Dive Picton, in the Marlborough Sounds of New Zealand

Getting Lucky at Lucky Point
Posted on Thu 14 May, 2009

Today's mid week mission saw us head out to the Cook Strait with the intent of continuing to check out dive sites south of the Tory Entrance. With the NW blowing hard in the Queen Charlotte we are sceptical of how good it may be outside. With Dale away at the Poetry Slam (good luck darling!) i would have to be boatboy which was a bummer considering how good the conditions actually were! It was worth the look as the conditions were definately divable if not a little swelly!

We dropped in near the Jordy Rocks for the first dive-lots of fish life, good vis and a few crayfish coming on board.

Looking South to the Jordy Rocks

We shot around into Lucky Bay for the next dive and found an awesome spot with crevasses full of butterfish, Butterfly Perch and moki and even with the swell the visibilty was still good.

Dave Porteous Smiling as he tries out his new gear!

The Sounds is awesome for diving in that you can still get great diving in when the weather forecast is average- you just go where the wind isn't! I love diving in the Strait during the NW its still calm, visibility generally good and has fantastic scenery.

Harry pretty happy!

Monday's Mission is the Mikhail Lermontov if the weather allows!

Cheer

Ben

Chilly Dip at Tory
Posted on Mon 11 May, 2009

Today's Monday Mission stayed in a little closer due to the weather-strong cold southerlies which put the kaibosh on us getting out to the entrance. We deceided to try both sides of the entrance to Tory at the Queen Charlotte side at Diffenbach and Ruamoko.

Both spots are subject to strong current dependent on the stage of the tide and we caught it as it was going out. First dive at Diffenbach was great- plenty of fish, good visibility and some crays being caught however they had eggs and were soft so no keepers (Sorry Serena! first cray and all but rules are rules!)

Second dive across the channel at Ruamoko point we were a bit late in getting in and the current was quite stong and confused so it meant for a little bit of a challenge trying to gauge which direction it was going.

All in all, still a better start to the week than sitting in traffic, even with the bloody cold wind!

Hopefully better weather for Thursday. (and i'll remember the camera!)

Cheers

Ben

Gap in the weather allows another Lermie mission!
Posted on Fri 08 May, 2009

This week has been dogged by typical Autumn weather-cold, windy, rainy pretty much all the things that turn us off diving! However we saw a window of opportunity to sneak around to the wreck of the Lermontov. Day started out pretty spooky and misty but improved dramatically!

misty start.jpg

The conditions on site were fantastic, glass calm, 6-8m visibility and a good crew of keen divers both local and international.

Can of Fosters (still full!)in the Neptune Bar

For Harry and Serena the build up and practise dives on the Vara and Koi paid off with some awesome diving inside tha ship. For the internationals it was good to hear that the lermie is up there with some of the big international wrecks. Great to see you Kev after all these years!

Serena, Felix, Hazza, Kev, Judith

The team rugged up against the cold start!

Must admit that the decision to leave when we did was a good one as the promised increase in wind and sea came true with some good honest waves around the cape!

Big Pod of Dolphins in Endevour Inlet was a hightlight for the journey home!

Look forward to the next mission!

Welcome to the Family!
Posted on Fri 08 May, 2009

We have to say a big well done to Lucia Molina from Spain and Adelaja Thomas from the US for completing their Openwater Course in really challenging conditions today. In the rain and cold southerly the guys came through to pass the Openwater Course with honours!

Looking forward to the Phillipines!eh Lucia?

Thanks guys.

Lipstick on Your Regulator!
Posted on Sun 03 May, 2009

This weekend is about the ladies, the ladies.It's all about you and getting you convinced that scuba diving is a fantastic sport and shouldn't be left to the guys to enjoy.

Dale showing the girls equalising

On Saturday the girls arrived ready to get into it- after reviewing the theory in their dive manuals they were ready for the pool.

Dale had the girls learning how to set up their dive gear, how it works to keep you safe, how to use the gear in the water and how to have heaps of fun blowing bubbles.