, decorator crabs, Hermies, shrimp, schools of fish and so on! This time however we were even more spoilt as a slipper cray scuttled past, a giant sea- hare ( at least 50cm long!!! TRUE!) munched away at some kelp! I spotted this amazing anemone and called lisa over for a look and we watched amazed as it unfurled long lace like arms, waving them in the water to collect small particles of plankton and food and then dipping those tentacles into its central mouth and unfurling them again, just beautiful to watch! On our return swim we came across a rocky overhang that was sheltering at least half a dozen granddaddy lobsters (Fly is a marine reserve so no temptation there!).

Sea Hare (at least 50cm in size!)

Back on the surface Lisa’s verdict…”The only thing better than that is SEX”!!! It was a great dive! Congratulations Lisa, do you realise that you have been night diving spoilt!!??

Oh..and in case you were wondering….my dry suit only let a few drops in….BONUS!

Get Clicking People

2010-01-18T21:09:00.000-08:00

Well was'nt it a windy old weekend! lucky the wind was blowing in just the right direction to flatten the seas! and a great weekend of diving was had by all!

This coming weekend we are mixing things up a bit and this saurdays club dives are really special!! ! Curious ?? Well ....after such stunning shore dives on the last Nelson Bay trip, with the highlights being the drift dive from Fly point to the Mariner and the night dive at Fly point we thought that it would be a great option for all those who missed out to join in these dive delights !!!! We will run the drift at 5.00pm from Fly point to the Mariner and then a night dive from Fly point at 7.30pm ! These dives are nice and easy so even night and drift newbies are more than welcome! Try something different, you will love it! For those of you who are really keen, join Phil... he has booked on the morning double boat dive to looking glass and The shark gutters!!! Doing a repeat of our Nelson bay dive marathon and making it a 4 dive day!! Legend !!!

Sunday's dive is at Swansea Bridge, meet at 9.00am at the shop with the aim to be in the water by 11.00am....for those of you that were on Gregs night dive on wednesday night.....I guarantee to get the tides right...yes there is a story..hehe...the guys miscalculated the tide and Greg (AKA Dipsy Diver ) mistook the morning tide time for a PM time...they were in the water 30 minute too early! I hear some of them needed some excersise anyway !! hahaha ! In Greg's defense...it was all Seans fault, he noticed that greg had pointed out the AM time but assumed that Greg was aware of this so said NOTHING!! (Phew ..found you a scape goat Greg :-) )

We have an awesome club night planned for 13th of October at The Beachie' ! Award winning and well known photographer and Cave Diver 'Neil Vincent will be our guest speaker. Neil will be be talking about his cave diving experiences and also we will be lucky enough to be shown his fantastic dive photos from his latest trip to Mexico! This is a night that you do not want to miss as you will be inspired ! Neil is also a wealth of info if you are after some photography tips:-)

We also are really keen for you to submit you photos to us for photo of the week. So get clicking peoples!

Not Pretty - I think you're Pretty!

2010-01-18T21:08:00.000-08:00

Saturday arrived sunny and warm with a beautiful dive site just waiting for us. We ended up with 12 divers at Swansea Bridge with a load of other divers including some in a boat.

We had a good mix of divers with us ranging from two on their first dive off course to a couple of instructors. We jumped in at the RSL jetty much to the amusement of the gathering crowd of onlookers and began our dive.

Upon entering were greeted with loads of fish in all directions, one diver feeling sea sick because he kept looking around in circles to check em all out. The visibility was great and the water has warmed up a little, my computer said 18 degrees, 2 more than last dive.

After 35 minutes the first group was out of the water while the rest stayed for a 50 dive. I would like to say well done to our new(er) divers, Wayne, Jesse and Jacob who looked like pros down there. I love watching our new divers hovering and swimming mid water on their first or early dives. It gives my some pride in how we train people. A big thanks to Jim for turning up which let us split the group when we needed to and a SPECIAL thankyou to Lisa for the great show that she put on in the car park after the dive. Who gave her the name “not pretty”? We definatley think you're pretty!

OVERCAST - WHO CARES

2010-01-18T21:07:00.001-08:00

Although we have had a few overcast days mid week it looks like we are in for a warm sunny weekend with lovely flat seas and this means MORE GREAT DIVING! Clair and her band of happy divers will be heading up for a weekend at Nelson Bay… be jealous…be very, very jealous as the dives up there are going to be stunning!

Left behind and not to be out done is ‘The Dipsy Diver’ Greg, who will do his best to impress you with his amazing dive leader skills as he guides you around Swansea bridge on Saturday! Worth a look? Meet at the shop at 8.30am for this one.

On Sunday meet at the shop at 9.00 and you will see Lee astound you with his dive prowess as he heads up a dive to ‘Flat Rock’!!

The boat will be fired up on both Saturday and sunday for those that enjoy the luxury and comfort of boat dives (who doesn’t!?)!

Fathers Day Special

2010-01-18T21:03:00.000-08:00

Again! Another week of brilliant diving conditions! I know we are starting to sound like a broken record with this but it is worth getting excited over!

The dives at Swansea last Saturday were awesome! The boat dives that we did on the ‘Club Boat dive day’ were probably the best dives that I have done on the Central coast…and that is really saying something! To have continuous great conditions week after week is just brilliant!

We had a big laugh at David Browns expense...He is now fondly known as 'Storm Boy' as he managed to sport a very large Pelican Poo down his back!!! (You know it is extremely lucky to get pooped on by a bird,,,,,,,your good luck will be unbounding Dave ...hahahah!). ..Word of advise..look up before standing under the telegraph poles at the Haven!!

This weekend Allen will be heading off to 'Swansea Heads' on Saturday so meet at the shop at 9.00am if you are keen to come along! The dive shop will NOT be opening on Sunday at all so we will not be running a Club shore dive! If you want to grab a buddy and take yourself off for a dive don’t forget to get your tanks, gear or air fills on Saturday! All is not lost though…Captain Jim is taking the boat out for a double dive on Sunday and he will be heading out to dive ‘The Apartments’ and ‘The Wall’ at long reef! Having spent many years diving out of Sydney, take my word…’The Apartments’ is a 5 star dive, not to be missed and is classed as one of the absolute BEST dive sites around! It is suitable for all levels of divers and is a chronically pretty dive! I will give a bit of a site blurb on this dive later in the Ezine!

Thanks to all those who came along to our Trivia night at the Beachcomber! What a great night with plenty of friendly banter… lots of head scratching…and of course a small amount of obligatory CHEATING!! Congrats to the winning team John H and Belinda…supported by my year old daughter, Lily ,who holds herself personally responsible for their win!! (don’t know where she gets that ego from!?:-) ). As we had prizes left over we held a tie breaker, involving answering the question correctly and then a race to grab / snatch the prize from the adjudicator, Allen ( Who braved serious injury or death with this challenge!). Congats to Steve, Gina & Darren on their wins, (Allen is still trying to get the shoe prints off his body!! Hehe )!

Dive brief 27th August

2010-01-18T21:02:00.000-08:00

Wow! Another week of great diving....a double at Swansea, a double at Halifax ..and the icing on the cake..The dive trip to Fishrock!

Big sloppy kisses and congrats to Mel and Jason who tied the knot on the Fish Rock trip! A beautiful beach wedding at South West Rocks!! How romantic!! ...Told you spring was in the air, first Sarah and Steve getting engaged at Catherine Hill Bay, and then this gorgeous wedding...look out ...it could be contagious :-) :-)

Happy birthday to the 'Spring Chicken'...John Hinks who also celebrated his birthday at SWR! (sorry John...I am on a bit of a 'Spring' Theme!)

If you haven't already booked in for the Scuba Shack dive trivia night give us a call ASAP, we need to let the caterers know numbers. This will be an awesome fun night and don't stress if you don't have a group, come along anyway as there will be plenty of others to join up with on the night!

OUR TRIP TO BIGFELLA SOLWATA REK

2009-08-31T20:35:00.000-07:00

What on earth does that heading mean I hear you ask? Its Bislama which is the native Language on Vanuatu and kept me amused for most of the trip. It means Big Saltwater Wreck (Coolidge). It kinda makes sense hey!

We all arrived at the airport at 4am! Well not all of us, after a few coaxing phone calls to Toni Lee we were all there by 5am! We checked in and soon we were on our way to the Coolidge. When we arrived we were greated by the ever lovely Yvonne and Tim (from Terrigal) who were the Group Coordinators for the Dive Operator. We were bundled in to the van and headed for Coral Quays!

After a lovely scrumptous dinner we headed off to bed anxious to be up ready and early for the mornings diving.

The bus picked us up at 8am on the dot and all the excited divers packed their gear on board. After some paperwork we all headed off to the site.

Our first dive was the intro dive that all divers visiting must do as a first dive and its a great dive to get acustomed to her. We followed the rope down to the bow, where the looming Coolidge takes your breath away we passed the anchor winch and one of the huge 3" guns stacked with live ammunition. We then enter into cargo hold number 2 first which is a full penetration dive. The first thing you come across is the barrel of Long Tom cannon, a 155mm Howitzer. To the right is the crew's barber's chair and doctors office. Continue swimming towards the back of number 2 hold over the tracks of an armored troop carrier. Now to our right, we saw four 155mm Howitzers wedged in the deck, including wheel carriages. At the back on the number 2 hold are the GMC trucks. From the number 2 hold, you make you way up one of the decks into hold number 1 where you see a number of Willys Jeeps. We exited from hold number 1 back to the bow.

I couldnt wait to see the looks on the faces of the other divers at the gear station. "IVE DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN" said Demster! "OMG UNBELIEVABLE" said Toni and Mark in unison. "BRILLIANT" said Brendan "I told you so" I remarked.. I knew instantly each and everyone of them had caught the Coolidge Bug and were itching for more!

After the first dive we were back in the truck and were back to Allan Powers house for Buns and Coffee. Which I was very excited about as I wanted to see Jock the dog again after a few years growth. (we was a pup of 3ft tall when we were there last) And all I have to say is OMG! GIANT BUN LOVING, PAT STEALING ROTTI X GREATDANE! Lovely giant sook he is!

Mine and Lees second dive on the first day was ABC deck. A dive that weaves its way through A, B and C decks consisting of second class accommodation. We swam over and below bathroom suites with some confined spaces. The others were paired off and did other sites on the wreck with their own guides. After the dives back to the resort for a beer and dinner. Yummi.

The next day we dived the Lady on our first Dive and Med Supplies on our Second, both around 40m but requiring decompression due to the length of stay at depth. Thank god for those beautiful deco gardens.

Our third day of diving saw Lee and I on a trip to the stern. A 65m dive. We both swam out to the midship buoy and decended to about 25m and swan down the Starboard side of the wreck until we reached about 51m. at the Prop Shaft. At this stage I started to feel quite light headed and uncomfortable. I didnt feel like this last time and I have dived to deeper depths but this time I did feel quite uncomfortable for some reason....Gary our dive guide gave me the OK signal and I returned it telling myself to stop being silly. I followed him deeper a while and turned to see where Lee was. I could see a figure just still in the water and I thought OH GOSH he must be narked hes just staying in the one spot. I frantically gestured for him to come down, but no reply. My heat sank and I thought OMG something is terribly wrong with him. I went to swim back up, but thought I better tell Gary what is going on. I turned to face back down to Gary, and who is sitting next to Gary looking at the Name COOLIDGE written on the Sten but Lee.!!! I turned back at the shadow I was beckoning and chuckled to myself when I reaslied it was the prop shaft I was longing to join me! NARKED.....NOT ME!!!!.... MUCH.

I joined the other two at the Stern to read the Coolidge Sign at about 65.7M. My feeling of anxiety had gone and I was enjoying the dive. But when asked if I wanted to go and see the Life Boat I had the sense to say no! God knows who I would have seen down there! Santa Clause!

We moved slowly up the deck of the ship passing the Cargo Holds 6 and 7 and the Pool, Past Cargo 2 and 1 until we reached the line to go up. It was a long long time at Deco on this dive but we had a fun time trying to blow rings at the Deco Gardens.

After the usual Buns and Coffee and a little nap we were back at the dive site and Lee and I did Garys Special Tour. Garry is the most experienced ni-Vanuatu dive guide in Vanuatu. Once again it was back to full penetration diving, with lots of tight holes and spaces and no light to be seen. Not so much a deep dive only about 45m but very tight and very dark! Dont ask where we went cause I have no clue!

The next day we all opted to do the night dive so Lee and I decided to do Med Supplies for our morining dive. This is a dive of many stashes of medical supplies as most of them has air pockets and would simply float away. Weave your way through decks B, C and D to see medicines, catgut, bottled tablets, insulin kits, coloured powders and other medical supplies. You also drop into cargo hold number 4 where you see the drop fuel tanks from airplanes. Our exit was from hold number 2 cargo hold. then to the bow.

I was so excited about doing the Night Dive I could hardly contain myself! I just love this dive and can only explain it as being on a Magical Trip. With Lee buddied up with Natalya on a dive at Deco Gardens (due to nat not being able to equalise very well) I teamed up with Demster.

Now this is a night dive like no other in the world! Timing is critical for this dive as you enter the water just on dusk and approach the wreck without torches on. THAT RIGHT NO TORCHES! This unique dive is to experience the wonder of flashlight fish (Anomalops katoptron). The fish have a gland under each eye full of bacteria where they lift a little flap sending out a fluorescent light. These fish live in all the dark spots of the wreck during the day because they are sensitive to light. At night, they make their way up the decks, through the continental lounge and into the two forward cargo holds. We meet them in the Cargo holds for a site to be seen! Its like being in outa space just sitting still in complete blackness! Then out they come just little sparkles everywhere! I could hear Demster making noises of delight as our eyes were dazzled with delight! This is still my favourite dive ever on the Coolidge infact probably anywhere in the world and one I will NEVER EVER FORGET!

We had now finished our dives but we all decided to have pay for more. Lee and I decided to dive the control room. We dropped down onto the main condenser and then facing the stern we saw see one of the huge propulsion motors. You then enter through a small hole into the control room. Here there is a series of gauges, control levers and four brass telegraphs. We then weaved our way through the boat and came out the Chain locker at the bow. Once again long Deco times but we didnt mind as this was an amazing trip on the Coolidge once again!

When we surfaced, we noticed that Mark and Toni Lee were being very sheepish with their dive guides Tim and Yvonne. They had dived the Stern and I just thought they did some silly narky thing like call the prop shaft to join them. But no it was more exciting than that. Mark had grand plans for the dive to the Stern which we found out about later that night at Dinner. As it happens Mark decided to propose to Toni Lee at the Stern and had written it on his Slate! HOW ROMANTIC!!! She said YES of course!! Congatulations Guys!

Suddenly it was our final day in Vanuatu so it was off to Blue Holes and Champagne Beach for some fun in the sun! On arrival at Blue Holes the group was gobbed smacked by the natural beauty of the place! The fresh water spring was bright blue and the forrest that surrounded it was green and lush! It didnt take much convincing and we were all in for a swim!

Thats when Mark spotted the "Worlds Biggest Rope Swing" so we were told by a local!

Off he went like a monkey climbing vines and trees to get the best height he could and WOOOSSSHHHH and YAHOOOOOO SPLASH. Then up again and this went on for the whole time we spent at the Blue Holes. Crazy Man! Ha ha.

We dried off and bid farewell to Blue Holes and travelled further on to Champagne Beach. Once again what a beautiful site! white powder sand and crystal clear water! Great spot for our picnic lunch and relaxation!

And so that ended our most fantastic trip to the Coolidge to date. All had the best time and are busy saving for the next time we travel back there. Dem congratualtions on your achievements on this trip! Well done mate. To Brendan who suffered a bad shoulder for most of the trip, we hope next time can do more diving! Toni and Mark congratualtions on your engagement. I cant imagine a more perfect couple! To Nat, next time you will go to the Stern! and Lovely Lee my favourite dive buddy and hubby, thanks for taking all the lovely shots for us. For everyone we will be doing a DVD when I finally work out how to get the footage off the camera!

Belinda

Scuba Shack Dive Brief 31st August

2009-08-31T20:30:00.000-07:00

Hi All, and welcome to another edition of Scuba Shack Dive Brief.

The overseas travellors are back from their fantabulous trip to the Coolidge in Vanuatu and by all accounts a great time was had by all. For almost everyone on this trip this was their very first time to the Coolidge and what a gob smacked lot they were too! I just loved the expressions on their faces when they surfaced after their first dives on her. Dem even said "Ive died and gone to heaven! .......Gosh Dem dont do that to me! For her 15th Birthday Present Nat Clenton was given her trip to Vanuatu and after her dive she was speachless for almost 5 whole minutes!!! Believe me that is a record! We are looking at doing another drip in October 2010. But unfortunately that last trip was about as cheap as it was ever going to get. To hear all about our trip see below for more!

As we mentioned in last weeks ezine, love was certainly in the air (compressed air that is) in August as two more of our members were engaged last week too whilst on a dive. 2 engagements and a wedding! We should make a movie with a title like that!

(*NAME*) Don't forget that this Sundays boat Dives are only $35. We are putting on a whole day of it at Terrigal with the Sausage Sizzle and marquee. The first boat is already booked out so get in quick for the second boat run. What a great day to spend Fathers Day! a boat dive followed by a sausage sizzle! As usuall friends and family are welcome! Bring a chair or a blanket and BYO drinks.

If you haven't already booked in for the Scuba Shack dive trivia night give us a call ASAP, we need to let the caterers know numbers. This will be an awesome fun night and don't stress if you don't have a group, come along anyway as there will be plenty of others to join up with on the night! If you are an open water diver dont think that you wont know enough.. most of the dive questions are straight from the open water manual! and just keep reading the Ezine creature feature for more clues! Also bring your non diving partners there are heaps of other questions to keep everyone on their toes! Cost is $10 per person. Prizes and finger food provided! ALSO THE BAR WILL BE OPEN FOR YOU! 8th September at the Beachie!

The Nelson Bay weekend 18th - 20th September is getting closer and there are a few spots left so don't miss out on this beautiful dive trip.. This will be a "dive packed trip on a budget!" 6 Dives (includes 3 Boat Dives and 3 Shore Dives) , 2 Nights Accomodation including breakfasts all for just $310. We have included upgrades in the trip where you can also do your advanced course or some specialties while you are there. The Wreck Speciality will be done diving on the fabulous wreck of 'The Oakland' a real wreck with tons of history! Click on this link for video footage! Even for those not doing any courses, you will love these dives! This is an action packed weekend jammed full of dives and fun and is already booking fast so , please get your deposit of $86 if you would like to join Clair and to secure your spot Click on the site names for more video Footage. Looking Glass

One last thing. If you have a great shot that you think should be photo of the week send it to us!

Occy fights back

2009-07-17T18:02:00.000-07:00

Well heaps has been happening here at Scuba Shack with Specialties well on the way. The Night Diver Specialty students will be finishing their night dives on Monday evening and the Deep Specialty students will hit the water off Too Easy on Saturday. Good luck guys and have fun!

We are now taking bookings for the Advanced Adventure Course for 8th and 9th August so be quick as only 4 spots are left on that one.

Just a reminder if you wanted to come along to the Clair meet and greet drinks at the Beachcomber on Friday night please dont forget to call the shop. And if you cant get enough of us, Clair will be hosting a sausage sizzle on Sunday after the club dive at 1pm. BYO Drinks.

For those keen for another trip away we have a Nelson Bay Extreme Specialty Weekend coming up.. So keep your eyes open for that one! Its a must do weekend!

Those who are lucky enough to be coming along to the Coolidge with me, your final payments are due. Can you please make arrangements to come in and get that all finalised.... WOOO HOOO CANT WAIT!

Well thats about enough from me. Hope to see many of you on Friday night. Until then "Race you to the Surface!"

LAST WEEKENDS CLUB DIVE DEBRIEF

Warren, Demster, Justin (the new trainee DM) and myself (Allen) all jumped in the water just before 11:00 am for a drift dive in Swansea Channel. The water was a brisk 16 degrees ( but I didn't feel it in my Super Semi Dry) and the vis was great at around 8 mtrs, the current was steady and made for a nice paced, leisurely drift dive in great conditions. There was quite a bit of marine life around, the usual suspects such as squid, occys, morays and quite a few fish. Try as I might I couldn't find the Pineapple fish anywhere. When we exited the water 50 minutes after entering it everyone was commenting on what an awesome dive it was and how keen we all were to jump back in and see what the bridge had to offer.

After a short break Jeff arrived and poor Justin had to go and work (oorh! Sorry Justin). So Jeff, Demster, Warren and I jumped in at 1:00 pm for what was a really fantastic dive under Swansea Bridge with vis up to 15 mtrs it was absolutely awesome, there where baby cuttlefish, snapper the size of Marlin (well almost), a whiting that was the biggest I have ever seen and just fish life everywhere. Including an Occy that was busy building his little garden around his home and was quite protective of a large shell he had, well until Demster wanted it more and the Occy gave in and swam off in a flurry :-).

Due to the small tide of 1.23 mtrs we were able to enjoy a 56 minute dive under the bridge in what was absolutely amazing dive conditions. I haven't had 2 great dives in a row like that in a long time (well not in Australia anyway). I can't wait to see what next weekend has in store.

CONGRATULATIONS NEW STUDENTS

Congratulations to our newest certified divers - Kelly, Chelsea,Jacob and Josh!

Saturday took us to mingara pool for the start of their in- water antics and after several hours of bubble blowing and playing around with their scuba gear. I knew, as their instructor..I was on a winner! This was going to be one of those courses we love to teach...!!!

After the pool we headed down to Terrigal Haven for their first Ocean Dive experience and we had absolutely brilliant conditions. The guys did really well ...although during a buddy check, Jacobs buddy (who shall remain nameless, but was male) got a little confused with the tank valve...(easy to do) and turned Jacobs air off instead of on...nice...Jacob is still alive to tell the story so all ended well!!

We headed back to the Haven on sunday only to find that conditions were nowhere near as pleasant as the previous day and a fair sized swell had picked up but vis wasn't too bad and the surge on dive one and two was tollerable ...however when it came to our third dive the surge was quite strong (think Tsunami!!) and by the time it came for us to turn around and head back we found that as hard as we finned not much was happening...time for some new dive skills to be taught.... the 'grab a rock and pull yourself along to shore " method was introduced , One of the girls mastered this skill beautifully and then added her own twist to it ... this was called the "the every man (or woman) for himself' method!!

She roared past us like a steam train over the top of me and on to shore!! Infact she did not stop when she hit the shore and i can honestly say that I have never seen anyone crawl up a beach as fast in my life!!!!! I am sure she would have kept going on to the car park if we had not stopped her!! Don't worry , they all enjoyed the experience and Kelly has even signed up to do her advanced course in August! Well done guys and I hope to see you diving with us again soon! - Clair

Scuba Shack Welcomes Clair Fahey

2009-07-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone and welcome to another edition of dive brief.

First of all thank you for your patience and waiting until today to receive your dive breif. After much deliberation Greg and I have decided to make some major changes here at Scuba Shack, we both feel that these changes will have a huge impact on Scuba Shack and believe that these changes are for the greater good. ….. do I have your attention???

Greg and I are very excited to introduce a new member of Staff …………….Clair Fahey. Lots of you will know Clair or maybe have seen her at the Haven teaching Open Water Courses for another Dive Shop in the area.

So what does this mean for Scuba Shack??? Well for one, Clair is probably the most Socialable person I know and this means social events galore! Scuba Shack Will be hosting many more club events, from photo nights, Marine Science talks, Cave Diving, Ice Diving, Travel, Wrecks as well as Trivia Nights, Photo Comps and general social nights. Clair will be in the shop Thursday – Friday and Saturday – Sunday either on course or leading dives. Lee will be concentrating on TDI Courses (Technical Diving) and Greg and myself will be concentrating more on growing the business!

I am sure you will all make Clair feel welcome by coming in to say hi to her

Clair grew up in the land locked country of Zimbabwe and as a kid was one of those girly girls who used to run screaming from the water if a piece of kelp touched her leg. This dislike for the water even carried through into her early adult life when her career started in one of Australias largest retailers where she worked for 8 years in a demanding management role of running several departments.

After a life changing experience, Clair decided she needed a “Sea Change” quite frankly took this literally. She moved to the peacefully town of Ulladulla and while sitting on the verandah of her beach house watching the whales and dolphins cruise by her she started to think about trying Scuba Diving! Her father had been a diver since the early 60’s and funnily enough this now sparked an interest.

Much to her father’s shock, Clair literally made the giant stride into Scuba completing her Open Water in 1987. Upon completion of the course she knew instantly she wanted to become an instructor and made that her goal. Over the next 8 or so years Clair made her way up the ranks and soon completed her DM Course and was offered a full time position with the largest chain of Scuba Stores in Sydney. Although she could have gone on and completed her Instructors straight away, she wanted to gain more experience and decided to continue to work as a DM for 2 years. She tagged along with every course that she could and ran all the club dives which she describes as an invaluable experience. When she finally did complete the Instructor Course in 1991, she knew she was completely ready and she took the challenge by the horns and ran with it!

Since then Clair has worked in various locations around Australia. For two and a half year she worked on the Fairstar Cruise Ship as a Dive Instructor and Scuba Technician and then in Cairns for 8 years as Live-aboard Dive Coordinator and Senior Instructor. Clair has more than 700 student diver certifications, with more than 170 achieved in the past 18 months. These include general recreational diver, specialist and dive master. To add to this she was the First Scuba Ranger Instructor Trainer in Australia through SSI. Since having her children Clair has worked part- time on and off with various other dive shops in Sydney and locally here on the Central Coast and now finally taken a position with Scuba Shack where we believe she will be a perfect fit. The piece we were missing you could say!

Both Greg and I are extremely excited to have Clair on board. Her achievements in the industry are nothing short of astounding and we believe we are very lucky to have nabbed such an interesting personality to work for Scuba Shack. We know you will all make her feel welcome!

Dive Brief 18th April

2009-06-17T23:56:00.000-07:00

Hi all, and welcome to the new Scuba Shack Ezine, now called Dive Brief!

We changed the name to more aptly reflect what we do and give it a more divey name, so there it is DIVE BREIF. As I write Dive Brief today I am sitting at the computer with the heater blaring at my feet. It air temp is currently 10ª.

Last weekends diving was a mixed bag. Fly point vizability was not brilliant but good enough the have a nice dive amongst the fishes and sponges. And hey who could complain about lunch at the pub afterwards right? Sundays dive was exhausting to say the least. Maybe a site we do from the boat in future!

We are now expecting final payments for our Vanuatu Coolidge trips in the next few weeks so if you are still thinking about jumping on you only have about a week to make up your mind before the trip books are closed. This will be the last time that the Coolidge will be under $2000.00 and already the prom deck has collapsed to the ocean floor. It would be a shame to miss the chance of a life time to get down and see her mystery and beauty for this price.

Don’t forget we are off to South West Rocks the weekend after next. If you have not got in with your deposit yet, please do so. We have 8 spots left and as usual this is the most popular of our domestic destinations and the trips always fill fast.

Great news about diving with the Seals at Jervis Bay. We originally thought we could only take 8 divers but we now can take 13 so we have 5 spots available for those who would like to come along.

As of this week our hire gear price for Members will be $50.00 (increased by $5) We have not increased the price of the hire gear for over 3 years and we have superior hire gear to most other shops in the area. All our BCD’s are weight integrated, our wetsuits are warm with no rips or holes and our regs are all APEX regs with computer consoles attached.

Last week we announced some great course deals. These deals will only be available for this price for a short time. As soon as the course is full we won’t be doing any rain checks. So if you are keen to jump on I would get moving and get your names on the lists. You are crazy if you don’t!

We will also be running an Advanced Adventure Course for those who would like to better their diving skills and open you up to more diving like Night and Drift. Check out below for more details.

BACK TO TOP
DIVE CLUB TRIPS
THE COOLIDGE VANUATU
THINK YOU CANT AFFORD THE DIVE TRIP OVERSEAS??? HOW DOES $40 A WEEK SOUND
That’s right folks! This is breaking News. You can either pay the cash price of $1899.00 or you can pay around $40 per week! NO WE ARE NOT JOKING….YOU MUST BE QUICK as this offer will not last!
Subject to terms and conditions.$50 contract fee applies

Come to the Coolidge Vanuatu for
$1899.00 per Diver Upfront Payment
or pay $40 per week
$1450.00 Non Diver Upfront Payment
or pay $31 per week
7 Nights Accommodation
Return Airfares and departure tax
Breakfast Daily
8 Dives
Morning tea
Subject to terms and conditions.$50 contract fee applies
Spaces are limited and time for deposits is running out!

SOUTH WEST ROCKS TRIP – 8 SPOTS LEFT
26th – 28th June
2 night / 4 dive package
Including:
2 nights divers lodge accommodation
Continental breakfast
4 boat dives(double boat dive each day) with use
Second tanks and airfills
$298
$60 DEPOSIT SECURES YOUR SPOT (this deposit is no refundable)
$ BALANCE PAID CASH ONLY ON ARRIVAL TO YOUR TOUR LEADER GREG

Hire is available from Scuba Shack at reduced rates and must be collected by Friday Morning before 10am.

Australia's best ocean cave dive, and voted among the top ten dive sites in Australia, Fish Rock is located just over two kilometres off Smoky Cape at South West Rocks on the New South Wales Mid North Coast.

The thrill of entering a 125 metre long cave and travelling right through the centre of a small island is one dive that you will not want to miss. As well as the cave itself, Fish Rock is home to such an amazing array of marine life that you will easily understand how the island came to be named.

No I hear you thinking…. I cant do that! Well yes you can. These are not only relatively easy dives but bar far the best experience you can have. Open to all levels of diving, this is a dive location that must be included in your dive itinerary!

DIVE WITH THE SEALS – JERVIS BAY – 6 MORE SPOTS
16th – 18th October
2 night / 4 dive package
Including:
2 nights divers lodge accommodation
Continental breakfast
BBQ Dinner on Saturday Evening
4 boat dives(double boat dive each day) with use
Second tanks and airfills
$350
$70 DEPOSIT SECURES YOUR SPOT (this deposit is no refundable)
$ BALANCE PAID CASH ONLY ON ARRIVAL TO YOUR TOUR LEADER BELINDA

Scuba diving with seals is one of the most thrilling underwater experiences imaginable. Seals are one of the most fascinating creatures you can ever dive with. All they want to do is play with you. They are cute and fun but a bit smelly!
To enable Scuba members to dive with the seals, we have organised two night seal diving experience to Jervis Bay staying on the shores of St Georges Basin and Doing 2 dives per day. We have chosen the best time of year so to ensure our best possible chance of diving with the seals and will be going directly to the colony (seas permitting). We will also be diving in Jervis Bay itself on our second dives which of course is arguably some of the best diving in New South Wales and something for every diver … reefs, drop-offs, caves, crevices, archways and gutters. The average depth of the dive sites is 20 metres; most are multi-level with rocky-reef topography. Some sites have excellent walls, swim-throughs and bubble caves and can drop off to 50 metres.
Soft corals and sponge gardens are part of the beauty, alongside large schooling fish, weedy sea dragons, red Indian fish, a variety of sharks (the docile kind!) plus many other vertebrates and invertebrates.

COURSES
DIVE INTO SPEARFISHING
2 DAY COURSE
PROFESSION INSTRUCTORS (BEST IN AUSTRALIA)
18th – 19th JULY
$350.00

ADVANCED ADVENTURE COURSE
WAS $345 now $268
Includes: 2 Boat Dives, Air fills, Manuals, Certification
Date: 6th August evening Theory , 7th August evening diving and 8th & 9th August Diving
You’ve taken your open water scuba diver course and now your ready to expand your knowledge but you would like to see what is out there first. The SDI Advanced Adventure Diver course will give you an overview of five (5) selected SDI specialties.
• Deep
• Navigation
• Advanced Buoyancy
• Drift
• Night
This course is intended to introduce you to each of the five (5) specialties and not complete comprehension of the chosen specialty. One (1) dive from each of the chosen specialties may apply towards a complete specialty certification.
(hire is not included in the price)

WRECK DIVER COURSE
WAS $320 now $250
Includes: 2 boat dives, Air fills, Manuals, Certification and snacks
Date: 3rd July evening and 4th July Diving

Wreck diving can be one of the most exciting aspects of sport diving and can uncover pieces of history seen by few others, however every effort must be made to maximize safe diving techniques. In the SDI Wreck Diver course, we will discuss and use equipment and techniques commonly employed while wreck diving. This course may be taught as a 1) non-penetration (2 total dives) or 2) limited-penetration (3 total dives) course. In the event of “Limited Penetration Training,” limited penetration is defined as “swim through or within the ambient light of entry point,”. Your SDI Instructor will teach you how to safely plan and execute wreck dives in a fun and enjoyable way.
(hire is not included in the price)
NIGHT/ LIMITED VISABILITY DIVER COURSE
WAS $320 now $170
Includes: 2 dives, Air fills, Manuals, Certification
Date: 7th and 8th July Evenings
Many divers find that night diving is their favorite type of diving. As with all specialty diving applications, procedures are different than those associated with Open Water Diving. The purpose of the SDI Night & Limited Visibility Diver course is to acquaint the Open Water Scuba Diver with the procedures, techniques, and potential hazards associated with diving at night or in limited visibility. By becoming familiar with the use of dive lights and night diving techniques such as navigation
• Buddy system procedures
• Communications
• Buoyancy control
• Interacting with nocturnal aquatic life
You will be able to enjoy night diving with maximum safety and comfort.
(hire is not included in the price)
DEEP DIVER COURSE
WAS $320 now $250
Includes: 2 Boat dives, Air fills, Manuals, Certification
Date: 17th July evening and 18th July Diving
SDI’s Deep Diver course is a must for any diver wishing to explore a little more and will teach you the risks and benefits of deep diving. Many interesting sights lie just beyond 18m/60ft such as beautiful wall dives, ship wrecks, and critters that don’t come into the shallows. During the course, your SDI Instructor will take you on two covers skills like
• Proper descents
• Air management
• Effects of nitrogen narcosis
• Dive planning,
By the end of the course your knowledge and comfort level will have increased. The Deep Diver course has a maximum depth of 40m/130, the suggested sport diving limit.
(hire is not included in the price)

NAVIGATION DIVER COURSE
WAS $125 now $100
Includes: 2 dives, Air fills, Manuals, Certification
Date: 24th July evening and 25th July Diving
SDI’s Deep Diver course is a must for any diver wishing to explore a little more and will teach you the risks and benefits of deep diving. Many interesting sights lie just beyond 18m/60ft such as beautiful wall dives, ship wrecks, and critters that don’t come into the shallows. During the course, your SDI Instructor will take you on two covers skills like
• Proper descents
• Air management
• Effects of nitrogen narcosis
• Dive planning
By the end of the course your knowledge and comfort level will have increased. The Deep Diver course has a maximum depth of 40m/130, the suggested sport diving limit.
(hire is not included in the price)

COMBO NIGHT AND NAVIGATION DIVER COURSE
WAS $445 now $250
Includes: 4 dives, Air fills, Manuals, Certification
Date: 7th and 8th July Evening
Date: 24th evening and 25th July Day

Please note that Scuba Equipment is not included in these prices. If you need to hire equipment we can arrange this at a very reasonable price for the duration of your course. Some specialities require specialist equipment like torches. These must be purchased before commencement of the course.

GREAT GEAR SPECIALS
SCUBA PACKAGES
If you purchase any complete Scuba Package from Scuba Shack either upfront of on ezi buy, we will give you a free Advanced Course worth $268.00 So not only will you save 30% on our purchase but we will give you an Advanced Course Absolutely FREE. You and Choose from just the BCD, Regs and Computer Package and Get a Free Advanced Course or you can get the Ultimate Package and get not only the free advanced course but extra discounts!
$50 a week (CHEAPER THAN HIRE!)
gets you
• BCD
• REGS
• NITROX COMPUTER
• MASK
• SNORKEL
• FINS
• BOOTS
• WETSUIT
• And FREE ADVANCED COURSE
• And FREE TORCH AND BACKUP!

The Oceanic Cruz / Hera Scuba Package
is too good to miss out on this Summer. With a huge 30% off RRP you really are getting exceptional value for money with this package. The Oceanic Cruz Scuba Package is covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty provided you complete and send in your warranty registration. This of course provides free spare parts for life. Obviously common sense conditions apply.

The Oceanic GT3 CDX5 regulator puts you in total control with its patented Dynamic Adjustment feature. Set it and forget it!

The Oceanic Alpha 8 Octo is the top-performing regulator in its class and one of the most affordably priced regulators you can buy.

The Oceanic Cruz BC is prepared for adventure. Designed in a simple yet functional jacket-style, this BC is ideal for cold water local diving with a lift capacity of 48 lbs. and yet packs flat at 8.2 lbs for travel.

The Oceanic Hera BC is built from the ground up for you – designed specifically around the female form with ample adjustments to make it your own, without sacrificing features and functionality. This may just be the most comfortable, best fitting BC you've ever worn.

The Oceanic Veo 100Nx Navcon is a full-featured air or nitrox personal dive computer in a compact package. Complete with air gauge and compass

HIS PRICE: $1,938.86
Normally $2769.80

OR $42.60 per week NO DEPOSIT & NO INTEREST EVER!

HER PRICE: $2,008.20
Normally $2868.85

OR $44.14 per week NO DEPOSIT & NO INTEREST EVER!

FREE ADVANCED COURSE WITH THIS PACKAGE

This Oceanpro Scuba Package

is an exceptional value for money kit , and is fitted with the Oceanic Veo 100Nx Nitrox Dive Computer. This is excellent kit. It is covered by a full Australian 2 year warranty which can be upgraded to a lifetime warranty simply by completing warranty registration. This of course provides free spare parts for life.

The Alpha 8 SP5 Regulator is a robust Regulator used in just about every Dive School and Rental program throughout Australia.
The Second Air Octo is a super streamlined alternate air source that sits flat to reduce drag and prevent tangles.
The Oceanpro Buoyancy Compensator is once again a fully featured unit with Weight Integration and plenty of D-Rings to attach accessories.
And the Veo 100Nx Dive Computer is the best in its class. Now with Nitrox capabilities, this unit will suit all aspects of diving. It has the Computer and Pressure Gauge on one side, and provision for a Side Scan Compass on the other.

OUR PRICE: $1,588.00
Normally $2,200.00

Or $32 per week! NO DEPOSIT NO INTEREST EVER!

FREE ADVANCED COURSE WITH THIS PACKAGE

SCUBA SHACK CLOTHING
Rug up this winter in your very own Scuba Shack Fleecy Jumper!
Full zip down and pockets great for those winter dives or after a night dive.
Stock is limited so please jump into one today
Only $49.50 for member
$55 for non members

WHATS ON THIS WEEK
• Saturday Shore Dive – Skillion Cave –Free for members (gear hire not included)
• Sunday Shore Dive- Catho Coal Loader - Free for members (gear hire not included)
• Wednesday Night Shore Dive – Cabbage Tree Bay meet at the shop 6pm

CALL US NOW 0243968863 FIRST IN BEST DRESSED. BOOKINGS ARE ESSENTIAL

Once again hit the bottom. Please be careful of your buoyancy!
www.scubashack.com.au
info@scubashack.com.au

2009-06-09T21:26:00.000-07:00

Hi all, Welcome to another edition of Shack Chat. Scuba Shack Ezine.

As I write this I am sitting at the computer with the heater blaring at my feet. It is 11am and the air temp is currently 10ª. Our mid week open water course has left for their ocean dives in what looks like beautiful flat and clear conditions. Now the good news is that the water temp is currently 18ª! So they are the lucky ones!

What an absolutely awesome weekend it was for diving last weekend! Even I got in the water on Sunday! Saturday we took advantage of the flat conditions and jumped into flat rock at Soldiers Beach. While there was a little surge, the dive was a nice one. Sunday saw us head up to Swansea Bridge. The dive was amazing, so many fish it was like being in an aquarium. While at first it felt a little nippy I still spent one hour on the mark under there. It never ceases to amaze me under there. I can honestly say that even on the murkiest dive I have enjoyed every minute of it. While Greg took the club Divers on their excursion, Lee and I hung to the wall for quite a while marvelling at the different species, I think I could have done the whole dive along the wall and not even gone under the bridge. However very glad I did when greeted with huge Brim and Leather Jackets as well as the odd Kingy. We weaved our way in and around the pylons delighting in everything we saw. When we did start to make our way back the tide had started to turn slightly and we let the current take us back slowly. Our safety stop was done hanging on to the ropes looking at the Nudibranchs along the edge. I must have been relaxed as when I finally popped up I was under for a whole hour and still had 95 bar in the cylinder.

On the way home Lee and I stopped of at Catho to check out the coal loader. What an awesome site that was. We could see the bottom right to the end of the loader, this would have been a fantastic 2nd dive for the day but we were so cold by then the Maccas coffee was more inviting.

The Boat dive on Saturday was a great dive at the Valiant Wreck led by Rusty. A great dive was had by all on board. Monday’s boat dive was at Hole in the Wall led by Lee and once again a great dive.

We are now expecting final payments for our Vanuatu Coolidge trips in the next few weeks so if you are still thinking about jumping on you only have about a week to make up your mind before the trip books are closed. This will be the last time that the Coolidge will be under $2000.00 and already the prom deck has collapsed to the ocean floor. It would be a shame to miss the chance of a life time to get down and see her mystery and beauty for this price.

Don’t forget we are off to South West Rocks at the end of the month. If you have not got in with your deposit yet, please do so. We have 9 spots left and as usual this is the most popular of our domestic destinations and the trips always fill fast. We also only have 3 spots left for the Dive with the Seals trip to Jervis Bay.

I cannot stress enough the importance of putting your deposit down for trips. I know I bring this up time and time again, but I always seems to get “but I told you I was going”. Guys, without a deposit you do not have a spot, just saying that you are going to go will not get you on the trip. Only those who have paid their deposits will be guaranteed a spot on any trip done with us at Scuba Shack.

As of next week our hire gear price for Members will be $50.00 (increased by $5) We have not increased the price of the hire gear for over 3 years and we have superior hire gear to most other shops in the area. All our BCD’s are weight integrated, our wetsuits are warm with no rips or holes and our regs are all APEX regs with computer consoles attached.

Last week we announced some great course deals. These deals will only be available for this price for a short time. As soon as the course is full we won’t be doing any rain checks. So if you are keen to jump on I would get moving and get your names on the lists. You are crazy if you don’t!

We will also be running an Advanced Adventure Course for those who would like to better their diving skills and open you up to more diving like Night and Drift.

Also last but not least. Come along to the Great White Shark talk at Terrigal.

Well we didnt win but had dam fun trying

2009-06-01T23:22:00.000-07:00

We came we competed and left empty handed!

This years Scuba Olympics was not to be!

We were robbed of course!

Our team was stronger than last year but we just didnt put the right people in the events that mattered. oh well there is next year!

Scuba Shack Ezine May 27 2009

2009-05-26T22:35:00.000-07:00

Hi All, Welcome to another edition of Shack Chat. Scuba Shack Ezine.
Well what another shocker of a weekend! Never mind, we have this weekends SCUBA OLYMPICS to look forward to. Thank you to those who came on board to make up the Scuba Shack Team. As you are aware Scuba Shack took out the Olympics Last year almost winning each and every event! This year we need to defend our crown and take it home again for Scuba Shack. Don’t forget though we need a big Cheer Squad to bring the team to victory!!!.

This is your invite to join us at Tomaree Heated Pool this Sunday at
9am for the SCUBA OLYMPICS.
Even if you are not on a team we need you to come along and support the Scuba Shack Team.
The party atmosphere will ensure a great day out so JOIN US,
all are welcome. Please call the shop if you are wanting to come along and join in on this fun event. We will meet at the shop at 7.45am for those who would like to Car Pool!

We are running a single boat dive this Saturday from Norah Head Boat Ramp. $50 per diver first in best dressed. Call the shop now.

We are really excited about this weeks ezine as we have some great news about the Coolidge Trip and also announcing some exciting Domestic Trips as well. So stay tuned!

THINK YOU CANT AFFORD THE DIVE TRIP OVERSEAS??? HOW DOES $40 A WEEK SOUND
That’s right folks! This is breaking News. You can either pay the cash price of $1899.00 or you can pay around $40 per week! NO WE ARE NOT JOKING….YOU MUST BE QUICK as this offer will not last!
Subject to terms and conditions.$50 contract fee applies
Come to the Coolidge Vanuatu for
$1899.00 per Diver Upfront Payment
or pay $40 per week
$1450.00 Non Diver Upfront Payment
or pay $31 per week
7 Nights Accomodation
Return Airfares and departure tax
Breakfast Daily
8 Dives
Morning tea
Subject to terms and conditions.$50 contract fee applies

BOAT DIVE THIS SATURDAY!
Single Boat Dive this Saturday
Norah Head Boat Ramp
12:30pm
$50 per diver
CALL US NOW 0243968863 FIRST IN BEST DRESSED

THE DEALS OF A LIFE TIME!
If you purchase any Scuba Package from Scuba Shack either upfront of on ezi buy, we will give you a free Advanced Course worth $268.00 So not only will you save 30% on our purchase but we will give you an Advanced Course Absolutely FREE. You and Choose from just the BCD, Regs and Computer Package and Get a Free Advanced Course or you can get the Ultimate Package and get not only the free advanced course but extra discounts!
$50 a week gets you BCD, REGS, NITROX COMPUTER, MASK, SNORKEL, FINS, BOOTS and WETSUIT
And FREE ADVANCED COURSE
And FREE TORCH AND BACKUP!

BRING IT ON!
THE TEAM NEEDS YOU
YOUR DIVE CLUB NEEDS YOU

COME AND CHEER US TO VICTORY!
Tomaree Heated Pool this Sunday at
9am for the SCUBA OLYMPICS.

CALL THE SHOP FOR DETAILS TODAY!

Events are:
• Under water Luge
• Wheel of death
• Blind treasure hunt
• 50 mtr sprint
• Scuba Gear Relay.
• Dive Reel Race relay

POLAR FLEECE JUMPERS NOW AVAILABLE FROM SCUBA SHACK
MEMBERS PRICE
$49.50

DIVE INTO SPEARFISHING
2 DAY COURSE
PROFESSION INSTRUCTORS (BEST IN AUSTRALIA)
18th – 19th JULY
$350.00

THE COOLIDGE
$1899 CASH OR $40 PER WEEK FOR 12 MONTHS!
8 days accomodation
8 dives
breakfasts
$300.00 deposit will secure your spot.
14 weeks to go
5 SPOTS LEFT
BACK TO TOP

MEMBERS DAY SUNDAY
As we mentioned before the shop front will be closed to the general public on Sundays. Club members joining us on club dives will come through the car park entry. Shop facilities will be available for club members going on the club dives so you can still purchase items before you go diving or when the group returns to the shop.
BACK TO TOP

ECONOMIC STIMULOUS PACKAGES!

The Oceanic Cruz Scuba Package is too good to miss out on this Summer. With a huge 30% off RRP you really are getting exceptional value for money with this package. The Oceanic Cruz Scuba Package is covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty provided you complete and send in your warranty registration. This of course provides free spare parts for life. Obviously common sense conditions apply.

The Oceanic GT3 CDX5 regulator puts you in total control with its patented Dynamic Adjustment feature. Set it and forget it!

The Oceanic Alpha 8 Octo is the top-performing regulator in its class and one of the most affordably priced regulators you can buy.

The Oceanic Cruz BC is prepared for adventure. Designed in a simple yet functional jacket-style, this BC is ideal for cold water local diving with a lift capacity of 48 lbs. and yet packs flat at 8.2 lbs for travel.

The Oceanic Hera BC is built from the ground up for you – designed specifically around the female form with ample adjustments to make it your own, without sacrificing features and functionality. This may just be the most comfortable, best fitting BC you've ever worn.

The Oceanic Veo 100Nx Navcon is a full-featured air or nitrox personal dive computer in a compact package. Complete with air gauge and compass

HIS PRICE: $1,938.86
Normally $2769.80

OR $42.60 per week NO DEPOSIT & NO INTEREST EVER!

HER PRICE: $2,008.20
Normally $2868.85

OR $44.14 per week NO DEPOSIT & NO INTEREST EVER!

FREE ADVANCED COURSE WITH THIS PACKAGE

This Oceanpro Scuba Package is an exceptional value for money kit , and is fitted with the Oceanic Veo 100Nx Nitrox Dive Computer. This is excellent kit. It is covered by a full Australian 2 year warranty which can be upgraded to a lifetime warranty simply by completing warranty registration. This of course provides free spare parts for life.

The Alpha 8 SP5 Regulator is a robust Regulator used in just about every Dive School and Rental program throughout Australia.
The Second Air Octo is a super streamlined alternate air source that sits flat to reduce drag and prevent tangles.
The Oceanpro Buoyancy Compensator is once again a fully featured unit with Weight Integration and plenty of D-Rings to attach accessories.
And the Veo 100Nx Dive Computer is the best in its class. Now with Nitrox capabilities, this unit will suit all aspects of diving. It has the Computer and Pressure Gauge on one side, and provision for a Side Scan Compass on the other.

OUR PRICE: $1,588.00
Normally $2,200.00

Or $32 per week! NO DEPOSIT NO INTEREST EVER!

FREE ADVANCED COURSE WITH THIS PACKAGE

SOUTH WEST ROCKS TRIP
27th – 29th June
2 night / 4 dive package
Including:
2 nights divers lodge accomodation
Continental breakfast
4 boat dives(double boat dive each day) with use
Second tanks and airfills
$298
$60 DEPOSIT SECURES YOUR SPOT (this deposit is no refundable)
$ BALANCE PAID CASH ONLY ON ARRIVAL TO YOUR TOUR LEADER

Hire is available from Scuba Shack at reduced rates and must be collected by Friday Morning before 10am.

Australia's best ocean cave dive, and voted among the top ten dive sites in Australia, Fish Rock is located just over two kilometres off Smoky Cape at South West Rocks on the New South Wales Mid North Coast.

The thrill of entering a 125 metre long cave and travelling right through the centre of a small island is one dive that you will not want to miss. As well as the cave itself, Fish Rock is home to such an amazing array of marine life that you will easily understand how the island came to be named.

No I hear you thinking…. I cant do that! Well yes you can. These are not only relatively easy dives but bar far the best experience you can have. Open to all levels of diving, this is a dive location that must be included in your dive itinerary!

DON’T WAIT
EZIBUY IT!!

How does this program work?
It's very simple really. Thanks to Ezibuy, you can collect your new Scuba equipment NOW and spread the payments out over 12 months, with NO INTEREST

What can I buy?
Your Oceanic Scuba Package comprising Regulator, Occy Reg, Buoyancy Compensator and Dive Computer is possibly your starting point, but you can also include your Wetsuit, Boots, Mask, Snorkel and Fins and in fact you can even include your Open water or Advanced Diver course.
Why should I buy my own Equipment?
When you own your own Scuba equipment, like anything, you at once become more familiar with the positioning and the working of that gear, and you can adjust straps, Occy Reg and Computer positioning etc. Also when you buy your accessories such as Retainer Clips and Retractors, they can stay permanently attached to your gear. It really does make a lot of sense.

How much can I borrow?
Approved applicants can borrow up to $4,000.00
How much deposit do I need?
No deposit is required.
How much interest do I pay?
There is no interest ever, although there is a nominal application fee of $35.00 plus a transaction fee of $2.50 per month.

What do I do next?
Come in and see us to determine the gear that suits you best.
We do the application while you wait. There are no credit checks or questions about your financial status. Approval will typically take about 1 minute only. You will also need to decide the payment frequency, fortnightly or monthly.
It really is that simple. WHATS STOPPING YOU??

DIVE WITH THE SEALS – JERVIS BAY
16th – 18th October
2 night / 4 dive package
Including:
2 nights divers lodge accomodation
Continental breakfast
BBQ Dinner on Saturday Evening
4 boat dives(double boat dive each day) with use
Second tanks and airfills
$350
$70 DEPOSIT SECURES YOUR SPOT (this deposit is no refundable)
$ BALANCE PAID CASH ONLY ON ARRIVAL TO YOUR TOUR LEADER
Scuba diving with seals is one of the most thrilling underwater experiences imaginable. Seals are one of the most fascinating creatures you can ever dive with. All they want to do is play with you. They are cute and fun but a bit smelly!
To enable Scuba members to dive with the seals, we have organised two night seal diving experience to Jervis Bay staying on the shores of St Georges Basin and Doing 2 dives per day day. We have chosen the best time of year so to ensure our best possible chance of diving with the seals and will be going directly to the colony (seas permitting). We will also be diving in Jervis Bay itself on our second dives which of course is arguably some of the best diving in New South Wales and something for every diver … reefs, drop-offs, caves, crevices, archways and gutters. The average depth of the dive sites is 20 metres; most are multi-level with rocky-reef topography. Some sites have excellent walls, swim-throughs and bubble caves and can drop off to 50 metres.
Soft corals and sponge gardens are part of the beauty, alongside large schooling fish, weedy sea dragons, red Indian fish, a variety of sharks (the docile kind!) plus many other vertebrates and invertebrates.

Pinnacle Wetsuits are the fastest growing manufacturer of thermal protection in the world. They have all that you need to be warm, comfortable, and protected, whether you're snorkeling above a tropical reef near the Equator, or diving beneath a polar ice cap.
All of their wetsuits, drysuits, boots, gloves, and bags, are designed and manufactured for divers by divers with an uncompromising attention to detail and an unyielding commitment to excellence. Innovations such as their patented Merino lining, Elastiprene material, and neck sealing systems are just a few of the reasons that you'll be more comfortable in a Pinnacle Suit.
When you demand the best thermal protection that money can buy, choose Pinnacle.
CHECK OUT THE NEW ELASTIPRENE
The Merino-Elastiprene 5 represents a revolutionary breakthrough in wetsuit design! This is the world's first truly high-stretch wetsuit that still provides superior insulation. The Merino Elastiprene provides more flexibility and sizing latitude than most traditional 3mm suits, yet is as warm as many 7mm suits. It is also the first high-stretch suit to incorporate Pinancle's famous Merino™ lining system, which not only adds warmth, but also promotes quick drying after a dive and helps to reduce odors. At the same time, the Merino-Elastiprene 5 is built to last, as durable as all Pinnacle suits. This suit is the obvious choice for highly discerning divers who want the best temperate water suit available.

Once again hit the bottom. Please be careful of your buoyancy!

www.scubashack.com.au
info@scubashack.com.au

Scuba Shack Ezine 21 May 2009

2009-05-20T23:28:00.000-07:00

Hi All, Welcome to another edition of Shack Chat. Scuba Shack Ezine.
Last weekend was a mixed bag for diving. Satuarday saw dive club members treated to an awesome crystal clear flat as a tac dive at Skillion Cave with fishlife everywhere. Jim expertly led our divers in an through the cave, some of these divers had never done this dive before and now place it on there favourites list. Others made their way to Flat Rock at Norah Head for an equally brillian experience, fabulous swim throughs, abundance of fishlife and calm conditions.

The class also experienced wonderful but cold conditions by the afternoon but by Sunday they were seasoned and a great time was had by all on course!

Sundays dive was sheduled to be at Cabbage Tree, but the divers once again went to Skillion Cave in a hope to experience what they had the day before. Unfortunatley the viz was not quite as good but a good dive was had all in all. On the other hand… those divers who did head to Cabbage Tree for the day said it was one of the best dives they had had at that site with brilliant Viz, calm conditions and fishlife everywhere.

Don’t forget the boat is running this weekend from Norah Head on Saturday and Sunday at Terrigal Haven , We do have some spots available so please phone the shop to book!

We now have a few more of the small Fleecy jackets in stock (found em in the box) They Full Zip up front Blue Polar Fleece, to keep you warm and toasty after every dive! Get in and grab one now! Only $49.50 for members! Long Sleeve Dive Crew Shirts are also in some come on in and check them out they are $27 for members.

THE DEALS OF A LIFE TIME!
If you purchase any Scuba Package from Scuba Shack either upfront of on ezi buy, we will give you a free Advanced Course worth $268.00 So not only will you save 30% on our purchase but we will give you an Advanced Course Absolutely FREE. You and Choose from just the BCD, Regs and Computer Package and Get a Free Advanced Course or you can get the Ultimate Package and get not only the free advanced course but extra discounts!
$50 a week gets you BCD, REGS, NITROX COMPUTER, MASK, SNORKEL, FINS, BOOTS and WETSUIT
And FREE ADVANCED COURSE
And FREE TORCH AND BACKUP!

DEFENDING THE TITLE!
The Scuba Olympics are on next weekend and we still have our 2nd team to fill! We still have 4 spaces for the Scuba Olympics on this team. Your $13.50 entry fee will get you a spot on this 2nd Scuba Shack team. COME ON PEOPLE! WE HAVE TO DEFEND THE TITLE!

Events are:
• Under water Luge
• Wheel of death
• Blind treasure hunt
• 50 mtr sprint
• Scuba Gear Relay.
• Dive Reel Race relay

THE COOLIDGE
$1899
8 days accomodation
8 dives
breakfasts
$300.00 deposit will secure your spot.
14 weeks to go
5 SPOTS LEFT

Swansea Bridge, Fanned Bellies and Old Wives Meetings

2009-05-10T16:12:00.000-07:00

A great days diving at Swansea Bridge on Saturday with the sun shining and the water glistening... what more could you have wanted? How about 10m viz, loads and loads of fish and great company.

The fishlife was brimming on the weekend and they didn't let us down posing for the cameras. Once again fish that just should not be there were there. Stars and stripes Puffer, and an array of other tropical species.

On Saturday we parked at the Bridge Car park and entered via the boat ramp. Instantly we were greeted by the fish life and made our way across the bridge weaving around the pylons. Almost immediately you saw huge numbers of fish such as luderick and bream There is still a mass amount of rubbish on the bottom, old pylons and pieces of metal and pipes and other things like bikes and trolleys that have been thrown over the bridge. These offer protection from the current and a home to many species of fish as well as soft corals and sponges.

As we continued across the channel under the bridge we found pineapplefish hiding under one of the numerous rubbish structures. Almost every pylon had dozens of leatherjackets hovering around. Mosaic, rough, and fan-bellied and Chinaman. The amount of flounder we saw was astounding. What a great dive! we thought we might come back on Sunday!

We Sunday was definitely a different story. The rain flogged down all morning and we froze as we geared up. This time we decided to get in a little early and drift down to the bridge so we parked in the RSL car Park. In my opinion a much easier and nicer place to get a dive in.

We entered the water and this time the viz as only around the 5m mark but the fishlife again did not disappoint us.

Once again almost immediately Old Wives, balling catfish, Morrish Idols, Snapper, Puffers, Leather jacket and the usual small butterflyfish and the likes.

What a great weekend of diving with Scuba Shack!

The Night Dive

2009-05-05T16:34:00.000-07:00

The Night Dive; its a different style of diving to day diving, some divers either love it or they hate it. To those who have never been on a night dive, the obvious question is 'why bother?' The answer lies in the fact that many underwater animals, which hide during the day, come out to feed at night and can be easily spotted in a diver's torch beam. Many of the species of crustaceans and molluscs use the night hours in this way, and some of their predators, such as conger eels, follow suit. By day, many of these species can only be seen at the back of holes or under rocks, but by night they can be found in open spaces.
Although visibility under the water is obviously restricted by the darkness, this situation should not be confused with low-visibility situations caused by particles suspended in the water. At night, the clarity of the water is often very good, and this sensation is heightened owing to the fact that the diver's horizon is restricted to the penetration of his torch beam. This causes the diver to concentrate in the objects that his beam of light shines upon. Sites dived at night often seem to have a lot more life than when dived during the day. In reality this is not so, but during the day the diver's horizon is wider and he may not spot all that is there.
A trick worth remembering is that, because of the inability of low-angle sunlight to penetrate the water surface, the seabed becomes darkened (and nightlife becomes active) before it is fully dark at the surface. The clever night diver uses this fact to aid surface recovery by the cover party after his 'night' dive.
Even a complete night dive is seldom totally dark. If the diver switches off his torch, he will be suprised at the amount of light there is. Relected sunlight from the moon and starlight are major sources, but once the diver's eyes have become accustomed to the dark he may see the water apparently glowing, and when he moves in the water the disturbance causes a display of phosphorescence. This is caused by phosphorescent plankton giving off a glow when they are disturbed.
The use of a torch allows the diver to see easily under the water and, because the light source is close to the objects on which it is shone, the full spectrum of light is available to the objects on illuminate them. This means that instead of the usual blue-green look seen in daylight, the bright colours that actually exist are revealed to the diver. Plants and animals that look black by daylight are suddenly shown to be coloured in scarlets and purples. The same effect is, of course, available to photographers using artificial light and can lead to a rewarding pastime.
The night dive therefore provides an experience in which the senses are sharpened, the animals are more obvious and the natural colours are fully restored by the torchlight, which the diver carries.

Well its been so long!

2009-05-04T15:58:00.000-07:00

Where to start?? Well I got married and it was a great night! The shop is still going strong and our latest award was TDI SDI Most Outstanding Training so that was a good one!!! That will be the 2nd time round for that one!

SOme of the guys just did a quick trip to Hideaway Island where they got out of this awful cold weather and dived in beautiful clear conditions and in warm calm water.

The rain is doing my head in, we have to do something exciting here to take my mind off it all! WHAT???? suggestions anyone?

More photos from North Solitary Islands

2008-09-22T20:51:00.000-07:00

Trip to Coffs Harbour with Scuba Shack

2008-09-22T20:35:00.001-07:00

Well those who came along to The North Solitary Islands will have to agree that it was a great trip, and diving was fantastic! We saw some great marine life including Turtles, Spanish Dancers, Grey Nurse Sharks, Grouper, Wobbi, Nudies, lots of Anemone Fish, schools and schools of Surgeon Fish & Reef Banner Fish.

After the 6 hour drive up, we were in 4 different accommodations. 5 in the Dive Lodge, 7 others hired a house, 2 stayed with Friends and the other 2 hit the caravan park. So 16 of us landed on Mullaway ready and eager for the weekends diving.

Friday night was mellow, we unpacked and the 7 of us staying in the house were in bed and snoring by 9am. When we woke the howling winds had eased a little and we were excited to hear that we could get to North West Solitary to dive Manta Reef and maybe the E gutters.

We loaded up into 2 boats and away we went to the beach to help launch the boats. The ride was a little rough but when we got into the water we had a beautiful dive seeing lots of Spanish Dancer, Wobbies and lovely hard and soft corals along what is known as Manta Reef.

Our boats second dive was not as successful with 5 of us taking an incorrect turn and ending up where the first dive was. 2 of us however managed to complete the dive and remarked that it was awesome.

On Saturday evening an invitation went out to all travelers to join us at the house for a BBQ. 16 of us sat, ate, laughed and chatted out the back and watched the display of Lee chasing Dave with the hose. This was entertaining to say the least.

The next morning the weather had turned it on for us and a spectacular morning meant that we could get to North Solitary and dive Anemone Bay and Elbow reef. My 2 favourite sites.

Elbow reef was amazing with the 2 sink holes and lots of marine life. Anemone Bay was another spectacular dive with 1000’s of Anemone Fish, Grey Nurse Sharks, Schools of Surgeon Fish and Banner Fish.

I would like to thank everyone for a fantastic trip.

Have a look at our website for more information on Scuba Shack Toukley