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Capsizing, cave diving, & wobby's oh my!
South West Rocks Report
By Rob Dissington
On Thursday 12th April six intrepid divers (Carl, Rachel, Sarah, Trish, Shaun & me) after a careful word of encouragement from Peter (the last bit being to have fun), we set off to South West Rocks quite a distance, I think about 500kms but don't quote me.
We arrived at roughly 10.30p.m. The lodgings are purpose built, with a large area with open plan kitchen, and lounge arrangement, and enough tables to cater to the most fastidious of the diving community, that have O-ring duty the night before a dive, I had no idea they could get so dirty that it takes at least 10 minutes to clearn just one of them, but you live and learn. The bedrooms were well laid out with enough bunks and blankets for everyone. We were all tired after the long drive so we retired to the sleep, Carl informed us we had to be up by 6.00 the next morning as we had the first dive, this was met by an encouraging harmony of cheers and we all went to sleep.
Next Morning due to adverse weather conditions we were offered the option of going canoeing. We all set off for the river. On the way we met up with the seventh member of our happy troop (George, he decided it would be better for him to go back to base, so he could catch up on some rest ready for the big day's diving in the morrow). The canoeing was good fun for the most part, barring the two times we capsized, and One Baseball Cap (Mine), One Sandal (Carl's), and one pair of Oakley Sunny's (Carl's) sacrificed to the river gods, (special note of admiration goes to Sarah here for managing to avoid eating meat at the barbecue due to Lent, luckily the shop had provided salad and chips). Needless to say we felt we deserved a little rest and relaxation after our hectic day so we adjourned to the local watering hole, had a bite to eat (Order the wedges, only if you have a compulsion to work your way orally through a mountain of food), and a few drinks. Then off home ready and waiting for our first dive at 7.00 am.
Next day we were up at 6.00, all ready for our dive, after gearing up we set off to Fish Rock, the surface was a little bumpy to say the least and by the end of the first mornings diving all the boys had managed to lose their breakfast, the girls just looked on smugly, The first dive was the Aquarium, which lives up to it's name apparently the vis wasn't very good, 20M! but anyway, we descended down a line and found ourselves amidst hundreds of different fish, I'm not going to pretend to know all their names, but highlights for me were the Lionfish, a wobbegong swimming instead of laying on the floor, Moray eels, Bat fish, and lobsters. The second dive took us to the cave, it was a little busy, but we went two thirds of the way in just to the chimneys, but boy what fun I can't describe the feeling of diving in a cave, except this didn't feel like one, as it's so huge, there were a few Wobby's hanging around the bottom and about 9 and a half lobsters (yes I did say half), not to mention the myriad of smaller fish in school of hundreds their scales reflecting off our torch light. We headed back to base, I can only speak for myself but I was definitely looking forward to the next day, and swimming all the way through the cave.
Next morning after being a wakened to find the Easter Bunny had visited and left little presents all over the room (I'm still convinced we didn't get every chocolate egg) we headed out for the 7.00 am dive, luckily the sea was a little less choppy, that and the abundance of seasickness pills I'd taken seemed to go a long way towards making me feel more at ease on the ocean. The cave dive will probably be my most favourite for a while, we entered from the deepest part (Approximately 24m) then finned along Trish tried grabbing hold of a wobby at one stage thinking it was part of the floor, I think it was the one they call Mad Max (9ft long if it was a foot) we headed on our torches lighting the way, until we reached the chimneys, these are two channels that go up from 21m to about 11m they are about 3ft wide, but it felt a lot narrower, I just loved the feeling of being underwater and surrounded by rock, it's almost like rock climbing without the need for a rope, anyway we popped out of the chimney at 11m made our way down to 14m then finned along to the Cave exit (yesterdays entrance), we popped our heads up two at a time in the 'bubble cave' it was very strange being able to have a brief conversation in the small air space, but an enjoyable experience all the same. The view from the entrance of the cave out has to be seen to be believed, the shadow of the cave then azure blue of the ocean is a sight I'm going to remember for a long time. The second dive was the aquarium again which has made me decide to buy a proper book on fish as it's really hard to explain that the small black and white fish you saw, was the coolest thing ever.
The third days diving (Monday) we decided to do the cave again, on the way to the site I saw my first dolphin (Wild one that is), it's dorsal fin broke the surface about 50 yards aft of the boat, it was all I could do to stop myself from diving in there and then!, at the cave, the wobby's must have felt they needed more rest this day as they were further in than the previous day, again the chimneys was the highlight for me, but I think I just fell in love with the cave as a whole. The second dive we were trying to find a turtle for Carl, (and us, but Carl mainly) Noel took us to 'Fish 'n' Chips' as they have been spotted there quite often, we found a few wobby's, a nice Hermit crab, but no turtle I'm afraid, which means we will just have to go back.
We headed back to base, then packed our stuff up and left South West Rocks, on our way homeward. Personally I had a wonderful time, and would like to thank Carl & Abyss for organising the trip, everyone for trying to teach me how to play Ucha (I think you spell it that way) and special thanks to Sarah's mum, for packing Caramel Tim Tams I now have a new vice.
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