Category: Dive Travel

DISCOVER The Sunken Secrets of New Zealand’s North Island!!

THE TRIP

Join us for a truly incredible dive adventure as we explore some of the best diving that New Zealand has to offer. In one trip you will explore two of New Zealand’s diving jewels and 4 of their most famous wrecks! We will be exploring the Poor Knights Islands, Bay of Islands, HMNZS Waikato, MHNZS Tui, HMNZS Canterbury and the famous Rainbow Warrior! We have timed our trip perfectly to ensure that the water temps are a little more comfortable for Brisbane diving regulars! This incredible trip is strictly limited to 7 divers as that is the maximum loading for the MV Acheron live aboard. Here is a brief run down of each site we will be exploring and a video of what you can expect:

The Poor Knights Islands : The Poor Knights Islands are a complete marine reserve and rated in the top ten dive sites in the world by diving pioneer Jacques Cousteau. The Poor Knights Islands are the eroded remnants of a 4 million year old volcano. Ten million years ago a series of violent eruptions created a large land mass off New Zealand’s north east coast. Constant erosion by wind and wave action, combined with sea level changes have created the stunningly dramatic cluster of islands and rock formations that are now known as the Poor Knights. With dense kelp forests, sand channels, vertical walls, giant sea caves, archways and underwater caverns, it is no wonder that divers come from all over the world to dive in the Poor Knights. Add to this a subtropical current that carries marine life from tropical waters and you have a diver’s heaven.

Check out this awesome video from the Everything Travel Group about the incredible array of sea creatures waiting for you: http://www.youtube.comwatch?v=eanp29FwDZw

HMNZS Waikato – The frigate ex HMNZS Waikato was built by Harland and Wolff in Belfast, Ireland, launched on February 18 1966, and commissioned into the Royal New Zealand Navy on September 5, 1966. At 113.4m long, 12.5m beam and a draft of 5.5m she was the first of the Leander class frigates built for the navy. She had a top speed of 30 knots, and was powered by twin steam turbines developing 30,000hp. The Waikato was armed to the teeth, sporting twin 4.5in guns in the turret, two 20mm Orlikeon machine guns on the wings, a quad Seacat anti-aircraft missile launcher, six 12.75m anti-submarine torpedo tubes, one anti-submarine warfare Limbo mortar Mark 10 and a Wasp Helicopter capable of delivering depth charges and the Mark 46 anti-submarine torpedo. She served the RNZ Navy until decommissioning in 1998. Tutukaka Coast won the tender and prepared the ship for divers during 1999/2000. Finally the ship was sent to her final resting place on the 25th of November 2000 in a world record time of 2 min 40 seconds. She now rests in 28m of water. The Waikato was the only purpose-sunk frigate in the Southern Hemisphere before the HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide were sunk in Australia. Her turret and one propeller were left on the ship.

Check out this awesome video of the HMNZS Waikato by Pelagic Productions UW – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eZg18A53IY

HMNZS Tui – Formerly USNS Charles H. Davis (T-AGOR-5), was one of nine Conrad class oceanographic ships built for the United States Navy (USN), that later saw service in the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Serving with the USN from 1963 to 1970, these ships were designed to perform acoustic experiments on sound transmission underwater, and for gravity, magnetism and deep-ocean floor studies. For the last 17 years of her working life she was leased out by the United States Navy to become the HMNZS Tui, deployed on naval hydrographic work. She was also sent to Mururoa to observe the last series of French Nuclear bomb tests in the South Pacific, and became the unofficial mothership to a large international protest fleet.The Tui was gifted to Tutukaka Coast Promotions after long negotiations, prepared for her new role as a dive attraction and sunk off Tutukaka on the 20th of February 1999.In 1999, the ship was scuttled as a dive wreck. In February 1999, Tui was scuttled 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Tutukaka Heads to serve as a tourist attraction and wreck for divers, following a period of work on her which removed any objects in danger of breaking free and welding shut any areas that may have posed a hazard for wreck diver. She was sunk at a depth of 32m of water.

Sinking of the Tui in 1999 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44TGP461IF0#t=23

The wrecks of the Tui and the Waikato after 5 years on the seabed – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDw_Er4gEwk

Our Vessel : The MV Acheron diving vessel will be our home for the first 5 nights of our adventure. Acheron is a 23m wooden launch with luxurious accommodation for up to 8 guests in 4 twin berth with ensuite cabins. The well-equipped boat offers a high level of diving convenience on the covered back deck and has been designed to suit the needs of all divers. She will be our diving platform to explore the Poor Knights Islands and the wrecks of the Tui and Waikato.

More about our boat here : https://www.facebook.com/pg/RVAcheron/photos/?ref=page_internal

Bay of Islands – The Bay of Islands is an area in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located 60 km north-west of Whangarei, it is about 210 km by road to Cape Reinga at the northern tip of the country. It is one of the most popular fishing, sailing and tourist destinations in the country, and has been renowned internationally for its big-game fishing since American author Zane Grey publicised it in the 1930s.

A full list of the dive sites that will be available to us at the Bay of Islands can be found here: http://www.northlanddive.com/diving/sites.html

HMNZS Canterbury – (F421) was one of two broad beam Leander class frigates operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) from 1971 to 2005. HMNZS Canterbury was laid down on 12 June 1969 by Yarrow Shipbuilders and launched 11 months later on 6 May 1970. Commissioned on 22 October 1971, Canterbury went on to see operational service in much of Australasia and other regions like the Persian Gulf, undertaking operations like supporting UN sanctions against Iraq and peace-keeping in East Timor. In addition, Canterbury and her sister ship HMNZS Waikato relieved the Royal Navy frigate HMS Amazon in the Indian Ocean during the Falklands War, and later on her own, relieved the frigate HMNZS Otago at Moruroa during anti-nuclear protests. Canterbury was decommissioned in

2005 and after extensive works to remove potentially toxic materials, she was scuttled on 3 November 2007 at Deep Water Cove in the Bay of Islands to provide a dive wreck. She lies in 38 metres (125 ft) of water

Here is a fantastic video of the HMNZS Canterbury as she lies on the seafloor today filmed by Axel Busch : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz_O9tTA6AA

Rainbow Warrior – The Rainbow Warrior (sometimes informally called Rainbow Warrior I) was a former UK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) trawler later purchased by the environmental organization Greenpeace. The ship was active in supporting a number of Greenpeace protest activities against seal hunting, whaling and nuclear weapons testing during the late 1970s and early 1980s. She was sunk whilst in harbour in New Zealand by operatives of the French intelligence service (DGSE) on 10 July 1985, killing one of the activists. The wreck of the Rainbow Warrior was refloated on 21 August 1985 and moved to a naval harbour for forensic examination. Although the hull had been recovered, the

damage was too extensive for economic repair and the vessel was scuttled in

Matauri Bay in the Cavalli Islands, New Zealand, on 12 December 1987, to serve as a dive wreck and artificial reef to promote marine life.

Check out this sensational video of the Rainbow Warrior filmed by D M Larsson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEIAjwCg-Fo

DIVE INFORMATION

Suitable for Advanced Open Water Divers but preferably with Deep certification (certified to 40 metres)
Wreck certification is not a requirement to dive these sites but is highly recommended
Depth ranges from 6 – 40 metres
EAN (nitrox) is included for the whole trip (certification is required)
Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience

TRIP DATES

5 to 14 March 2017

PRICE

$3,000 per person

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Private van transfers for the trip

4 nights twin share accommodation aboard the MV Acheron
4 Days of unlimited diving at the Poor Knights Islands (16 + dives)
All food aboard MV Acheron

4 nights accommodation at Northland Dive Lodge
3 days of diving with Northland Dive (6 dives), including the Canterbury wreck, Rainbow Warrior wreck, Waikato wreck and the Bay of Islands
All food whilst at Northland Dive Lodge
Nitrox fills for the whole trip

WHAT’S EXCLUDED

Flights to and from Auckland
Travel Insurance
Personal spending monies
Excess luggage surcharges
Meals other than those already noted

GEAR HIRE

PDS is able to rent you a wetsuit, BCD, regulator and computer for the trip. Please communicate your requirements on the booking form. Each diver must provide their own mask, snorkel, fins and boots (not available for hire). Underwater camera and torches are also available and are subject to availability. All gear must be arranged prior to the trip and we will arrange to get the gear to you so you can pack it in your luggage for the trip.

ITINERARY

To be confirmed

SPECIALITIES SUITABLE FOR THIS TRIP

Self Reliant
Advanced Open Water (perfect for this trip)
Underwater Navigation
Nitrox (Enriched Air)
Deep Diver
Digital Underwater Photographer
Underwater Photographer
Underwater Videographer
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Dry Suit
Shark Awareness
Underwater Naturalist

HOW TO BOOK
Download the booking form attached to the page. Complete the required fields, scan and email to [email protected].

September 12, 2014
A Spectacular Weekend Away at Nelson Bay, NSW.

THE DIVE SITE
Nelson Bay at Port Stephens is one of the hidden gems of diving on the Eastern seaboard of Australia. Whilst it’s secrets are well known to the divers of Sydney and the central coast the majority of Australia is yet to discover the amazing encounters waiting for them below the waters of Nelson Bay. You can encounter Grey Nurse sharks in large numbers, Port Jackson sharks,pipe fish, sea horses, seals, endemic nudibranchs, turtles, rays, and a myriad of fish. A true wide angle and macro photographer’s paradise with enough sea life to keep any diver struggling with which direction to look next!

Boat diving in Nelson Bay with Lets Go Adventures is a fun, exciting and memorable experience. Whether you want to dive with grey nurse sharks at Broughton Island, or prefer exploring some of the unique local islands, Lets Go Adventures caters for all experience levels. Their site selection on the day of our dive is determined by us and the most experienced dive skippers in Port Stephens; Chris Norman, Adam Shorter, Pete Jensen & Jimmy Dodd who individually hold over 20-30+ years each, skippering/diving in the stunning waters of Port Stephens. They also offer a free guide service to everyone also with Nelson Bay’s Most experienced dive master crew.

“MV Tomaree” is the most comfortable dive boat in Nelson Bay. The MV Tomaree has fast new engines, a twin hull for stability, a large dive deck area, and onboard toilet. You just need to come for a dive with them to see why local divers of Nelson Bay voted them winners in the Boating, Fishing & Camping Category of the Port Stephens Business Awards. Dive sites include :

Broughton Island : Looking Glass, Shark Gutters, Elephant Rock, North Rock, Cod Rock, East Head, Bubble Cave & Spider Cave.

Local island and wreck dives : Little wreck, North East Cabbagetree Island, The Pinnacle, Safety Cove Boondelbah Island, Little Island Gutters, The Oakland Wreck, The Macleay Wreck, Government Wharf, Fingal Sponges & Red Patch.

Shore Dives : Fly Point, Halifax, Little Beach, The Pipeline & Seahorse Gardens.

For what you can expect check out Dave Harasti’s video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGgr2n1ec-s

DIVE INFORMATION

-Suitable for Open Water Divers (certified to 18 metres), however Advanced Open Water Certification is advised to ensure all sites are accessible to you
-Depth ranges from 6 – 34 metres
-EAN (nitrox) is available at $10 extra per dive.
-Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience

TRIP DATES

Friday, 16- Sunday, 18 December 2016

PRICE
$600 per person

The following are recommended upgrades for this trip
Diving on Nitrox@ $ 10 per dive or $50 for the weekend
PADI Advanced Open Water Course @ $250 per person
PADI Deep Diver speciality Course @ $195 per person
PADI Enriched Air speciality Course @ $245 per person for manual learning or $345 per person for on-line learning (both prices include 2 Nitrox fills)

WHAT’S INCLUDED

All air fills
5 dives – 4 boat dives (double at North Broughton Island, double at Oakland wreck and local island site and a shore dive)
2 night’s accommodation
Return private transport
Tanks & Weights

WHAT’S EXCLUDED

All Dive Gear (excluding tanks & weights)
Travel Insurance
Personal spending money
All Meals are at leisure

GEAR HIRE
PDS is able to provide you with a wetsuit, BCD, regulator, computer, tanks and weights for the weekend and please communicate your requirements on the booking form. Each diver must provide their own mask, snorkel, fins and boots (not available for hire). Underwater camera and torches are also available and are subject to availability.

ITINERARY

We will departing Brisbane (Woolloongabba) just on midday on Friday and from here you will be driven in our company van to Nelson Bay. Upon arrival we will check in to our accommodation and get a good night sleep ready to dive the Broughton Island on Saturday (double dive and a shore dive in the afternoon). On Sunday, we will do 2 boat dives in the morning to the Oakland wreck and another local island site before heading back to Brisbane after lunch. An itinerary with timings will be sent to you closer to the date of the trip.

SPECIALITIES SUITABLE FOR THIS TRIP
Advanced Open Water (highly recommended on this weekend)
Enriched Air (Nitrox)
Deep Diver
Digital Underwater Photographer
Underwater Photographer
Underwater Videographer
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Dry Suit Diver
Shark Awareness
Underwater Naturalist

Note- Some specialties are site and conditions dependent. All efforts will be made to complete course dives on a booked trip, however if conditions do not allow it the diver will have to book onto another trip to complete the course requirements.

Extra Special Note – Thank you to Jim Dodd of UW Photography.com.au for allowing us to use these incredible images for promotion. We hope to try and emulate them.

September 3, 2014
Explore the Capricorn Bunker Group and Southern Great Barrier Reef aboard the MV Adori

The Trip
Come and join us aboard the MV Adori. A hidden gem known to locals and fishermen we have the unique opportunity to explore reefs and islands that have previously been accessible to private boat owners. Join us as we explore endless islands and reefs with literally hundreds of sites to chose from. The MV Adori is a private live aboard housing only 8 divers and two crew so you are guarnteed of a personal and private liveaboard experience. The Adori is also BYO so you can bring your favourite tipple to drink whilst watching the sun set over the horizon. Warm waters and tropical diving. What more could you want? This trip is a must for every diver with diverse coral cays, reefs, islands and abundant marine life.

Dive Information

Suitable for Open Water Divers (certified to 18 metres)

Depth ranges from 4 – 28 metres

Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience

Trip Dates

To Be Confirmed

Price

$1450 per person

What’s Included

Tanks and weights
Up to 14 dives including 3 night dives
4 nights accommodation in air conditioned bunks
All fresh prepared home style meals and snacks between dives
Dive deck and fresh water tubs for your camera equipment
All air fills
Return transport to Yeppoon from Brisbane

What’s Excluded
All Dive Gear
Transport to Yeppoon if you are making your own way
Alcohol (The MV Adori is a BYO vessel – alcohol is not available for purchase)
Soft drinks (please feel free to bring your own)

Gear Hire
PDS is able to rent you a wetsuit, BCD, regulator and computer for the weekend, please communicate your requirements on the booking form. Each diver must provide their own mask, snorkel, fins and boots (not available for hire). Underwater camera and torches are also available and are subject to availability.

Itinerary
DAY 1
At 3pm everyone stows their gear and settles in on-board. We will set up our gear and secure our bunks before steaming from port ready for our first dive. We will do a check out dive in the late afternoon at Egg Island and then the first of our night dives. Egg is one of the popular local sites that is home to numerous olive green sea snakes.

DAY 2
Today we wake up at any number of reefs or islands. Our destination is literally up to us and the conditions! We are ideally located to hit up Tryon Island, North West Island, Broomfield Reef, Wilson Island, Wilson Reef, Wistari Reef, Masthead Island and all of the other reefs and islands of the Capricorn Bunker Group. The possibilities are endless!

DAY 3

Today we wake up at any number of reefs or islands. Our destination is literally up to us and the conditions! We are ideally located to hit up Tryon Island, North West Island, Broomfield Reef, Wilson Island, Wilson Reef, Wistari Reef, Masthead Island and all of the other reefs and islands of the Capricorn Bunker Group. The possibilities are endless!

DAY 4

Today we will dive any number of sensational local sites on our way back to Yeppoon. We will be back in port at 5pm. We anticipate having everyone back to Woolloongabba by midnight.

Specialities Suitable for this trip

Self Reliant Diver (perfect for this trip)
Advanced Open Water (perfect for this trip)
Under water NavigationDigital Underwater Photographer
Underwater Photographer
Underwater Videographer
Search and Recovery
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Shark Awareness
Underwater Naturalist

HOW TO BOOK
Download the booking form attached to the page. Complete the required fields, scan and email to [email protected]

August 22, 2014
Post Processing Course at Byron Bay with U/W Photography Legend Ross Gudgeon
THE DIVE SITE

Discover the Magic of Julian Rocks in Byron Bay – One of the Top 10 dive sites in Australia!

According to a story from the Bundjalung people a jealous husband threw his spear at the canoe of his wife and her lover. The canoe broke in two and sank to the bottom of the ocean. Only the back and the front of the boat stuck out of the water, creating a rock formation just 2.5 km off shore.

Named by Captain Cook in 1776, Julian Rocks in Byron Bay consists of ancient sedimentary rock, remains of a volcanic eruption more than 20 million years ago. It is an extension of Cape Byron separated by water and forms a most unique marine reserve, providing shelter and food for more than 500 tropical and temperate fish species alone!

From the 1st of December 2002 Julian Rocks has become part of the Cape Byron Marine Park and in May 2006 the new Marine Park zoning plan has come into action which amongst other things means that an area of 1500m around Julian Rocks has become a Sanctuary Zone for most of the year. This will hopefully see fish stocks replenish and give the critically endangered Grey Nurse Sharks some well-deserved additional protection.

Grey Nurse Sharks come to Julian Rocks during the winter months, presumably to breed. Although these sharks look ferocious with their mouths slightly opened and their teeth sticking out, it is perfectly safe to dive with them. The most commonly dived sites during the winter months are the Cod Hole, Turtle trench and Hugo’s Trench as these are where the Grey Nurse sharks like to patrol the sand trenches. An absolutely incredible sight as they are not shy about approaching divers and making sure that they put on a performance you will never forget!

In spring the blue tang pays Julian Rocks a visit. This is a fish, which can be easily distinguished by its blue body and bright yellow tail. Schools of big-eye trevally are most common in summer. The docile leopard sharks can be seen on almost every dive during mid-summer when the waters are warmest. The spotted patterns on their skin gives them their name. Most of the time they lie resting on the sand, but if you are lucky you can see them swimming, moving their long tail slowly. During the Summer months the biggest draw card to the rocks are definitely the Leopard sharks (also known as Zebra sharks) and the main stars… Manta Rays!! These gorgeous graceful creatures glide effortlessly through the water dazzling divers with their somersaults and back flips, twisting and changing direction with the slightest bend of a fin. These magnificent creatures will keep you enthralled and begging for more as they soar from view.

And then there are of course the ‘regulars’ like different species of wobbegong sharks, turtles, cuttlefish (family of the octopus), schools of white spotted eagle rays, egg-cowry shells, moray eels, banner fish, giant guitar fish and shovel-nose rays. Sometimes there are so many fish around, you can hardly see where you are going. Not to mention all sessile animals (attached to substrate) like tunicates, colourful sponges, both hard and soft corals, giving you the feeling you are floating through some beautifully landscaped underwater garden.

The Rock also forms a home for rare species such as the leaf scorpion fish, the pineapple fish with bioluminescent organs under its eyes, the shy blue devil fish, white banded anemone fish and a species of nudibranch previously thought not present in Australian waters: Noumea labouti. (A nudibranch is a colourful underwater snail without a shell, carrying its respiratory organ on its back)

The interaction of tropical and temperate species makes every dive an exhilarating adventure. The three minute boat trip to the rock is almost as exciting: surfing the waves sometimes accompanied by playful dolphins. From May till September the Humpback whales come past Byron Bay and can easily be spotted from the boat. With water temperatures up to 25 degrees Celsius and visibility of 20 meters at most times there is really nothing to complain about.

Dive Information

-Suitable for Open Water Divers (certified to 18 metres)
-Depth ranges from 4 – 28 metres
-Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience

Trip Dates

Weekend Trip– 8- 10 August 2014

Price

Weekend Away including Ross Gudgeon’s Post Processing Course -$600 per person and includes 3 dives, 2 night’s accommodation return transport from Woolloongabba, tanks, weights morning /afternoon tea and lunch on both days and Ross Gudgeon’s post processing course.

Weekend Away -$600 per person and includes 5 dives, 2 night’s accommodation return transport from Woolloongabba, tanks and weights.

What’s Excluded

All Dive Gear (excluding tanks & weights)
Travel Insurance
Personal spending money
All Meals are at leisure (unless otherwise indicated)

Gear Hire

PDS is able to rent you a wetsuit, BCD, regulator and computer for the day and please communicate your requirements on the booking form. Each diver must provide their own mask, snorkel, fins and boots (not available for hire). Underwater camera and torches are also available and are subject to availability.

Itinerary

If you are travelling to Byron Bay in the Professional Dive Services van, which will leave from Adreno (54 Deshon Street, Woolloongabba) early evening on Friday. There is parking available for the weekend either at the rear of the shop or off street parking.

A full itinerary for the weekend will be sent to participants in the week leading to but for those interested in the Ross Gudgeon Course please find the details of what is included below:

Saturday:

8:00am – Dive 1 with Sundive

10:45am – Dive 2 with Sundive

12:30pm to 4:30pm – Post Processing Course Part 1

Sunday:

8:00am – Dive with Sundive

10:30am to 4:00pm – Post Processing Course Part 2

Ross will provide morning/afternoon tea and lunch both days (except Saturday morning). Price of these is included in the course fee.

***If you have previously done a course with Ross you are entitled to a $15 discount on the course – please mention this to us at the time of booking.***

Course program is:
- Importing files, storing, sorting and rating images
- Work flow for RAW image conversion and processing using Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw in Photoshop
- Special techniques in Lightroom and Photoshop for removing backscatter
- Special techniques for enhancing UW photos
- Converting images to black and white
- Preparation and enhancement of images for printing and display
· Demonstration of techniques taught using students own photos (Each student to provide 3 or 4 RAW images for this section)

Specialities Suitable for this trip

Digital Underwater Photographer
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Dry Suit
Underwater Naturalist

HOW TO BOOK
Download the booking form attached to the page. Complete the required fields, scan and email to [email protected].
July 29, 2014
Night Dives at the Gold Coast Seaway

THE DIVES

The Gold Coast Seaway has greater variety and more recorded species of any shore dive in Australia. With over 400 different species found in the seaway we are lucky to have it right on our back door step! You can dive a site a thousand times and when you dive it for the first time at night it feels like an entirely different site. So come down and join us and rediscover our local under the cover of darkness!

If you have already completed a night dive as part of your Advanced Open Water then you only have to join us for one night to complete the practical component of your Night diver specialty. If you haven’t then we will need you to join us for both nights.

Brief History of the Gold Coast Seaway –

In 1984 a project commenced to stabilize the Nerang River estuary which links the Gold Coast Broadwater and Nerang River to the Pacific Ocean. The purpose was to ensure a safer entrance for recreational boats, the trawler fleet and other commercial boats accessing the Pacific from the Gold Coast and to also provide permanent point at which to pump treated effluent water out to sea. In addition, the objective was to reduce the northward sand drift from forming bars in the entrance to the seaway and blocking access to small craft. As a result, a sand pumping jetty was installed south of the seaway and the sand is pumped north across the seaway through a bypass pipe and out onto the beach of South Stradbroke Island. Prior to the Gold Coast Seaway being constructed there was an area at the southern end of Crab Island known as “The Deep Hole”. This was a thriving ecosystem that was home to many fish. However, on the opening of the Gold Coast Seaway in 1986, this filled with sand and the habitat was lost.

The sand bypass pipe was initially set under the sand at 6m, with the planned seafloor at low tide to be approximately 4.5 metres, but the tidal currents that filled The Deep Hole with sand quickly uncovered the pipe. It has since remained largely exposed. Since being uncovered, 10 upright supports were installed anchoring the pipe above the seaway floor, 13 metres being the deepest point the bypass pipe reaches and in some places the pipe is 3 m off the seaway floor. This pipe, the effluent outlet pipe and the rock walls of the Gold Coast Seaway have gradually over the last 20 years replaced the lost habitat of The Deep Hole and now offer a special and significant marine environment.

DIVE INFORMATION

Suitable for Open Water Divers (certified to 18 metres)
Depth ranges from 4 – 18 metres
Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience

DATES

Monday, 29 April 2019
Tuesday, 30 April 2019

To book onto anyone of our night dives click HERE

PRICE

$50 per person

The following are recommended upgrade for this dive
PADI Night Diver speciality course @ $295 per person

WHAT’S INCLUDED

1 x Night dive at the Gold Coast Seaway
Tank and weights
Dive Master services

WHAT’S EXCLUDED

All Dive Gear (excluding tanks & weights)

GEAR HIRE

PDS is able to provide you with a wetsuit, BCD, regulator, computer, tanks and weights for the dives and please communicate your requirements on the booking form. Full gear hire is $40 for the dive and individual pricing is available upon request. You must provide your own mask, snorkel, fins and boots these items are not available for hire from us

HOW TO BOOK

Download the booking form attached to the page. Complete the required fields, scan and email to [email protected].

OR

Click HERE to book online

Please do not turn up unannounced as we may not have enough tanks and weights for everyone.

July 4, 2014
Palau – The world’s first national marine sanctuary / An unspoilt tropical island paradise

Dive Information

Palau’s warm tropical waters are legendary amongst divers for their dramatic sheer walls rising from the depths to within inches of the surface and capped with thriving coral reefs. Palau is home to over 1,300 species of fish and more than 700 species of coral. World renowned for its’ marine bio-diversity and abundance of large pelagic animals. Palau also offers avid wreck divers one of Micronesia’s largest collections of WWII shipwrecks.

Check out this incredible video from Lee Burghard to see what you can expect!

Palau is a divers dream! A true one stop shop when it comes to diving! Healthy reefs, stunning walls, beautiful hard corals and soft corals, lots of sharks, huge mantas, turtles on every dive and huge schools of fish, tiny seahorses, elusive mandarin fish and lots and lots of tiny critters, all topped off with an amazing collection of WWII wrecks!

For more information on Palau and the diving in Palau, please view the attach information sheet on this page- Palau- Micronesia.

Palau Siren

The 40 metre luxury liveaboard was launched in July 2012 and offers either fixed double or twin bed cabins (2 cabins can be converted from twin to double). The dining area is very spacious offering a great setting for all your meals. The dive deck is perhaps the most spacious and comfortable you would have experience.

The Palau Siren has designated indoor and outdoor workstations for charging, preparation and maintenance of your camera and video equipment. Large storage drawers for your peripheral items are avaliable, as well as numerous charging points, with adapters. Large rinse tanks, soley available for camera and video equipement are also available.

Trip Dates

21 September – 5 October 2018

14 days/ 13 nights ex Brisbane

Price

$6,684 per diver

What’s Included

Airfares and Taxes
Return airfares ex Brisbane to Koror flying via Taipei with China Airlines
Australian departure taxes and applicable airline taxes (subject to change)

Accommodation, Meals, Transfers and Diving
1 night twin share accommodation at Palasia Hotel- Palau
3 nights twin share accommodation at The Rose Garden Resort- Palau
Breakfast daily whilst in Palau
3 days diving (2 dives per day) with Sams Dive Tours- Includes use of tanks, weights and dive guide services
Transfers in Palau
1 night twin share accommodation at The Hotel Manka- Taipei

Liveaboard
7 nights twin share cabin accommodation aboard the Palau Siren
All meals, tea, coffee, juices, soft drinks, water and beer whilst aboard
Free nitrox for nitrox certified divers
Free use of diving equipment (excludes dive computers and torches)
up to 4 dives per day (except on arrival and departure days)- includes use of tanks, weights and dive guide services

What’s Excluded
Travel Insurance, personal spending monies, excess luggage fees
Marine park fee of $200 USD- payable on arrival
Government permits: Rock Island permit $50 USD/ Jellyfish Lake $100 USD
Koror departure tax and environmental fee $120 USD per person
Koror visa fee $50 USD per person

Booking Requirements

To secure your place on this trip, please complete an online booking form (see link below) and return it together with a non-refundable deposit of $500 per person to Dive Adventure. Payment installments will be required throughout the duration of the booking. Details of the payment plan will be confirmed at the time of booking confirmation.

https://www.diveadventures.com.au/pages/contact.php

PADI Specialities Suitable for this trip

Advanced Open Water
Underwater Navigation
Nitrox
Deep Diver
Digital Underwater Photographer
Underwater Photographer
Underwater Videographer
Search and Recovery
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Night Diver
Shark Awareness
Underwater Naturalist

This is the perfect way to complete a specialty course as you have already paid for the dives!!

March 26, 2014
Project AWARE Clean Up!

THE CLEAN-UP

Project AWARE Foundation is a growing movement of scuba divers protecting the ocean planet – one dive at a time.

Over the past two decades of underwater conservation we’ve learned that divers are true leaders in ocean protection. We’re ocean heroes numbering in the millions across the globe. We believe together our actions will make a huge impact and will help to rescue the ocean.

With new programs and more online resources than ever before, Project AWARE supports an unprecedented global movement of divers acting in their own communities to protect oceans and implement lasting change.

We’re focusing in on two major ocean issues –Sharks in Peril and Marine Debris, or trash in our ocean. Truly, there are many conservation issues converging on our ocean planet at once, but we’re concentrating on these serious problems where scuba divers are uniquely positioned to directly and positively affect real, long-term change in these two areas.

We will concentrate our clean-up at the Gold Coast Seaway and whilst we clean up our oceans on every dive; unfortunately, rubbish is added more quickly than we can clear it. Particularly with fishing refuse – line, hooks, lead, lures etc. So it is up to us to clear our favourite dive sites to make sure they are kept rubbish free and the ocean residents are not choking on filth. So periodically we organise a clean up to help get on top of the growing problem.

DIVE INFORMATION

Suitable for Open Water Divers (certified to 18 metres)
Depth ranges from 6 – 28 metres
Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience

DATE & LOCATION

Monday, 24 September 2018

PRICE & INCLUSIONS

$30 per person

A Donation to Project AWARE
Rubbish collection bags
Morning/ Afternoon Tea
Tank & weights

WHAT’S EXCLUDED
All Dive Gear (excluding tanks & weights)

GEAR HIRE

PDS is able to provide you with a wetsuit, BCD, regulator, computer, tanks and weights for the dives and please communicate your requirements on the booking form. Fulll gear hire is $30 for the dive and individual pricing is available on booking. You must provide your own mask, snorkel, fins and boots these items are not available for hire from us.

ITINERARY

We will meet you at the South West Wall at the Gold Coast at 9:30 am. We will have a sausage waiting for you upon your arrival and once everyone has arrived, you will be given a briefing, paired up with a dive buddy (if you do not already have one), gear up and get in the water for the clean-up. We expect that you will be finished with the clean-up by midday.

Please do not turn up unannounced as we may not have enough tanks, bags and food for everyone.

HOW TO BOOK

Download the booking form attached to the page. Complete the required fields, scan and email to [email protected].

January 13, 2014
Dive for a weekend at South West Rocks and Fish Rock Cave

The Dive Site
Fish Rock Cave at South West Rocks is consistently rated as one of the Top 10 dive sites in Australia and with good reason! The gutters around Fish Rock are swarming with Grey Nurse Sharks all year round, as this is a critical stop point as they migrate up and down the Eastern seaboard of Australia.

Escape the craziness of Brisbane and head south for a weekend that will have you buzzing for months to come! Join us as we get up close and personal with the Labradors of the sea and explore the hidden wonders of Fish Rock Cave.

The biggest issue with this site is depth. We highly recommend that you elect to upgrade and dive on nitrox in order to get the most out of your weekend of diving (please ensure to bring your nitrox cert. card). Please advise us ahead of time if you would like to dive on nitrox to ensure that there are nitrox tanks available for you. Diving on Nitrox will give you substantial longer bottom times and ensure that you aren’t as lethargic at the end of the day.

For what you can expect check out Leigh Workman of Moist Multimedia’s video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg01KV_TWhM

Dive Information

-Suitable for Open Water Divers (certified to 18 metres), however Advanced Open Water Certification is advised
-Depth ranges from 6 – 34 metres
-EAN (nitrox) is available upon request
-Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience

Trip Dates
Friday, 5 February – Sunday, 7 February 2021

Price
$700 per person

The following are recommended upgrades for this trip

PADI Advanced Open Water Course @ $275 per person
PADI Deep Diver speciality Course @ $245 per person
PADI Enriched Air speciality Course @ $295 per person for manual learning (price includes 2 Nitrox fills)

What’s Included
6 dives at one of Australia’s Top 10 dive sites
2 night’s accommodation
Return private transport
Tanks Weights
Nitrox fills
Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday
Lunch on Saturday
Divemaster services
PDS Instructor at your disposal all weekend

What’s Excluded

All Dive Gear (excluding tanks & weights)
Travel Insurance
Personal spending money
All Meals (other than what is indicated) are at leisure

Gear Hire
PDS is able to provide you with a wetsuit, BCD, regulator, computer, tanks and weights for the weekend and please communicate your requirements on the booking form. Each diver must provide their own mask, snorkel, fins and boots (not available for hire). Underwater camera and torches are also available and are subject to availability.

Itinerary We will departing Brisbane (Woolloongabba) mid afternoon on Friday and from here you will be driven in our company van to South West Rocks. Upon arrival you will check in to our accommodation and get a good night sleep ready to dive the world famous Fish Rock Cave on Saturday (4 dives). On Sunday, we will do 2 dives in the morning before heading back to Brisbane after lunch. An itinerary with timings will be sent to you closer to the date of the trip.

Specialities Suitable for this trip
Advanced Open Water (highly recommended on this weekend)
Enriched Air (Nitrox)
Deep Diver (highly recommended on this weekend)
Digital Underwater Photographer
Underwater Photographer
Underwater Videographer
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Dry Suit Diver
Shark Awareness
Underwater Naturalist

Note- Some specialties are site and conditions dependant. All efforts will be made to complete course dives on a booked trip, however if conditions do not allow it the diver will have to book onto another trip to complete the course requirements.

How To Book

Please click here to book online

OR

Download the booking form attached to this page, complete it and send back to secure your spot

October 2, 2013
JERVIS BAY – The Cream of Southern NSW Diving Aboard Oceantrek

THE TRIP

Located approximately 2.5 hours drive south of Sydney. Jervis Bay is consistently ranked as one of the best dive locations to dive in NSW. Jervis Bay has crystal clear water with viz. ranging from 10-25m. The dive sites at Jervis Bay are numerous and each site offers something different. Dive sites usually range in depth, so divers can set their own depth limit in accordance with their experience. The giant sandstone cliffs that ring the entrance to the bay have over millions of years collapsed into the sea forming caves, tunnels, archways, drop offs and terraces providing homes to the many and varied sea creatures that live in and around the bay.

The best way to dive Jervis Bay is on the18m live aboard Ocean Trek. Ocean Trek accommodation is for up to 23 guests in ten rooms. Ocean Trek has a spacious dive deck and when you are not diving you can relax in the large dining and saloon area with CD deck ,video ,TV and tape deck. A marine reference library is available for divers reference while on board. Oceantrek is a sister to ship to Big Cat Reality so you will find her similar in style larger and more spacious accommodation.

Diving from Ocean Trek gives you the unique opportunity in that you can do as much or as little diving as you want. Have a dive after breakfast, again after lunch and why not hit the water again for a late afternoon dive. After dinner there is always the chance to experience the magic of a night dive as well.

The diving in Jervis Bay is special and the Ocean Trek gives you access to the best of it. With over 30 sites to choose from there ranging from 4m to 40m+ there is no reason why you would have to do the same dive twice! Unless it was just so amazing you had to! You will see underwater life is abundant, with big schools of yellowtail and old wives. The sponge gardens support a vast array of life including Sea Baskets, Starfish, Seastars, Nudibranchs, Pygmy Leatherjackets, Red Indianfish, Weedy Seadragons, Seahorses, numerous rays, Blue Grouper and much more.

The movement of water into the sheltered bay means that there are giant underwater bommies/boulders that have weathered slowly over time, which hide giant cuttlefish, Port Jackson sharks, Blue Devil Fish, Wobbegongs and southern rock lobster . There are underwater cliffs and cracks, there are drop offs and large caves to explore and these are home to grey nurse sharks (Carcharias Taurus).

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DIVE INFORMATION

Suitable for Open Water Divers (certified to 18 metres)

Depth ranges from 4 – 40 metres

Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience

TRIP DATES & PRICES

Ex Jervis Bay- Thursday, 23- Tuesday, 28 April 2015 @ $960 per person

Ex Brisbane- Thursday, 23- Monday, 27 April 2015 @ $1,500 per person

INCLUDES

14 scheduled dives
4 night’s accommodation on board Oceantrek
All air fills
Tanks and weights
All meals aboard Oceantrek

EX-Brisbane Also Includes:

Return flights from Brisbane to Sydney
Additional night in a motel in Huskisson on Monday
2 Bag allowance – one for dry gear, one for dive gear
Return private bus transfer from Sydney to Jervis Bay

WHAT’S EXCLUDED

Travel Insurance
Personal Spending Monies
Excess Luggage surcharges
Meals unless otherwise indicated
Personal dive gear unless otherwise indicated

GEAR HIRE

PDS is able to with a wetsuit, BCD, regulator, computer, tanks and weights for the live aboard, however this must be communicated prior to the trip. Each diver must provide their own mask, snorkel, fins and boots (not available for hire from PDS, however is available from the operator). Torches are also available and are subject to availability.

If you are travelling from Brisbane, the gear hired must be collected from us prior to the trip and included in your luggage allowance.

If you are meeting us in Jervis Bay, it is advised to hire your gear directly from the operator. Please contact us for hire rates.

ITINERARY
For those departing Brisbane, we fly to Sydney onThursday afternoon where the group will be greeted by a private bus to drive you down to our awaiting Oceantrek at her dock in Huskisson. We will stay on her on Thursday evening and secure our berths ready for departure on Friday morning. We then enjoy the cream of Southern NSW diving until Monday afternoon where we will return to Port and check into our motel for the night in Huskisson before catching our bus back to Sydney airport to meet our return flight to Brisbane early Tuesday afternoon.

For those meeting us in Jervis Bay, we will meet you- TBC

Exact timings and details will be communicated to the divers booked onto this trip closer to the date.

PADI SPECIALITIES SUITABLE FOR THIS TRIP

Advanced Open Water
Under water Navigation
Nitrox (Enriched Air)
Deep Diver
Digital Underwater Photographer
Underwater Photographer
Underwater Videographer
Search and Recovery
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Underwater Navigation
Dry Suit Diver
Shark Awareness
Underwater Naturalist

This is the perfect way to complete a specialty course as you have already paid for the dives!!

Note- Some specialties are site and conditions dependant. All efforts will be made to complete course dives on a booked trip, however if conditions do not allow it the diver will have to book onto another trip to complete the course requirements.

HOW TO BOOK
Download the booking form attached to the page. Complete the required fields, scan and email to [email protected].

August 5, 2013
Minke Whales and the Trip of a Lifetime, a week aboard Australia’s most famous Liveaboard – Mike Ball’s Spoilsport
The Trip

8 days/ 7 nights, 450 mile Coral Sea Safari includes some of the best dive sites on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea featuring:
- spectacular first dive at Challenger Bay,
- diver size fish at the Cod Hole,
- plummeting Coral Sea wall dives in gin clear water,
- exciting shark action in the Coral Sea,
- schooling trevally and barracuda in the Coral Sea,
- exploration of Lizard Island,
- the Cod Wall, outer edge big fish dive,
- the prime Ribbon Reef sites,
- all dives north of Cooktown, dive site guarantee!
What awaits you?
Imagine yourself as a feeling of excitement arises as you cruise north in the shelter of the Great Barrier Reef. On deck you are greeted by the fabulous turquoise waters of the Ribbon Reefs. To port is historic Cooktown to starboard is the vastness of the Coral Sea

Shallow but fantastic – Challenger Bay!
Challenger Bay is a spectacular introduction to the Great Barrier Reef. Gliding along, surrounded by schools of silver trevally, surgeon fish, diagonally lined sweetilp and yellow striped bream you explore pristine coral gardens in excellent visibility. You will understand why the ‘Great’ is in Great Barrier Reef.

Diver size fish at the Cod Hole!
One of the Great Barrier Reefs most amazing phenomenons’s awaiting you at the Cod Hole. Swim with, ‘small diver size’ or ‘giant fish size’ potato cod. Spend the dive amongst shallow sunlit coral gardens of acropora coral or venture deeper into the parallel gullies forming the front of the reef where huge Queensland groupers face into the current.

SPOILSPORT (Vessel)
In between dives you enjoy Spoilsports luxurious motor yacht atmosphere and attentive crew. Spoilsport is the Great Barrier Reef’s most awarded live aboard. Spoilsport was designed to provide divers with a new level of comfort and convenience. You get less rock’n’roll with more space and comfort. She has received 11 prestigious Rodale’s Reader Choice awards including Best Live aboard and Most Environmentally Sensitive.

Dive Information

Suitable for Open Water Divers (certified to 18 metres)
Wreck certification is not a requirement to dive this site
Depth ranges from 6 – 28 metres
Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience
Snorkelling is limited to Ribbon Reef sites, Coral Sea sites not suitable.

Trip Date

Thursday, 10 – Thursday, 17 July 2014- EXTRA Release of spots available as of 27/03/2014

Price
$4987 per person- Premium Cabin- (Double bed, private ensuite, ocean views) – SOLD OUT

$4530 per person- Standard Cabin- Twin bunk beds & private ensuite & Ocean views – 1 SPOT AVAILABLE

$3909 per person- Club Cabin – Twin beds, private ensuite – SOLD OUT

$3322 per person- Budget Cabin- Twin bunk beds & shared bathroom- SOLD OUT

What’s Included
7 nights accommodation onboard the spacious Spoilsport
All deluxe chef- prepared meals and Australian wine on the Spoilsport
Unlimited dives including tanks and weights
Snorkelling with Minke Whales
Professional Dive Services Tour Leader to look after you above and below the water

Spoilsport Dive Services:
Complimentary Reef Ecology Program
Low key photo comp on every expedition
Huge dive deck with convenient entry/exit platforms
Photographer friendly with 3 large camera tables
‘Open dive deck’ allows flexible dive planning
3 dive sites per day is normal
Underwater photography and video services
PADI instruction: Advanced, Nitrox, Naturalist and Photo/Video
Dry towel after each dive
Solo diving as per Mike Ball Safe Solo System
2 large inflatable’s for personalised dive service.

What’s Excluded
Return flights to Cairns
Travel Insurance
Nitrox fills and pony bottles
Personal spending money
Gratuities
$20 per person reef tax payable on board

Gear Hire
PDS is able to provide you with a wetsuit, BCD, regulator and computer for the trip and please communicate your requirements on the booking form. These items will need to be given to you prior to the trip and will need to be included in your luggage allowance. Alternatively gear can be hired from the operator in Cairns and we are happy to quote upon request.

Itinerary

Embark: Thursday 6pm – Trinity Wharf, Cairns.
Disembark: Thursday 8am – Trinity Wharf, Cairns. (courtesy inner city hotel transfers)

Plummeting walls in gin clear water.
Early morning dives on sheer walls that plummet to 1000 metres. Glide pass huge black coral trees, diver size soft coral trees and golden gorgonian fans. Observe or be observed by curious sharks cruising in the clear water.

Exciting shark action in the Coral Sea!
Your Osprey Reef adventure builds to a climax with a spectacular shark dive at North Horn. You will see 10-30 grey reef sharks, white-tip reef sharks as well as other species. You can photograph these sleek high order predators at close- range, or not so close, you choose! Off the deep wall solitary hammerheads are regularly seen, schools are occasionally seen.

Schooling trevally & barracuda in the Coral Sea!
Also observe the perimeter of the shark dive. You will see a queue for the scraps! Potato cod, Napoleon wrasse and moray eels forage the reef while trevally, barracuda and red bass control the mid-water.

Lizard Island.
Here the famous English navigator James Cook climbed to its summit in 1770 to find a way out of the labyrinth of reefs. Naturalist Joseph Banks lamented in his journal that he had too little time to study the wealth of strange creatures he saw in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

Off gas and hike into history!
Divers can off-gas and take some unique photographs on Lizard Island. Includes: walk of Watson’s Bay; visiting the historic ruins of Mrs Watson’s Cottage and exploring the Pandanus Swamp and Chinaman’s Ridge.

Cod Wall and Cod Hole.
A short steam to the top of Ribbon Reef #10 permits an exciting alternative to the Cod Hole. At the reef’s outer edge the deep, pristine, Cod Wall, is a series of stepped ledges to 60 metres. Grey reef sharks, bull sharks, flowery cod and diver size Queensland groper roam this deep wall. The Cod Hole can be repeated if preferred!

The turquoise chain of Ribbon Reefs.
This 55 mile chain of reefs from Lizard Island to Cooktown is the most prized dive region of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. This is where you can see more of the Great Barrier Reefs 1500 fish and 400 coral species than elsewhere. The currents that channel between the ribbon reefs attract large fish populations. Marine life encounters range from pygmy seahorses to manta rays and whales.

Challenger Bay’s Baza!
Another highlight is a night dive at Challenger Bay, home of Baza the barracuda and of many moray eels and clever lionfish, who, are very active at night and have learnt how to use the light of your torch to find their supper.

Lighthouse Bommie & Acropolis
Lighthouse Bommie is a pinnacle rising from the sand at 30 metres. June/July this is the world’s hotspot for Minke Whale encounters. Acropolis Plateau is the new hot site shrouded in spectacular corals and festooned with baitfish, predatory fish and critters

Pixie Pinnacle, Vertical Gardens.
You may find harlequin ghost pipefish, leafy scorpion fish and lace scorpion fish. Vertical Gardens is a natural amphitheatre, and home to a herd of large green bump head parrotfish. They make an awesome procession crunching their way through the reef!

Clam Beds, Andy’s Postcard.
Clam Beds is a beautiful shallow coral garden where dozens of giant clams show off their majestic mantles. Andy’s Postcard is an isolated bommie rising from 80 metres. Fluorescent purple and orange anthias attract trevally and barracuda to these photogenic sites.

Steve’s Bommie, Flare Point.
At Steve’s Bommie, hiding amongst the coral you can find lion fish, frog fish and leaf scorpion fish. Fluorescent anthias amass on the reef edge while lined snapper, big eye trevally and barracuda circumnavigate the pinnacle. Flare Point has beautiful pristine coral gardens where cuttle fish are regularly seen.

Dive Site Guarantee!
All your dives will be north of Cooktown including ‘prime’ Ribbon Reef sites that have restricted access. If weather forces an itinerary change our surety of access to the prime Ribbon Reef sites is your guarantee of the best diving available. Spoilsport’s outstanding stability minimizes disruption to your itinerary and your diving experience.

Dive Freedom!
You will notice there is no rush or limit placed on your dive time. Spoilsport’s itineraries normally provide 3 dive sites per day with opportunity for relaxed or unlimited diving. At sites like Challenger Bay some photographers do 2 hour dives to capture special fish behaviour photographs.

PADI Specialities Suitable for this trip
Advanced Open Water
Under water Navigation
Nitrox
Deep Diver
Digital Underwater Photographer
Underwater Photographer
Underwater Videographer
Search and Recovery
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Underwater Navigation
Dry Suit Diver
Shark Awareness
Underwater Naturalist

This is the perfect way to complete a specialty course as you have already paid for the dives!!

HOW TO BOOK
Download the booking form attached to the page. Complete the required fields, scan and email to [email protected].
August 3, 2013
Ice and Altitude diving in Jindabyne – Take your diving to new heights and depths!
THE TRIP

Take your diving to new heights and depths with the PADI Altitude and Ice Diving specialty courses! This is the ONLY course of it’s kind in Australia! If you are looking for a challenge or to do something that even few divers have done, THIS IS IT!! Not only will you be trained to dive under the ice, you will also do your altitude course on a piece of Australian history as we search for Old Jindabyne town in Lake Jindabyne! This course is a prerequisite for anyone planning on diving in Antarctica or the Arctic.

PADI Altitude Diver Course
Any time you’re diving at 300 to 3000 metres/1000 to 10,000 feet above sea level, you’re altitude diving. If you want to explore the hidden world of a mountain lake, the PADI Altitude Diver Specialty course is for you.

The Fun Part- Dive more challenging dive sites while you satisfy your curiosity for “I wonder what’s down there?” The fun part about altitude diving is that you can explore places many people have never seen.

What You Learn –You’ll learn the effects of pressure at higher altitudes and how to adjust your dive plan accordingly. Whether you use a recreational dive planner table (RDP^TM), an electronic eRDP^TM or a dive computer, you’ll learn how plan and make a dive at high altitudes. You’ll learn :
- Altitude dive planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards
- Recreational Dive Planner^TM procedures for diving at altitude
- Safety stops and emergency decompression procedures at altitude
The PADI Ice Diver Course

If the spirit of adventure and unusual, challenging diving appeals to you, try diving under the ice. During the course, you dive with your PADI Ice Diving Instructor John Gransbury in one of the most extreme adventure specialties recreational diving offers.

The Fun Part- Explore the unique aquascape found only under ice. You can be one of the few that have ever dived under a solid ceiling of ice. Plus, imagine the look on your Divemaster’s face on your next South Pacific trip when you flash your PADI Ice Diver certification. Depending on the thickness of the ice you might get a chance to play with your exhaled air bubbles on the bottom of the ice or an opportunity to try the unique sport of upside down, bottom of the ice, sledding.

What You Learn – You will complete a minimum of three ice dives for your certification. Dives are typically done as a group working with support personnel, divers, tenders, and safety divers. You are under the ice to learn to control buoyancy, navigate under the ice, and keep in contact with the lead diver and tenders via line pulls.

You learn:
- To plan and organize ice dives
- Reasons and opportunities for ice diving,
- Equipment considerations
- About site selection, preparation and hole-cutting procedures
- How to practice the procedures and techniques for handling the problems and hazards of ice diving
- To use specialized ice diving equipment, safety lines, signals, communications, line tending and line-securing techniques
- How to manage equipment problems
- About the effects of cold, emergency procedures and safety-diver procedures
DIVE INFORMATION

Must be 18 years of age or older
Suitable for Advanced Open Water Diver only
Must be drysuit certified or have significant experience using one (ie 20 dives in a drysuit)
Ideally, you should also have your Nitrox/Enriched Air certification

TRIP DATES

Friday, 23 – Monday, 26 July 2021

Wednesday, 28 July – Saturday, 31 July 2021

Monday, 2 – Thursday, 5 August 2021

PRICE

$1,800 per person ex- Canberra

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Private transfers from Canberra Airport to Jindabyne
3 nights accommodation
Kosciuszko National Park entry permits
Private van for transport during the course
All air fills including nitrox stage bottle and weights
2 dives in Lake Jindabyne
PADI Altitude Specialty 3 Ice dives
PADI Ice diving Specialty

WHATS EXCLUDED

Travel Insurance
Personal Spending Monies
Excess Luggage Surcharges
Meals
Personal dive gear

GEAR REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE

Gear requirements for this course are the configurations for cold water diving. Each course participant must provide the following:

Mask
Fins
BCD
Drysuit (suitable for coldwater diving – temperatures range from 2 to 4 degrees celsius)
2 x 1st stages suitable for cold water diving
2 x 2nd stages suitable for cold water diving
2 x SPG 1 x alternate air source
2 x computers (at least one primary and a secondary such as an Oceanic BUD)
Thermals to be worn under your drysuit
Semi-dry gloves (4.5mm minimum)
Hood with bib/skirt (at least 5mm)
Surface Marker Buoy Finger spool reel and cutting device

The second reg set will be used on your stage cylinder which will contain 32% nitrox to aid in nitrogen elimination during safety stops.

ITINERARY

DAY 1
Our adventure begins in our nation’s capital where you will be picked up from Canberra International Airport at midday. From here you will driven to Jindabyne where we will check in to our accommodation and will be given a tour of Jindabyne including surveying the lake and points of interest for the next day. On the first night we will cover the theory for the coming days as well as get an early night ready for the adventure that awaits!

DAY 2
Having acclimatised to our new altitude we will do two dives the following morning exploring Lake Jindabyne before lunch to complete your altitude specialty. After lunch we will then retire to our accommodation for the evening to warm up and dry our thermals, hoods and gloves ready for another day of cold water diving. We will also complete the ice diving theory ready for the day ahead!

DAY 3
We will head into Kosciuszko National Park where we will do the 3 dives to complete your PADI Ice diving certification. You will have the opportunity to dive as well as play the roles of rescue diver and surface/line tender.

DAY 4
The group will be driven back to Canberra by midday so that you can catch your plane back home. Alternatively if you chose to fly out the following morning, I will be more than happy to drive you to your hotel for the evening.

HOW TO BOOK

Click on this link to secure your dates Click here.
July 11, 2013
Get your Grey Nurse Shark on during Shark Fest at Shark Alley, North Stradbroke Island

THE DIVE SITE

North Stradbroke Island is a pristine, secluded island paradise – a hidden treasure only one hour from central Brisbane. Diving off Stradbroke Island can only be described as exhilarating! The dive sites you will explore are only a 10- 15 minute boat ride from shore and Manta Bommie has been rated in the top 10 dive sites in Australia.

Straddie’s reefs are teeming with various marine life like Manta Rays and Leopard Sharks during Summer (Oct- Apr), endangered Grey Nurse Sharks and Humpback Whales during Winter (May- Sept), plus Bull and Eagle Rays, guitar and Wobbegong Sharks, Turtles, Dolphins, Octopus, Pelagics, hard and soft corals, Nudibranchs plus hundreds of tropical fish species.

Up to 8 fabulous dives getting up close and personal with the labradors of the sea, Grey Nurse Sharks. Flat Rock in winter is a melting pot of pelagic life. Grey Nurse sharks patrolling the sand gutters whilst you are serenaded by the haunting melodies of the southern humpback whales. Literally anything could swim past!

There is a choice of 12 varying dive sites to choose from and we can plan your trip based around your experience level which include the most popular sites of Manta Bommie, Flat Rock and Shag Rock.

As we are able to dive with Grey Nurse Sharks over the entire weekend, every effort will be made to dive Shark Alley at Flat Rock.

DIVE INFORMATION

Suitable for Open Water Divers (certified to 18 metres)

Depth ranges from 6 – 28 metres

Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience

TRIP DATES

TBA

PRICE

$750 includes – 8 dives, 2 nights’ accommodation at Manta Lodge, tanks, weights, return transport from Woolloongabba to Cleveland, ferry transfers, Divemaster services if required and photos as a momento of your trip.

The following are recommended upgrades for this trip

Advanced Open Water Course @ $250 per person
PADI Deep Diver speciality Course @ $195 per person
Peak Performance Buoyancy @ $195 per
Shark Awareness @ $195 per person
Enriched Air / Nitrox @ $245 per person (includes 2 nitrox fills)

NITROX NOW AVAILABLE!! Nitrox fills are $20 per double dive i.e. $40 for the day or $80 for the weekend.

WHAT’S EXCLUDED

All Dive Gear (excluding tanks & weights)
Travel Insurance
Personal spending money
All Meals are at leisure

GEAR HIRE

PDS is able to provide you with a wetsuit, BCD, regulator, computer, tanks and weights for the day and please communicate your requirements on the booking form. Each diver must provide their own mask, snorkel, fins and boots (not available for hire). Underwater camera and torches are also available if arranged in advance and are subject to availability. Gear hire is available from the dive operator on North Stradbroke, however this maybe at a higher rate.

ITINERARY

The timings for this weekend of diving will be dependant on the number of dives you do over the weekend. If you choose to do the full weekend of diving; I have noted the timings below. A more detailed itinerary will be sent to the divers closer to the date.

You have the option of meeting the group either at the ferry terminal in Cleveland or in Woolloongabba where John will drive you to Cleveland in our van.

Departing Woolloongabba

We will meet at 4pm sharp at Adreno, 54 Deshon Street, Woolloongabba. You are able to park your car here for the weekend, either off street parking or at the rear of Adreno.

Departing Cleveland

We will be catching the Big Red Cat car and passenger ferry which will depart Toondah Harbour (1 Emmett Drv, Cleveland) at 5pm sharp . Please meet John at the ferry by 4:45 pm.

We will aim to catch the 5:55 pm ferry from Dunwich (North Stradbroke Island) and should be back at Cleveland by 6:30pm on Sunday. If you are travelling back to Adreno with John, we should have you back there around 7:30pm. There maybe a possibility that we could catch an earlier ferry back to the mainland, however this will all be dependant on the running of the day.

COURSES & SPECIALITIES SUITABLE FOR THIS TRIP

Advanced Open Water
Under water Navigation
Enriched Air (Nitrox)
Deep Diver * Site dependant
Digital Underwater Photographer
Underwater Photographer
Underwater Videographer
Search and Recovery
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Dry Suit Diver
Shark Awareness
Underwater Naturalist

Note- Some specialties are site and conditions dependant. All efforts will be made to complete course dives on a booked trip, however if conditions do not allow it the diver will have to book onto another trip to complete the course requirements.

* Site dependant

HOW TO BOOK

Download the booking form attached to the page. Complete the required fields, scan and email to [email protected].

June 24, 2013
Satisfy your lust for rust and watch history come alive at Truk/Chuuk Lagoon

Join us as we dive one of our world’s meccas of wreck diving!

Chuuk Lagoon, formerly known as Truk Lagoon, is a sheltered body of water in the central Pacific. About 1800 km north-east of New Guinea, it is located mid-ocean at 7 degrees North latitude, and is part of Chuuk State within the Federated States of Micronesia. The atoll consists of a protective reef, 225 kilometres (140 mi) around, enclosing a natural harbour 79 by 50 kilometres (49 by 30 mi), with an area of 2,130 square kilometres (820 sq mi).^[1] It has a land area of 127.4 square kilometres (49.2 sq mi), with a population of 47,871 people.

During World War II, Truk Lagoon was the Empire of Japan‘s main base in the South Pacific theatre. The Japanese garrison consisted of 27,856 IJN men under the command of Vice Admiral Masami Kobayashi then Vice Admiral Chuichi Hara and 16,737 IJA men under the command of Major General Kanenobu Ishuin.^[4] A significant portion of the Japanese fleet was based there, with its administrative center on Tonoas (south of Weno). Truk was the base for Japanese operations against Allied forces in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Due to its heavy fortifications, both natural and manmade, the base at Truk was known to Allied forces as “the Gibraltar of the Pacific”.^[5]

Operation Hailstone, executed by the United States in 1944,^[6] culminated in one of the most important naval airstrikes of the war at Truk. Twelve Japanese warships, thirty-two merchant ships and 249 aircraft were destroyed, although the larger warships had moved to Palau a week earlier.

During WWII Truk Lagoon served as the forward anchorage for the Japanese Imperial Fleet. The place was considered the most formidable of all Japanese strongholds in the Pacific. On the various islands, the Japanese Civil Engineering Department and Naval Construction Department had built roads, trenches, bunkers and caves. Five airstrips, seaplane bases, a torpedo boat station, submarine repair shops, a communications center and a radar station were constructed during the war. Protecting these various facilities were coastal defense guns and mortar emplacements. At anchor in the lagoon were the Imperial Japanese Navy‘s giant battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, tankers, cargo ships, tugboats, gunboats, minesweepers, landing craft, and submarines. Some have described it as Japan’s equivalent of the Americans’ Pearl Harbor.

Once the American forces captured the Marshall Islands, they used it as a base from which they launched an early morning attack on February 17, 1944 against Truk Lagoon. The Japanese withdrew most of their heavy units. Operation Hailstone lasted for three days, with an American bombardment of the Japanese wiping out almost anything of value – 60 ships and 275 airplanes were sent to the bottom of the lagoon. The superior force of United States ships and planes made the Truk lagoon the biggest graveyard of ships in the world.^[7]*

*Information sourced from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuuk_Lagoon

PRICE

Twin Share Diver Cost : $4249.00

Single Diver Cost : $4899.00

Price Includes:

Air and Taxes
Return Airfares Ex Brisbane to Truk via Port Moresby flying Air Niugini
Checked luggage allowance of 45kg per person
Australian departure taxes and applicable airline taxes (subject to change)

Accommodation and Transfers
11 nights twin share accommodation at The Blue Lagoon Resort
Return airport transfers- Truk

Diving Packages
20 boat dives with Blue Lagoon Dive Shop
Includes: tanks, weights and dive guide services, dive locker

Group Bonus Inclusions (minimum 8 divers):
1 x Extra dive (if timing and weather conditions allow)
Complimentary lunch on last day (provided by dive shop)

Cost Does Not Include:

Truk Lagoon Dive Permit US$50 – to be purchased on arrival
Travel Insurance
Personal spending monies and Excess Luggage Surcharges

Conditions Apply:
Prices are subject to change at any time without notice due to supplier rate changes. See other terms and conditions as per the Dive Adventures website- www.diveadventures.com.au

Booking Requirements:

To secure your place on this trip you need to complete a booking form and return it together with a non refundable deposit of $500

Want to just fill it out online now?! Click on this link to book on straight away!

June 24, 2013
Dive Australia’s newest wreck, the Ex-HMAS Adelaide!

THE TRIP

HMAS Adelaide was the lead ship of the Adelaide class of guided missile frigates built for the Royal Australian Navy, based on the United States Navy’s Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates. She was built in the United States of America and commissioned into the RAN in 1980.

During her career, Adelaide was part of Australian responses or contributions to the 1987 Fijian coups d’état, the Iraq invasion of Kuwait, the Indonesian riots of May 1998, the INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce, the War in Afghanistan, and the United States- led invasion of Iraq. In 1997, the frigate rescued two competitors in the 1996- 97 Vendee Globe solo, round-the-world yacht race. In 2001, a boat carrying suspected illegal immigrants was intercepted by Adelaide; the events of this interception became the centre of the children overboard affair.

In 2008, Adelaide was the second ship of the class to be decommissioned, in order to offset the cost of an upgrade to the other four vessels. This ship was to be sunk off Avoca Beach, NSW as a dive wreck on 27 March 2010, until an appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal by protest groups led to a postponement of the scuttling until additional clean-up work was completed. Despite further attempts to delay or cancel the scuttling, Adelaide was sunk off Avoca on 13 April 2011.

Located approximately 1.8km off Avoca Beach near Terrigal on the Central Coast of New South Wales, in 38 meters of water this site has been prepared and optimally located to make it attractive to divers of all levels of experience.

The ship measures 138.1 meters from bow to stern, with a beam of 14.3 metres and original displacement of 4100 tonnes. Diver access holes are strategically placed throughout the vessel to allow easy access to explore the key features of the wreck. Divers will recognise the captain’s chair, console and chart table from the bridge, the helicopter hangars, the operations room complete with the shells of weapons and sensor consoles, the crew’s cafeteria and a limited number of bunks and amenities.

There are plenty of areas for us to explore and with 4 dives it will be a matter of deciding which areas of the wreck you want to investigate!

The Ex-HMAS Adelaide is already home to an establishing healthy marine community, where along with encrusting “first settlers”, the shipwreck is now home to a growing marine community which includes the giant eastern cuttlefish, eastern blue groper, kingfish, blennies, yellowtail, octopus, banner fish and bat fish to name a few.

DIVE INFORMATION

Suitable for Advanced Open Water Divers (certified to 30 metres)

Wreck certification is not a requirement to dive this site

Depth ranges from 18 – 30 metres

Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience

TRIP DATES

Friday, 29 – Sunday, 31 April 2016

PRICE

$650 per person

The following are recommended upgrades for this trip
PADI Deep Diver speciality Course @ $195 per person
PADI Enriched Air speciality Course @ $195 per person for manual learning or $395 for on-line learning
Boat Diver @ $195 per person Wreck Diver @ $195 per person

WHAT’S INCLUDED

4 dives
2 nights accommodation
Return transport from Brisbane to Terrigal
Tanks and weights (including nitrox fills if desired, however you must be nitrox certified)
Continental breakfast on both mornings
Government permit

WHAT’S EXCLUDED

All Dive Gear (excluding tanks & weights)
Travel Insurance
Personal spending money
All Meals are at leisure (with the exception of breakfast)

GEAR HIRE

PDS is able to with a wetsuit, BCD, regulator, computer, tanks and weights for the weekend and please communicate your requirements on the booking form. Each diver must provide their own mask, snorkel, fins and boots (not available for hire). Underwater camera and torches are also available and are subject to availability. All hire gear must be arranged in advance.

ITINERARY

We will departing Brisbane (Woolloongabba) at 12 pm on Friday and from here you will be driven in our company van to Terrigal (approximately 10 hour drive). Upon arrival we will check in to our accommodation and get a good night sleep ready for your 4 dives on Saturday. We will be doing 3 dives on the EX-HMAS Adelaide and one shore dive in the Haven with the resident Port Jackson sharks and hopefully some Grey Nurse sharks as well! On Sunday we will drive you back to Brisbane and we plan to have you back in Brisbane (Woolloongabba) by mid- evening. An itinerary with more accurate timings will be sent to the divers prior to the dive trip.

PADI SPECIALITIES SUITABLE FOR THIS TRIP

Advanced Open Water (perfect for this trip)
Boat Diver
Enriched Air (Nitrox)
Deep Diver
Digital Underwater Photographer
Underwater Photographer
Underwater Videographer
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Dry Suit Diver
Wreck Diver

This is the perfect way to complete a specialty course as you have already paid for the dives!!

Note- Some specialties are site and conditions dependant. All efforts will be made to complete course dives on a booked trip, however if conditions do not allow it the diver will have to book onto another trip to complete the course requirements.

HOW TO BOOK

Download the booking form attached to the page. Complete the required fields, scan and email to [email protected].

June 23, 2013
Grey Nurse Shark Overload at Seal Rocks, Forster, N.S.W.

THE TRIP

A dive at Big Seal Rock, when the grey nurse sharks are in, is the most unforgettable experience. Descending the rock wall, you will come upon a wide gutter at 21 m, which has a small cave cutting into the rock face. Usually schools of kingfish, drummer and trevally circle the gutter, while turtles, wobbegongs, stingrays and Port Jackson sharks can be seen resting on the bottom.

Between summer and winter the gutter is often filled with dozens of grey nurse sharks. You can sit on the edge of the gutter and watch these large sharks swim in figure-of-eight patterns. Grey nurse sharks are encountered on most of the reefs off Forster/Tuncurry and Seal Rocks at almost any time of the year.

There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of hidden reefs off the twin towns of Forster/Tuncurry located 300 km north of Sydney. Divers have explored the reefs in the area for over 40 years, and in that time have only scratched the surface.

There are many dive sites at Seal Rocks of which we will most probably be diving the following site (based on conditions)

Breaker and Jimmys Cave- An extensive reef system covering over 200 square metres, responsible for sinking the SS Satara on 20 April 1910. Jimmy’s cave is a substantial and mostly fully enclosed cave penetration dive.

Statis Rock aka Skeleton Rock- The home reef at Seal Rocks, the perfect second dive after one of the local rocks or wrecks. Generally a calm, sheltered dive with Grey Nurse Sharks and lots of schooling fish species.

Big Seal Rock- The focus of Greay Nurse Shark aggregation in the Seal Rocks Complex, at times there may be more than 40 individual sharks gathered in the Eastern Gutter.

Little Seal Rock- Complex rock reef structure with Grey Nurse Sharks, bull rays and plenty of schooling fish. This is the rock that sunk the Catterthun on 8 August 1895.

Idol Bay- An excellent second dive just West of Latitude Rock. Plenty of bommies on a mixed rock and sand bottom. Full of big and small marine species. One of the most enjoyable shallow reef dives on the mid Coast of NSW.

Bennetts Head Bommie Rock reef just off Bennetts Head featuring a swim through cave. This site can be done as a shore dive in calm conditions or as a boat dive. Plenty of macro life, anemones and large bull rays on the sand.

The Barge Forster- an old Barge upside down in nutrient rich water near the Forster estuary opening, teeming with big critters and macro photography opportunities.

The Pinnacle Forster Isolated Rock- the pinnacle dive near Forster, a favourite hang-out for big critters including rays, jewfish and grey nurse sharks.

Latitude Rock- An isolated rock reef feature near Forster teaming with life.

SS Catterthum- Another Steamer trying to shortcut the 5 miles around the small rock outcrops and hit one. One of the most rewarding, yet difficult to actually dive wrecks on the East Coast of Australia. Lost on 8 August 1895 with 9,000 gold sovereigns aboard. A genuine treasure hunting dive.

Satara Shipwreck- The SS Satara, a 120 m long cargo steamer which foundered off Seal Rocks in 1910, now rests on its port side in 42 m of water. The stern section sits in an upright position, displaying the enormous prop, as well as portholes, boilers, the engine, propeller shaft, piles of chains and hundreds of plates. The wreck is covered in sponges, ascidians, anemones and black coral trees. Schools of reef and pelagic fish swarm about the wreck, and Port Jackson, grey nurse sharks, wobbegongs and the occasional bronze whaler are often sighted.

DIVE INFORMATION

Must be Advanced Open Water Certified and Deep Diver qualified to dive this dive site. You can do your Deep Diver Speciality whilst diving this site.
Wreck certification is not a requirement to dive this site
Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience

TRIP DATES

Thursday, 2 – Monday, 6 May 2019

PRICE

$850 per person

OR

$950 per person including your PADI Deep Diver specialty

The following are recommended upgrades for this trip

Diving on Nitrox@ $ 30 per dive or $120 for the weekend
*PADI Deep Diver specialty Course @ $100 per person (reduced price for this trip ONLY)
PADI Enriched Air specialty Course @ $275 per person for manual learning or $475 per person for on-line learning (both prices include 6 Nitrox fills)

To book online click HERE

WHAT’S INCLUDED

6 Dives and a bonus dive at Forster Dives house site
4 Nights accommodation
Return transport to and from Brisbane
Tanks and weights

WHAT’S EXCLUDED

All Dive Gear (excluding tanks & weights)
Travel Insurance
Personal spending money
All Meals are at leisure

GEAR HIRE

PDS is able to provide with a wetsuit, BCD, regulator, computer, tanks and weights for the weekend and please communicate your requirements on the booking form. Each diver must provide their own mask, snorkel, fins and boots (not available for hire). Underwater camera and torches are also available and are subject to availability.

ITINERARY

We will departing Brisbane (Woolloongabba) mid-afternoon on Thursday and from here you will be driven in our company van to Forster, NSW. Upon arrival you will check in to our accommodation and get a good night sleep ready to dive with the sharks in the morning (2 dives), Saturday and on Sunday. On Monday, we will head back to Brisbane before lunch. An itinerary with timings will be sent to you closer to the date of the trip.

PADI SPECIALITIES SUITABLE FOR THIS TRIP

Under water Navigation
Enriched Air (Nitrox)
Deep Diver (perfect for this trip)
Digital Underwater Photographer
Underwater Photographer
Underwater Videographer
Search and Recovery
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Underwater Navigation
Dry Suit Diver
Shark Awareness
Underwater Naturalist

This is the perfect way to complete a specialty course as you have already paid for the dives!!

HOW TO BOOK

Download the booking form attached to the page. Complete the required fields, scan and email to [email protected].

OR

To book online please click HERE

April 11, 2013
North Stradbroke Island – Expect the Unexpected!

The Dive Site

North Stradbroke Island is a pristine, secluded island paradise – a hidden treasure only one hour from central Brisbane. Diving off Stradbroke Island can only be described as exhilarating! The dive sites you will explore are only a 10- 15 minute boat ride from shore and Manta Bommie has been rated in the top 10 dive sites in Australia.

Straddie’s reefs are teeming with various marine life like Manta Rays and Leopard Sharks during Summer (Oct- Apr), endangered Grey Nurse Sharks and Humpback Whales during Winter (May- Sept), plus Bull and Eagle Rays, guitar and Wobbegong Sharks, Turtles, Dolphins, Octopus, Pelagics, hard and soft corals, Nudibranchs plus hundreds of tropical fish species.

There are a choice of 12 varying dive sites to choose from and we can plan your trip based around your experience level which include the most popular sites of Manta Bommie, Flat Rock and Shag Rock.

Dive Information

-Suitable for Open Water Divers (certified to 18 metres)
-Depth ranges from 6 – 28 metres
-EAN (nitrox) is available upon request
-Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience

Trip Dates

Saturday, 10 March 2018

Saturday, 17 March 2018

Sunday, 18 March 2018

To book online for one of these day dive trips click HERE

Price

4 dive Day Trip- $350 per person

The following are recommended upgrades for this trip

Diving on Nitrox@ $ 20 per double dive
PADI Deep Diver speciality Course @ $195 per person
PADI Enriched Air speciality Course @ $255 per person for manual learning or $395 for on-line learning (both prices include 2 Nitrox fills)
Peak Performance Buoyancy @ $195 per person
Shark Awareness @ $195 per person

What’s Included

4 dives
Return ferry transfers to Stradbroke Island
Land transfers whilst on Straddie
Tanks Weights
Return transport from Woolloongabba to Cleveland (6 spots only)

What’s Excluded
All Dive Gear (excluding tanks & weights)
Travel Insurance
Personal spending money
All Meals are at leisure

Gear Hire

PDS is able to provide you with a wetsuit, BCD, regulator, computer, tanks and weights for the day and please communicate your requirements on the booking form. Each diver must provide their own mask, snorkel, fins and boots (not available for hire). Underwater camera and torches are also available if arranged in advance and are subject to availability.

Itinerary

You have the option of meeting the group either at the ferry terminal in Cleveland or in Woolloongabba where John will drive you to Cleveland in our van.

Departing Woolloongabba

We will meet at 5 am sharp at Adreno, 54 Deshon Street, Woolloongabba. You are able to park your car here for the day, either off street parking or at the rear of Adreno.

Departing Cleveland

We will be catching the Gold Cat passenger ferry which will depart Toondah Harbour (1 Emmett Drv, Cleveland) at 5:50 am sharp . Please meet John at the ferry by 5:40 am.

We will aim to catch the 5:55 pm ferry from Dunwich (North Stradbroke Island) and should be back at Cleveland by 6:30pm. If you are travelling back to Adreno with John, we should have you back there around 7:30pm. There maybe a possibility that we could catch an earlier ferry back to the mainland, however this will all be dependant on the running of the day.

Courses & Specialities Suitable for this trip

Advanced Open Water
Under water Navigation
Enriched Air (Nitrox)
Deep Diver *
Digital Underwater Photographer
Underwater Photographer
Underwater Videographer
Search and Recovery
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Dry Suit Diver
Shark Awareness
Underwater Naturalist

Note- Some specialties are site and conditions dependant. All efforts will be made to complete course dives on a booked trip, however if conditions do not allow it the diver will have to book onto another trip to complete the course requirements.

* Site dependant

HOW TO BOOK

Download the booking form attached to the page. Complete the required fields, scan and email to [email protected].

OR

Click here to book online

April 11, 2013
Dive the Magnificent South Solitary Islands Marine Park

THE TRIP

The Solitary Islands Marine Park runs for 90 km north of Coffs Harbour; which is centrally located between Sydney and Brisbane, on the NSW north coast. This is where the warm Great Barrier reef waters from the north, meet the cooler southern waters from Sydney and below. The sheltered Island havens are warmer than the coastal waters producing a unique blend of tropical and sub-tropical fish life, hard and soft corals, and spectacular marine life. With over 25 exciting dive sites we will not be limited in our choices of dive site! Dive with the endangered Grey Nurse Sharks – sure to get your adrenalin pumping as these stunning creatures glide close to you in the water. In season, you will also get the chance to see Humpback Whales on the trip out and back. The Solitary Island Marine Park – Why not join us and discover the Jetty Dive Difference on one of their world class dive boats – dive in small groups with either John or one of the knowledgeable Dive masters and Dive Leaders from Jetty Dive, we are all passionate about our marine life and scuba diving.

Season of the Year. Which is better??

This is an extremely difficult question to answer; in the Summer months (November to April) the water temperature rises from 19c to peak in March at between 24c and 26c. During that time we see tropical varieties breeze thru with the East Australian Current, with the larger fish like Manta Rays andLeopard Sharks thru to the smaller critters like the Ornate Ghost-Pipefish.

Then from May thru to the end of June the water temperature stays above 20c. Then it drops to about 19-18c for the rest of Winter months. The Winter brings us a more abundant number of Grey Nurse Sharks and the special appearance of Giant Cuttlefish. We really like the diving in the winter, and at the temperature it is, it compares to the southern tropical waters of the Barrier reef.

DIVE INFORMATION

Suitable for Open Water Divers (certified to 18 metres)
Depth ranges from 6 – 28 metres
EAN (nitrox) is available upon request at an additional cost
Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience

TRIP DATES

Friday, 3 – Sunday, 4 August 2018

PRICE

$650 per person

WHAT’S INCLUDED

6 dives
2 night’s accommodation
Return private transport from Woolloongabba to Coffs Harbour
Dive Master services
Tanks and weights.

Nitrox is available at an additional $20 per tank

WHAT’S EXCLUDED

All Dive Gear
travel Insurance
Personal spending money
All meals are at your leisure (with the exception of breakfast)

GEAR HIRE

PDS is able to with a wetsuit, BCD, regulator, computer, tanks and weights for the weekend and please communicate your requirements on the booking form. Each diver must provide their own mask, snorkel, fins and boots (not available for hire). Underwater camera and torches are also available and are subject to availability.

ITINERARY

We will departing Brisbane (Woolloongabba) at mid-afternoon on first day of the trip and from here you will be driven in our company van to Coffs Harbour. Upon arrival we will check in to our accommodation and get a good night sleep ready to dive in the morning. On Sunday, we will do 2 dives in the morning before heading back to Brisbane after lunch. We expect to have you back in Brisbane (Woolloongabba) by mid- evening. An itinerary with more accurate timings will be sent to the divers prior to the dive trip.

SPECIALITIES SUITABLE FOR THIS TRIP

Advanced Open Water
Under water Navigation
Enriched Air (Nitrox)
Digital Underwater Photographer
Underwater Photographer
Underwater Videographer
Search and Recovery
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Underwater Navigation
Dry Suit Diver
Shark Awareness
Underwater Naturalist

HOW TO BOOK

Download the booking form attached to the page. Complete the required fields, scan and email to [email protected].

April 6, 2013
Dive Australia’s Most Historic Shipwreck the SS Yongala!

THE SS YONGALA

The Dive Site

The S.S. YONGALA sank in a cyclone on the 23rd March 1911 and remained undiscovered for almost 50 years, not being positively identified until 1958. The wreck now lies on its starboard side in 14-28 metres of water and at 109m long is the largest and most intact, historic shipwreck in Australian waters.

She sank just 12 nautical miles off the coast of Cape Bowling Green in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park with the loss of all 122 passengers. Exactly what happened we will never know – although research indicates the vessel was steaming, the fact no life rafts were found indicate the loss of the Yongala was sudden and tragic.

It has now become known as one of the world’s top wreck dives and certainly one of Australia’s best dive sites due to the prolific variety of marine life. Giant Queensland gropers hang beneath the stern while schools of trevally and cobia congregate around the depths of the wreck. Queenfish, barracuda, turtles, sea snakes, eagle rays and clown fish are just some of the other incredible life inhabiting the coral encrusted structure.

The Great Barrier Reef is the most bio-diverse ecosystem on the planet including over 1500 species of fish and 350 different types of coral. The Yongala wreck has now become an artificial reef with more varieties of coral growing on it than most natural reef systems. It is also host to a huge diversity of pelagic and reef species found in the Coral Sea. You will see more fish in one dive on the wreck than ten on the reef. It’s certainly a dive experience you will never forget.

Dive Information

Suitable for Open Water Divers (certified to 18 metres) but Advanced Open Water is an advantage.

Wreck certification is not a requirement to dive this site

Depth ranges from 6 – 28 metres

EAN (nitrox) is included!

Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience

Trip Dates

Australia Day long weekend Thursday, 23 – Monday, 27 January 2020

Price

$2,500 per diver with flights included ($550 for flights including additional bag as of 26/06/2019)

$1,950 per diver without flights

What’s Included
Return flights from Brisbane to Townsville – if flights included
4 nights accommodation at Alva Beach/ Alva Beach Tourist Park
3 triple boat dives (9 dives) on Australia’s most iconic shipwreck and at Stanley Reef including a night dive on the Yongala! Lunch on all dive days
2 bags per person (1 clothes and 1 dive gear) – if flights included
Private van transfers from Townsville to Ayr and transport for the duration of the trip
Personal Divemaster and PDS tour leader for the group
Nitrox fills for all dives and weights

What’s Excluded

All Dive Gear (excluding tanks & weights)
Travel Insurance
Personal spending money
Excess luggage surcharge
All Meals apart from lunch on dive days

Gear Hire
PDS is able to with a wetsuit, BCD, regulator, computer, tanks and weights for the weekend and please communicate your requirements on the booking form. Each diver must provide their own mask, snorkel, fins and boots (not available for hire). Underwater camera and torches are also available and are subject to availability.

The hire gear will be part of your luggage allowance and will travel with you and we will need to arrange to give this to you prior to the trip. Alternatively, gear hire can be arranged from the operator.

Itinerary

Day 1
The group will travel on the same flight unless alternate arrangements have been made. Upon arriving in Townsville we will be collected and our group whisked away to Alva Beach and Yongala Dive, where we will stay for the duration of the trip.

Day 2 , 3 & 4

3 dives in the morning each day and then you will return to Yongala Dive. Lunch is included on all dive days. We will mainly be diving the Yongala wreck but we will also be diving at Stanley Reef. A VERY rarely dived pristine reef within an hour’s travel of the Yongala wreck. Will will also be doing a night dive (conditions dependent) which is truly incredible! A world famous wreck, pristine healthy reef and nitrox for all of your dives!

Day 5
Morning at leisure. We will leave Alva Beach to be back at Townsville Airport by 12.30pm to check in for any departing flights.

(Due to the depths you will be diving at, we must leave 18 hours between your last dive and your departing flight. Due to our last dive on Sunday we are unable to depart Townsville any earlier)

Specialities Suitable for this trip
Advanced Open Water
Nitrox
Deep Diver
Digital Underwater Photographer
Underwater Photographer
Self Reliant Diver
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Underwater Naturalist

HOW TO BOOK
Click here to be taken to our shopping cart where you can book online.

February 12, 2013
The Ultimate Easter Eggstravaganza – The Best of New South Wales!
This trip sold out quickly last year and was talked about for months after! So why would we change the winning formula?! Well we have! You get an extra two dives at South West Rocks! Given the action in Shark Alley at the moment I am sure the extra two dives will be used getting up close and personal with these marvellous sharks! Escape the craziness of Brisbane and head south for a weekend that you will replay on your deathbed! Starting off the Easter long weekend we are heading down to South West Rocks to dive at Fish Rock Cave, hitting up the South Solitary Islands and if the conditions prove right, the North Solitary Islands. THREE of the BEST dive sites in New South Wales in one weekend!!

Fish Rock and Solitary Islands – ONLY 6 SPOTS TOTAL!!
Departing Brisbane at 5:00am on Friday you will be chauffeur driven down to South West Rocks where we will check in at midday to dive the world famous Fish Rock Cave and play with the Grey Nurse Sharks at Shark Alley. These are two phenomenal dives!! For what you can expect check out Leigh Workman of Moist Multimedia’s video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg01KV_TWhM ! After two dives we will then head back to Coffs Harbour for a relaxed evening.

We have two air conditioned family suites in Coffs Harbour close to shops and amenities were we will be staying for the weekend. With multiple restaurant options in close proximity and more importantly within walking distance to the latest opening bar in the area! After a sleep in on Saturday we will then venture back to South West Rocks to do two more dives at Fish Rock. Whether you have another crack at the cave or savor the opportunity for another dive with the magnificent Grey Nurse Sharks, it is up to you!

Sunday morning we will then to do more dives with Grey Nurse sharks at the South Solitary Islands which is a MACRO photographers paradise. There are nudibranchs galore, cuttlefish, and then there of course the big boys and girls – Grey Nurse sharks! We will have a leisurely dinner on Sunday night before getting up early the next morning where if the weather is in our favour we will be looking to get out to the North Solitary Islands. The conditions have to be perfect to make it there from Coffs so if the heavens are not on our side we will continue to explore the plethora of dive sites that the South Solitary Islands have to offer! I will then drive everyone back to Brisbane after we return on Monday.

This is a unique opportunity to dive three of the most desirable dive sites in Australia in one weekend ALL for ONLY $850! This amazing weekend which includes:
- 8 dives at 3 of Australia’s BEST dive sites!
- 3 nights accommodation in a family suite
- Return private transport
- Tanks
- Weights
PADI ADVANCED OPEN WATER Course can also be done this weekend for only an additional $220! This includes online learning! No boring classrooms! Do all of the learning in the comfort of your own home with a glass of wine or beer in hand. The best part of the AOW is that there are NO exams!! Just practical knowledge and 5 dives to challenge and improve your skill set. If you would like to do your Advanced Open Water on this weekend please mark the box on the booking form and we will get the online learning pass to you ASAP!

I can organise all gear requirements for the weekend for $80 (with the exception of mask, snorkel and fins – every diver must provide their own) which is very reasonable as most dive shops in Brisbane charge $80 a day! If anyone needs to buy gear I am more than happy to assist and ensure that they get the best value and quality. If you are interested in joining us for the weekend please fill in the attached booking form and make sure your don’t miss out on this trip of a lifetime!

As always if you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to contact John on 0457 007 040 , [email protected] or Lisa on 07 3204 5857 , [email protected] .

** Please note whilst it is not compulsory in New South Wales to dive with a snorkel, safety sausage, knife or whistle, Professional Dive Services highly recommends that all divers dive with these items in the interest of their own safety.**
February 11, 2013
Advanced Digital Underwater Photography Techniques with U/W Photography Legend Ross Gudgeon!
4 to 6 July 2014

Ross Gudgeon has been running digital photography workshops at Sundive for years but this is the FIRST time he will run one on one of our favourite dive locations, the North Solitary Islands at Wooli, NSW! This is an opportunity you WON’T want to miss! Most published photographers will agree that the turning point in their photography was a course with an industry expert and Ross is at the top of his game! I have seen first hand the significant improvements that have come with attending one of Ross’s courses. Always generously willing to give of his time, knowledge and expertise you will not only be getting Ross for one weekend but a mentor for life!

Availability on this AMAZING weekend is strictly limited so make sure you don’t delay and secure your spot TODAY! Fill out the booking form and send it back to secure your spot! The course is $800 and is PACKED FULL of value!

Aside from the phenomenal course that Ross runs (details below of the format for the weekend) the weekend also includes:
- 4 dives
- Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday
- BBQ dinner on Saturday night
- 2 nights accommodation
- Tanks
- Weights
- A weekend of picking the brain of one of the world’s foremost U/W photographers improving your Macro and Wide Angle photography!
Ross Gudgeon learned to dive in December 1979 and still remembers the thought that went through his head on his first dive clearly, “I’ve gotta get a camera, no one is going to believe this!”. Three months later he got his first underwater camera, a second hand Nikonos III and has been taking photos underwater ever since. After shooting film underwater for 18 years Ross made the switch to digital underwater photography with in 2002 and currently uses a Canon 7D in a Nauticam housing. When not diving there is nothing more he likes to do than pass on his 30+ years of underwater photography knowledge and experience to help others improve their underwater photography skills and currently runs underwater photography courses at Sundive in Byron Bay, Australia.

Ross has won awards in many major underwater photographic competitions including:
- Our World Underwater International Underwater Photo & Video Competition 2012
- 2012 Beneath the Sea Photo & Video Competition
- Underwater Festival 2011
- Our World Underwater International Underwater Photo & Video Competition 2010
- 2010 Beneath the Sea Photo & Video Competition
- 2010 Underwater Photography Guide Ocean Art Photo Competition
- 2009 British Society of Underwater Photographers Underwater Excellence Competition
- 2009 Celebrate The Sea Festival Underwater Imagery Competition
- 2008 Los Angeles Underwater Photographic 46th International Underwater Photographic Competition
- 2008 Northern California Underwater Photographic Society SEA International Underwater Photographic Competition
He has been published in several magazines including Scuba Diving Magazine (USA), Asian Diver and Ocean Geographic. In 2010 Ross had one of his shots included in an article published in the Guardian and Telegraph newspapers (UK) titled I The World’s Best Underwater Photographs 2010

This 2 Day course designed for those who have their own camera, have been shooting for while and are frustrated with not getting
the results they want and/or want to learn new techniques to improve their UW photography.

Course structure:

Friday Night

Welcome from Ross and start absorbing his wealth of information!

Camera knowledge & settings
Taking better UW photos
Composition

Saturday

2 dives to set the bar – Where your photography is up to

Lighting
Wide Angle Photography
Macro Photography
Q&A session

Sunday
2 dives to practice skills
Post Processing
Critique and Q&A session
February 10, 2013