Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:37 pm Post subject: Tasmania: Eagle Hawk
Was on a business trip to Taz recently. 36 hours to get there from Norway but still managed to get some diving upon arrival. The dive operator, Mick, was a very decent archetypal Aussie guy who enjoyed slagging off my accent & the fact that I was going under my Sunday name of "Charles"... was like being back at school. He had done a fair bit of diving in both Scotland (Scapa) & Norway so we got on quite well. Only others on boat were a couple of blokes with less than 30 dives each.
Dive 1: popped in beside cliff: idea to go around headland (20m max) and turn back to re-enter the shelter of the bay (seas were typical for Tasmania... a bit lumpy). After 10 min or so, 1 buddy was having mask problems. He didn't sort it out, so I went over only to find that his mask strap had snapped. Mask was also leaking quite badly as he tried to hold it on. I thumbed the dive and guided us to the surface. We surfaced well round the headland, out of sight of Mick's sheltered spot. Took quite a swim against current to get ourselves spotted. Back on boat, Mick wasn't amused at the damage to his mask (diver didn't even have his own!). Diver said it was the 2nd time that had happened to him underwater... god knows what he does to cause that.
Dive 1.5: Visit local cove to use up remaining air. I had 150 bar, others had 70 & 80 bar. I suggested keeping it shallow: 10m max to try & get some dive time. Really nice dive, but the worst gas guzzling offender decided to dive below me by about 5m all the way into the cove! No idea why as all he was doing was depleting his air which was already low. Went through a nice archway: great viz. At this point, the GG has 60 bar. I point our way out & he decides to go back through the (optional) swim-through before having to head to the surface. I couldn't be bothered following him as I could see him reach the surface OK. Other buddy (mask-boy) and I continued for another precious few minutes. Much better dive site than the 1st.
Surface interval: cup-a-soup & chocolate (the healthy option). GG & I have a chat about his air consumption. I tell him not to worry about it but point out that his deeper dive profile than mine meant he was breathing more: he seemed intrigued by the concept. He then asked an interesting question. "Is it OK for us to breathe from both 2nd stages of one reg set at a time?"! I explained that that was the general idea & he seemed quite enchanted by that notion. "I could have used your octopus during that dive then to stay down a bit longer. Seems pointless you ending dive on 120 bar just because of me." I smiled (slightly nervously I suspect).
Dive 2: Mick dropped us at a site "guaranteed" to have sea dragons. They hang about near kelp I'm told. quite well camouflaged so move about slowly & keep eyes peeled is the general idea. We made our way out with my buddies performing interesting cart-wheel like manoeuvres with their arms... not sure why really but it was quite distracting. No sign of any dragons . "Damn," I thought, "it's not gonna be my day maybe." Still, all of the arm movements seemed to captivate a toothbrush leatherjacket which followed them for most of the dive.
20 odd minutes into the dive, the GG shows me his gauge at 20m depth... 30 bar! I shove my octopus into his gob & grab his shoulder strap. I had 130bar so thought we might as well make our way back up the slope rather than make a mid-water ascent. On the way back, mask boy beckons us over to some kelp at about 7m depth. That's where Draco was languishing in his kelp garden. Very slow mover just like a pipe fish. I got my camera out, leaving GG dangling off my octopus (breathing 3 breaths to each of mine all the time). Decided to take my time: took a good few photos & some vid. Draco wasn't going anywhere. After a while, I was down to 70 bar, so we headed up. Mick seemed mildly relieved that 3 of us came up this time.
Pretty much a successful day but I was a bit frustrated when Mick showed me the map of their Cathedral system of swim throughs & caverns. Looked fantastic. Was mildly amused when he said to my buddies, "I don't take just anyone to the Cathedral, but now that I know that you guys are OK underwater, I'd be happy to take you." Good luck, Mick. Might be better to have a twin-set for that adventure if you take GG along. _________________ skål charlie
kick ass story chuck,
had me smiling throughout. Glad you can see the funny side of those buddies, sound amusing, could have been just annoying. and those aminals are cool, think i saw one of those dragon things in powmill, perhaps not.
glad you are still diving as much as is possible, more than can be said for myself.
Hey Charlie, I also dived when I was in Tasmania at Eagle Hawk Neck. Alas the weather was not suitable for diving the cathedral cave system. So I had to settle for the giant kelp forest in Fortisque Bay and Waterfall bay. I also dived at Deep Glen Pyramid and Little FOC Rock a few days later. The guys there all seemed really nice thought I was mental though for diving in a 3/4/5mm wetsuit with pool fins, when some other divers were in drysuits.
I also dived further up the east coast at Bicheno which was really good too. I really enjoyed my dives in Tazmania. My cousin came traveling round Taz with me and we hired a little Suzuki Swift and drove all over. Lots of fun. If i was to live anywhere in Oz it would be Tazmania I fell in love with the place.
Hope all is well with the McGurk Clan, say hi to Sarah for me.
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He had done a fair bit of diving in both Scotland (Scapa) & Norway so we got on quite well. Only others on boat were a couple of blokes with less than 30 dives each.
. "Damn," I thought, "it's not gonna be my day maybe." Still, all of the arm movements seemed to captivate a toothbrush leatherjacket which followed them for most of the dive.
