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Hard to believe January is almost over already, however it is the diving season and we have been really busy. Thirteen commercial diving students have just arrived at Descend and will spend the next 3 months with us, so that on its own is enough to keep us busy, however we still have our sport courses, repairs, contracting and club trips on the go – in fact only a few sleeps to Jervis Bay.
Jervis Bay
We have 13 divers travelling over Thursday 26th January, hopefully to sneak in a shore dive when we arrive, with double boat dives booked Friday and Saturday, perhaps a few more shore dives than travelling home Sunday. Our club trips are very popular and filling up as soon as details are released so for future reference act quickly and get your deposits in to avoid missing out. We’ll give you a full report when we return, and hopefully have some great pic’s to show off.. Full trip information has been sent to those that have booked on and if you haven’t booked hire gear we are running out so call us soon to see what is available.
Xmas Party  | | Adam, Phil & Mark |  |
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Well Christmas is well and truly over and I hope you all got as spoilt as I did. The Descend Christmas Party was fantastic, so fantastic in fact we have already booked the same venue for our Christmas Party next year at The Albury Club. Check out our photos from our great night at the link below;
http://www.descend.com.au/training/gallery/PhotoGallery.asp?whichcategory=Descend%20Xmas%20Party%202005&AreaID=17
Christmas Club Dive
Rick ran a Pit Dive followed by Chicken, Champagne and candy canes, what a way to get into the swing of things before Xmas.
Select the link below for photos from our club dive;
http://www.descend.com.au/training/gallery/PhotoGallery.asp?whichcategory=Christmas%20Club%20Dive&AreaID=17
Course Congratulations  | | Rick, Geoff & Ash | |
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A very big congratulations to Elspeth Mildren (yes Lloyd’s daughter), Anthea Andrighetto, Jordan Hill & Ben Brearley who completed their open water dive course last weekend at Queenscliff. Check out the photos below taken by a very proud Dad;
http://www.descend.com.au/training/gallery/PhotoGallery.asp?whichcategory=Full%20Time%20Course&AreaID=17
Open Water Courses
For upcoming open water course dates select the link below and be sure to let your friends know;
http://www.descend.com.au/training/sports/courses/20035221352.htm
Bicheno Club Trip Details  | | Frank & Di | |
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This trip is fully booked with 12 divers heading to Bicheno Friday 21st April – Tuesday 25th April. A bus has been arranged to pick us up from Launceston airport at 5:00pm Friday afternoon so you must be in Launceston ready for the pick up at this time. It is approximately a 2hr trip to Bicheno, not including a pub stop on the way for a counter meal. You are responsible for arranging your own flights or the ferry if you prefer. I have booked mine online through Virgin departing Melbourne at 3:00pm and arriving Launceston at 4:05pm – there is a 30kg limit so try and pack light – I think I will have to wear my 5ml on the plane. Double boat dives have been booked for Saturday and Sunday with numerous shore dives available ranging from 5m to 25m. If you need any further details at this point in time just give us a call at descend on 60 411405 but I suggest you book your flights now to get the cheapest possible airflight.
Attention all Solomon Traveler’s  | | Cass & Katrina | |
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Change of dates to trip
Old Dates – 17th – 24th September
New Dates – 19th – 26th September (Still Vic. School holidays)
Solomon Airlines charter aircraft’s for their airflights and the company they had running their flights had their aircraft repossessed therefore Solomon airlines have had to find a new company to charter their flights making the date change. We have picked a date as close as possible to the existing date and kept it in school holidays as requested by a few. If these new dates no longer suit you please let us know and we will have someone take your place.
New Staff
A big welcome to our latest staff member Kirk Savage. Kirk did his open water course with us many years ago and at the time he had dreams of becoming a commercial diver. Well dreams do come true – Kirk completed Course 44 in January of 2005 and has spent the last 12 months gaining experience as a commercial diver and now has a full time position with Descend as basically jack of all trades – commercial diver, assistant instructor on commercial courses, doing repairs and helping out in the shop. Welcome to the team Kirk.
For full profile no Kirk select the link below;
http://www.descend.com.au/commercial/divers/20054812472.htm
Diving Jervis Bay
Being a Marine Park, Jervis Bay has some spectacular and varied diving sites.
Here are just a few:
The Docks
One of the most popular dives sites, particularly for newly certified divers and open water students. The topography consists of kelp beds, large boulders, small caves, mini drop offs and swim throughs. Small sponge gardens are scattered throughout the sit, with one of the main attractions being a double decker cave. Maximum depth on this dive site is 20 metres.
Slot Cave
Slot cave is located on the Northern side of the bay and is protected from the Nor'Easters that traditionally blow in Summer. Even though the site is called a cave it is not actually an enclosed overhead environment. The entry to slot cave is in approximately 16-18 metres of water. The slot extends back into the cliff face for about 60 metres. The environment offers very clean water and superb visibility and has plenty of natural light. Soft corals and small crusteans can be found on the walls of the cave and under small ledges. The area is wide enough for two divers to swim side by side.
Stoney Creek
Stoney Creek is a dive not for the faint hearted. Depth starts in approximately 25 metres and the wall drops down to 50+ metres. Gorgonian Fans and Sea Whips on the ocean floor make this a spectacular dive. The area is prone to currents which provides some excellent drift diving. This particular dive site is for the experienced diver and is quite often done as a twin tank dive or technical dive. Stoney creek is on the Southern exterior of the bay.
Drum and Drumsticks
Drum and Drumsticks is a dive site located outside of the bay heading North. It is approximately a 40 minute boat ride. There are a number of different areas to dive when you get to the drum. Depth ranges from 10 metres to 30 metres and are multi-level. Topography is mainly rocky reef with sponge gardens and soft corals. There is the wreck of the 'Wanderer' which is in 26 metres of water. Lion's Den you sometimes spot Lion Fish.
Spider Cave
Spider Cave is a wonderful dive just South of Bowen Island. Infront of the cave is great diving with a maximum depth of 30 metres, shallowing up to 16 metres against the cliff face. The cave extends back 70-80 metres and is an overhead environment. This site is best to do during Winter when the Westerly winds blow ensuring there is minimal or no swell when you enter the cave.
Seal Colony
This is one of our favourite sites during Winter when the Seals migrate to a site South of St Georges Headland. The site itself is made up of large boulders and rock formations and has a maximum depth of 25-30 metres. Marine life here is not as abundant as other sites, the primary focus is on diving with the seals. These creatures are very inquisitive and playful. They will mimic your actions whilst underwater. This is one of those dives to do for the experience.
The Streets
As the name suggests, you'll descend to find large boulders much the size of houses in an almost uniform pattern creating sandy streets and pathways between them. The boulders are covered with amazing sponge growth, gorgonians and sea whips line the sandy bottom. Wintertime the giant cuttle fish can be found, usually tagging along behind groups of divers.
Point Perpendicular
Point Perp offers many types of diving, from clear shallow water, schooling fish, deep rocky sponge gardens and reef to grey nurse sharks. Just 10 metres under the surface you can find schools of mullet, silver bream, sea sweep and long finned pike. As you swim down to 30 metres and deeper the reef changes, as does the marine life. Delicate pink and red gorgonia, purple sponges, hydroids bryozoans, soft and hard southern corals with coloured tunicates.
The Labyrinth
Located outside of the bay on the northern headland. This site can be described as a huge slab of rock covering an area suspended above the sea floor, which measures in height about one and half metres surrounded by small tunnels leading in and out from a central open oval chamber. An easy location for most divers. The Labyrinth has many exit points and swim throughs, making it an interesting little dive.
The Arch
An underwater diving experience that should not be missed. For the advance diver, it drops down to 35 metres. The arch appears as a huge suspended rock formation, shaped much like an ancient stone bridge. Beneath the archway that rises more that five metres above the sea floor and spans a distance of 10 metres, wobbegong and port jackson sharks can be found covering the bottom. The arch is laden with small sprigs of gorgonia, white and orange anenomes, pink and blue solitary corals plus schools of silver pike and butterfly pike.
Article URL: http://www.descend.com.au/newsletter/200612416732.htm
Descend Underwater Training Centre
Shop 1 826 David Street
Albury NSW 2640
Australia
Tel: +61 2 6041 1405
Fax: +61 2 6021 6732
ABN: 83 251 221 741
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