Lord Howe Island

On Friday 24th November 2000, nine of us headed off to Abyss Scuba Diving’s first trip to Lord Howe Island. I say first trip as everyone who went on this trip wants to make it an annual event! Yes that is how good the place is. The island itself is the most beautiful unspoiled, uncommercialised place I have ever seen, two large green mountains raising up out of the most spectacular coloured blue ocean. Everyone and everything on the island is very laid back and relaxed. We were totally spoilt with great weather every day, excellent accommodation, lots of great food and some of the best diving I have ever done. Brain and Scott from Howea Divers who we dived with REALLY looked after us.

Our group consisted of two non-divers, Wendy & Peter Oldfield and seven divers, Kimberly Capps, Borut Lenardic, Samantha Letts, Andrew Dolan-Brown, Peter & Robyn McBride and myself (Kellie). While the non-divers climbed the 875m Mt Glower and partook in every activity and walk the island had to offer, us divers spent most of our time under the water looking at the world’s most southern coral reef.

Our dives had it all, hard corals, soft corals, everything seemed to be covered in sea feathers, all sorts of tropical fish including Moorish Idols and Clown triggerfish, various colourful wrasse, the largest lion fish I have ever seen, McCulloch’s Anemone Fish, double header fish, king fish and a wide variety of other fish that I have no idea what they were, turtles, galapagos sharks, inquisitive rays, morays, large lobsters, colourful nudibranchs, I could go on and on. Viz on all dives was at least 25m plus. Some dives were adventurous and exciting, some were beautiful and relaxing, all were fun! Andrew took a video on some of our dives and once the editing is finished the video will be in the library if anyone wants a look at what it was like.

We got to dive the famous Ball’s Pyramid. Howea Divers are the only dive operator on the Island to dive there and it is very weather dependent. Diving there had to be done to be believed! I loved the two dives we did here although I know everyone else had their own favorite dives.

As with every trip it is usually the people on the trip that really make it. This trip was no exception. Thank you to everyone who came along and made the 5 days so wonderful! I can’t wait to go to Lord Howe with you all again next year.

P.S. I know I was suppose to lie and say how terrible it was so no one else would want to go there but I couldn’t help it!