The top of the pylons at Flinders Pier

 Macro, Ocean diving, Reef diving  No Responses »
Sep 022013
 
The top of the pylons at Flinders Pier

About the site I was intending to dive at Mornington Pier yesterday, a quick trip out from home. When I got there I discovered the 1m+ swell was breaking under the pier and the car park was empty of divers. With the wind coming in from the bay it was time to move to the other side and I drove over to Flinders Pier instead. Yesterday was also the first day of the Underwater Festival photo competition. Photos have to be taken in September this year to qualify so I have the next 29 days to take the winning shot. It was great to get started early. About the dive Due to the unexpected redirection I got to Flinders about [read more…]

Upcoming talks and workshop

 Cave diving, Other  No Responses »
Aug 292013
 
Upcoming talks and workshop

The CDAA is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and there are a number of associated events running. One of these is the photo competition which I will be judging with Neil Vincent. Entries close in a month, so get onto it! This Saturday I will be speaking at the Victorian state event about our Elk River project. If you’re interested in the planning and logistics of these dives, or the survey and exploration achieved so far come along to the Castle Hotel in North Melbourne this Saturday. Talks start at noon and there’s dinner afterwards. I look forward to catching up with everyone there. For the day’s agenda, check the CDAA forum. The CDAA AGM will be held in [read more…]

Warming the foreground in Pines Cave

 Cave diving, Mt Gambier  No Responses »
Aug 272013
 
Warming the foreground in Pines Cave

About the Cave Pines has a large cavern zone, and some interesting tunnels after you wind your way down the side of the rockpile. With some nice clay down in the deep zone, interesting critters up in the shallow and very easy stairs to the water it’s a fun and relaxed dive. You can see my close up yabby shots from the afternoon dive here. About the dive This dive was the first of the weekend, a checkout on my newly-replaced camera and the first time that I’d been in Pines in ages. Despite it being so popular and regularly dived, I have very few shots that I’m happy with from here. This dive was a nice chance to play [read more…]

Diving birds in Ewen’s Ponds

 Cave diving, Mt Gambier  2 Responses »
Aug 192013
 
Diving birds in Ewen's Ponds

About the site Ewen’s Ponds is as close as you can get to cave diving with out being a cave diver. My assessment here is based not on the rocks or being able to swim through a dark zone, but entirely on the fact that the visibility is amazing. To discover the reason I go cave diving, go for a splash in Ewens on a sunny day. The experience of crystal clear water is like flying through space. Ewen’s Ponds are formed where 8 Mile Creek widens out and there are three successive ponds with freshwater springs in the bottom of them. Between the ponds divers and snorkelers float down the green streams. About the dive I had dived here [read more…]

Yabbies in Pines Cave

 Cave diving, Macro, Mt Gambier  1 Response »
Aug 052013
 
Yabbies in Pines Cave

  About the cave At a certain point in cave training, most CDAA members do a lot of diving in Pines Cave. There are five main cave-rated sites in Mt Gambier, and Pines is the largest and most interesting. In order to rack up the hours and experience required, those who don’t travel to other cave diving regions do a lot of diving here. It’s also a dual rated site and once you’ve passed the Advanced Cave course there are a bunch of tunnels to explore. The main cavern is fairly open and on clear winter days sees good sunshine down the rockpile. In the shallows there’s lots of timber scattered around. About the dive This was our last dive [read more…]

Silt clouds in Stinging Nettle Cave

 Cave diving, Mt Gambier  No Responses »
Jul 292013
 
Silt clouds in Stinging Nettle Cave

About the cave Stinging Nettle is a small sloping cave just across the road from Pines, with a gated entrance at one end of a shallow doline. There’s fine, dark organic silt through the whole cave but because it’s rarely visited by divers and only accessible on the weekends the water is normally crystal clear on the way in. The permanent line leads the way down the slope, twisting left and right between the boulders. The diveable cave has been formed by boulders rolling down the slope and coming to rest wedged between floor and ceiling which makes for an interesting dive. About the dive This was the first time I’d been in Stinging Nettle in 18 months, but I [read more…]

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