Archive for January 2006

Dive #20: Flagstaff, Sydney, Australia.

Place:Flagstaff Buddy:Eithne
Weather: Type:Boat (Sea Life V)
Max. depth (m):14.6 Visibility (m):5
Time down:16:42 Dive time (mins):32
Average depth (m):10.9 Water temp. (C):20.0

Equipment: As #19.

Notes: Advanced PADI course, dive 5/5, “Underwater Naturalist”. Had to spot 5 vertebrates, 5 invertebrates and 2 plants. Average water temperature was 20 degrees celsius. Average depth was 10.9 m. I was very ill with sea sickness for this dive. I only went in because it was the last dive to get the Advanced PADI certificate and it would have been great hassle to repeat it at a later date. I had a headache throughout, even under water.

Accumulated time under water: 9 hrs 21 mins

Dive #19: North Head, Sydney, Australia.

Place:North Head (The Blocks) Buddy:Eithne
Weather: Type:Boat (Sea Life V)
Max. depth (m):25.9 Visibility (m):10
Time down:14:09 Dive time (mins):25
Average depth (m):0.0 Water temp. (C):0.0

Equipment: As #17.

Notes: PADI advanced course dive 4/5, “Deep Dive”. Instructor demonstrated (i) colour dissipation under water (red almost gone at 25 m) and (ii) mental impairment at depth – the time to complete a simple mental task (picking out numbers from a grid in order) was measured at the surface and at 25 m. It took marginally longer at depth. Air is used at a rate proportional to depth.

Accumulated time under water: 8 hrs 49 mins

Dive #18: Shelly Beach, Manly, Australia

Place:Shelly Beach Buddy:Bud (from Pro Dive)
Weather:Dry, nice Type:Shore
Max. depth (m):7.3 Visibility (m):7
Time down:14:40 Dive time (mins):39
Average depth (m):0.0 Water temp. (C):0.0

Equipment: As #17, but with Technisub Lumen 6 torch.

Notes: Advanced PADI course, dive 3/5- “Night Dive”. Cuttlefish, cat fish, small fast blue fish. V. cool dive [!].

Shelly beach is at (33° 48′ 2.22″ S 151° 17′ 44.93″ E) and is shown here:


View Larger Map

Accumulated time under water: 4 hrs 21 mins

Dive #17: Flagstaff, Sydney, Australia.

Place:Flagstaff Buddy:Eithne
Weather: Type:Boat (Sea Life V)
Max. depth (m):8.2 Visibility (m):7
Time down:15:53 Dive time (mins):46
Average depth (m):6.7 Water temp. (C):21.0

Equipment: Same as dive #16.

Notes: Advanced PADI dive #2- “Underwater Navigation”. Did reciprocal line with (i) compass and (ii) natural features. Swam in a square by counting fins strokes and using compass. It took 40 seconds and 17 fin cycles to do 30 metres. Average depth was 6.7 m. Water temperature was 21 degrees celsius. Saw lots of sting rays.

Accumulated time under water: 7 hrs 45 mins

Dive #16: Old Man’s Hat, Sydney, Australia.

Place:Old Man's Hat Buddy:Eithne
Weather:Beautiful Type:Boat (Sea Life V)
Max. depth (m):17.8 Visibility (m):7
Time down:14:17 Dive time (mins):34
Average depth (m):13.7 Water temp. (C):21.0

Equipment: 12lb, Size 4 wetsuit, Aqualung Titan Reg, Mosquito, Knife.

Notes: Padi advanced course Dive 1/5 with Pro-dive at Manly. Average depth was 13.7 m. Water temperature was 21 degrees. Many interesting coloured plants. Blue Spongey things: Sea Tulips. Orange stuff: Some type of sponge [ever the meticulous naturalist].

Accumulated time under water: 6 hrs 59 mins

Dive #15: Blue Fish Point

Place:Blue Fish Point Buddy:Eithne
Weather: Type:Boat (Sea Life V)
Max. depth (m):15.8 Visibility (m):0
Time down: Dive time (mins):32
Average depth (m):0.0 Water temp. (C):0.0

Equipment: Own fins, booties, mask, computer. Rented gear: 21lb weight, Size 4 pro dive (shorty) wetsuit, 12 l tank, Aqualung Titan Reg, Aqualung Wave BCD.

Notes: Second dive with Mosquito.

Accumulated time under water: 6 hrs 25 mins

Dive #14: Blue Fish Wall, Sydney, Australia.

Place:Blue Fish Wall Buddy:Eithne
Weather: Type:Boat (Sea Life V)
Max. depth (m):18.1 Visibility (m):0
Time down: Dive time (mins):26
Average depth (m):0.0 Water temp. (C):0.0

Equipment: See dive #15.

Notes: First dive with Mosquito.

Accumulated time under water: 5 hrs 53 mins