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Cave diving trip to Mount Gambier
Written by Marc van der Poel
Steadily our pool of Deep Cavern divers is growing, so it’s time to cross to the Nullarbor and head for the Australian capital of cave diving. When I asked: Who wants to come with me to Mt Gambier and learn to lay line in the caves, I nearly got trampled! The response was tremendous, I even got requests from people not qualified (yet). Next trip guys, there will be more!
First in and best dressed were Tech divers Drew Petterson, Ryan Limpus & Joshua Phillips. All have completed the Deep cavern course here in WA, as well as TDI Advanced Nitrox & Decompression Procedures. I have a good friend, who is a CDAA cave Instructor in Melbourne, Rubens Monaco, who organised the course logistics and accommodation.
We left on the 1st of Feb on the red-eye from Perth to Melbourne with a baggage allowance of 23 kg – enough you would think…. We all thought we were well within the allowance. Ryan had a little shock when his bag turned out to be a mere 37 kg. He had packed a weight belt and the kitchen sink (No, just kidding about the weight belt). When we arrived in Melbourne all our bags came around the corner on the carousel, except Ryan’s. His bag was too heavy and had not been loaded! Shock horror, what next, he needed his bag or he was going to be doing a week of snorkeling in Mt Gambier.
Good news, the airline messed up and were flying his bag out that evening and were going to deliver the bag to Kongorong. That was where we were heading! Rubens organised the accommodation – a converted church! It is owned by a cave diver who converted it to accommodate cave divers. It has everything you need; enough beds, a pot belly stove for the cooler evenings, kitchen, 2 bathrooms, washing machine and a BBQ. Oh, and even a drying room for the drysuits at the end of the day! We arrived in Kongorong at about 6pm, had dinner and chilled out for a bit, then an early night – we were in our third time zone for the day.
An early rise the next day with the anticipation of Ryan’s kitchen sink that was due to be delivered. Some breakfast and a start on the theory. The guys were doing the Side-mount course first so that we could all do the cave course in S-M configuration. To Ryan’s relief, his bag was delivered late that morning (the thought of snorkeling for a week didn’t appeal that much!). After a morning of theory and gear setup we headed out to Ewan’s ponds for the first SM dive.
Wow! It is like swimming in gin, the water is crystal clear! Read more…
20 August 2011Diving the Wrecks of Truk Lagoon
Written by Marc van der Poel
I have recently been asked ‘Where is the best diving in the world?’I find this a hard question because there is so much I haven’t dived (yet), but more importantly how can you compare apples with pears. I think I have my favorite dives, experiences that leave an impression forever. For example, I will never forget the first time I swam with Whale-sharks.
The reason why I find it a hard question to answer is because there are so many different places to dive. Trying to compare muck diving in Wakatobi to the wrecks of Chuuk is not realistic. The two extremes both really thrill me, but I cannot choose one over the other. It amazes me what crazy critters exist and what the untrained eye can miss when rushing unsuspectedly over the reef. Frogfish, harlequin ghost pipefish are amongst my favorite critters in disguise. But wrecks tell a story, often much more than just the incident that brought them to the bottom of the ocean.
Chuuk is the ultimate in wreck diving and tells an incredible story. Recently I visited the highly acclaimed atoll in the pacific. It is quite a trek to get there from Perth, but worth it. We flew from Cairns with Continental Airlines to Guam and from there to The International Airport of Chuuk. I say this a little tongue in cheek because it has only one runway and it is shorter than the street I live in. I had read a lot about Chuuk and over the years heard a lot from keen divers who had made the pilgrimage. So you can imagine I was quite excited and full of high expectations. Seen the pictures on the net of what the islands looks like, as well as some pictures of the wrecks.
25 June 2011Perth Scuba Tek Courses
TDI Advanced Nitrox Course
Take the next step to becoming a TDI Advanced Nitrox Diver! TDI Advanced Nitrox Diver gives you the qualification to safely plan no decompression dives using mixtures of Nitrox above 40%. It covers topics like gas management and dive planning, equipment configuration, basic physics and physiology, advanced emergency skills, dive computers and dive tables.
Perth Scuba Advanced Nitrox package includes:
- Tuition including Full Course Content Sessions
- TDI Advanced Nitrox Work Book
- TDI EAD Dive Planning Slate
- TDI Advanced Nitrox IQ Review
- 4 Ocean Dives (6 if combined with Decompression Procedures course)
- Equipment Discount for Students on Course
- Air Fills (for entire course)
- Free Dive Club Membership Kit
Pre-requisites:
- 15 years of age
- Nitrox Diver Certification
- 25 Logged Dives
Course runs: Saturday 23rd – Sunday 24th July 2011 only $550
TDI Decompression Theory
Take the next step to becoming a TDI Decompression Diver. TDI Decompression Procedures Diver gives you the qualification to safely plan decompression dives. It covers topics like gas management and dive planning, equipment configuration, basic physics and physiology, dive computers and dive tables, decompression options, and is a pre-requisite course into Advanced Wreck, Extended Range, and Entry Level Trimix.
Perth Scuba Package Includes:
- Tuition including Full Course Content Sessions
- TDI Advanced Nitrox Work Book
- TDI EAD Dive Planning Slate
- TDI Advanced Nitrox IQ Review
- 4 Ocean Dives (6 if combined with Decompression Procedures)
- Equipment Discount for Students on Course
- Air Fills (for entire course)
- Free Dive Club Membership Kit
Pre-requisites:
- 15 years of age
- Advanced Open Water Certification
- 25 Logged Dives
- Ascent Reel / Spool with Surface Maker Buoy / Lift Bag
Course runs: Saturday 30th – Sunday 31st July 2011 only $495
To book onto one of these exciting Perth Scuba courses call 9455 4448 or email info@perthscuba.com
14 May 2011
with Marc van der Poel
Exciting times ahead in the Perth Scuba camp at the moment. We are heading off to Truk lagoon on the 8th of July to do some serious wreck diving! I can’t wait – Since I started diving I have always wanted to go and I have spent most of my diving career doing the training to do exactly what we are going to be doing in Truk.
The great thing about Truk is that the wrecks are at various depths and will suit any level of diver. There is no need to be a technical diver – Single tanks are fine! You choose the depth you want to go and whether you want to go inside the wrecks or not. The amount of history in Truk is mind blowing and the dives are spectacular.
Imagine dropping down onto the deck of a Japanese ship – The guns are still pointing skyward – the way they were when the ship took the fatal hit which sent her to the ocean floor. Along the decks you can still see the mayhem that must have been onboard with boxes of ammunition scattered along the decks, Galleys still in mid preparation of food with woks and bottles scattered around the floor. Swim further along the decks to find massive openings which are the entrances to cargo holds. The contents begin to focus as you descend into them and your eyes adjust to the light. Your torch beam picks up a Japanese Zero. And then another, and another! They are stacked wingless side by side across the floor of the hold. Next to them a whole bunch of detached wings. Wooden crates lie to one side with propellers neatly packed inside. This is one load of cargo which never got to do its’ job. Further along – another hold. This one is full of Trucks – Bedford style with big trays on the back. Next to these, motor bikes, lined up side by side. Further along, 
boxes of bullets by the hundreds stacked on top of each other, removing the decayed wood on top of the boxes reveal grease covered aircraft bullets almost in a good condition as the day they went down. Dropping another level lower and there is a car park of Jeeps and even a couple of trailer guns sitting to the side. There are literally tonnes of Military Hardware sitting in these holds and they never saw 1 day of action. It’s no wonder the attack at Truk lagoon (Operation Hailstorm) broke the back of the Japanese offensive. The wreck – The Fujikawa Maru. Just one of over 60 wrecks that lie within just 12 kilometres. The result of a devastating revenge effort by the US after the Pearl Harbour attack. There are still 2 places left on the Truk trip if you are interested in joining us. I am planning to take some divers through some wrecks doing full penetration and seeing what we can find. I CAN’T WAIT!
DEEP DIVER COURSE May 21st and 22nd
Come along with us to dive to 40m and come out with your deep certification. The prerequisite to the Cavern Course, and most of the other Technical Diving courses. The cost of the course is $325 and includes 3 boat dives out of Hillarys over some new ground we want to check out.
ALREADY DEEP QUALIFIED?
Join us on Sunday the 22nd of May for 3 deep dives in one day for just $185. Limited Places Available – Twin sets available for hire! Book now by calling 9455 4448 or email info@perthscuba.com!!!
