Descend Downunder
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| Des & Geoff see 2005 in - diving The Pit |
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Happy New Year – we hope you have a wonderful year in 2005!!
Dive no. 1 down for 2005
Wow – hard to believe it’s a new Year, how time flies with Xmas gone for another year. Welcome to our first newsletter for 2005, we hope you all enjoyed a nice relaxing break over Xmas and you have a truly wonderful year ahead.
So what do mad keen divers really get up to on New Years Eve?? A midnight dive in "The Pit’ in standard diving dress of course. Well crazy or not you’ve got to admit its definitely a different way to see in the New Year! I bet there aren’t too many of you that could wake up in New Years Day and say you’d completed Dive No.1 for 2005. Des and Geoff Reed, I must admit it takes commitment,... oh I would of loved too but I just couldn’t put down the champers on New Year!
Med Diver Course
Feel like a bit of a challenge and improving your diving knowledge out of site – then this is the course for you. Aimed at the diving professional, but open to everyone, this course covers advanced theory covering physiology, physics, diving maladies, recompression chambers and neurological assessment of an injured diver. Limited places still available – commencing Friday night 14th January from 7:30pm – Book Now on 60 411 405
Twilight Dive
Always a fun evening – meeting at The Pit at 5:30pm for a twilight dive followed with a chicken and champagne supper. Bookings essential – Cost $10/head – gear additional – Book Now!
Jindabyne Club Weekend
We now have around 17 people confirmed for this great weekend on the 19th & 20th February and its not too late if you would still like to go, just give us a call to put your name down. Most importantly you need to book your equipment requirements with us, and you need to book your own accommodation. See inside for full information.
Clean up Australia Day
This is a first for us and we are seeking your help. We are planning a clean up from the Train bridge to Nouriel Park meeting at Nouriel Park at 10:00am on Sunday 6th March. We will provide our dive boat and dive gear for all volunteers with a drop off at the train bridge and divers simply float down and collect as much rubbish as possible along the way. We’ll also provide a free sausage sizzle on completion of the clean up. Join us in making a difference and help keep our waterways clean. Call us to register now!
Med Diver Course
This course is also filling fast with limited places left. Commences 14th January. For Full details select the link below:
http://www.descend.com.au/training/sports/courses/2004979602.htm
Course Dates:
Friday 14th January – 7:30 – 10:30
Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th January – 9:00 – 4:00
Cost: $260
Twilight Club Dive
The Pit is fantastic at the moment, clear and even warm. Join us for a Twilight Dive followed by chicken and champagne on Friday evening 21st January. Bookings are essential.
Time: 5:30 @ The Pit
Cost: $10/ head
RSVP: prior to the 21st
A unique weekend at Jindabyne .
Walk to the top of the world
Have a dive on a flooded township
Ride the Mount Crackenback chairlift
Lunch at Eaglenest
Kalkite Homestead is one of the best freshwater dives in Australia and without doubt the most interesting dive in the lake. It takes a twenty five-minute boat ride to reach the site, which usually is about seven metres deep but depends on lake level. Last time I went, two platypus played around the boat, splashing and diving for about twenty minutes. Kalkite Homestead is almost intact. The roofing material is gone however this allows light and access into the individual rooms. The kitchen still has the old cast iron stove and Silent Knight kerosene refrigerator. We found a valve style mantle radio and of course all the divers felt the need to sit on the outside dunney. A big brown trout was lying in the corner of the lounge room and a lounge can still be seen on the front veranda overlooking the front yard and the low rock wall that surrounds it. Swim over the gate, you don’t have to open it, and you are in the orchard. A brillant dive.
Jindabyne Club Weekend - Additional Information
We now have 17 people booked for our Jindabyne club weekend. Its going to be a great weekend, but here are a few pointers for those of you who haven’t dived Jindabyne before.
Fact and Figures
- Lake Jindabyne altitude is 914m (3000') above sea level.
- Depth Range from 0m - 50m (depends on lake operating level).
- Average dive site depth 7m - 20m. Visibility range 0m - 5m (average 3m).
- Temperature on surface - summer 20 deg C.
- Temperature at 10 m (3 deg C - 14 deg C).
- Temperature at 20 m (average 8deg C). Thermocline usually at 9m.
- Atmospheric Pressure at Lake Jindabyne 0.9086atm.
- Best dive conditions Jan to early April.
Equipment Considerations
- Altitude corrected dive tables ARE required Dive Computer must re-calibrate for altitude
- Sharp knife (monofilament line is a common hazard)
- Dry suits are preferred in this water temperature A hood should be considered as mandatory
- Buoyancy should be re-calibrated due to freshwater
- A torch is required on deeper dives as the light rapidly dwindles
- Dive Spares Kit (the closest dive store is 2 hours away)
- First Aid Kit with attention to treating hypothermic conditions
Additional Information
All dives at Jindabyne are boat dives. Hire boats, licensed for 6 adults, but suitable for three divers are available from Snowline Caravan Park at $34 for three hours. A Marlin Broadbill suitable for 5 divers is also available. Dive maps, accommodation and campsites are available at the park.
- Air fills are no longer available in Jindabyne – if you want to do more than 1 dive you will need additional cylinders.
- If you haven’t booked your hire gear including cylinders do so now. Gear will not be available for pick up until the Friday due to course commitments, and needs to be returned the Monday morning.
- You also need to book your accommodation if you haven’t already done so – want to share a room? No problems just let us know and we’ll provide you with contact details of others looking to do the same. Snowline Caravan Park can be contacted on Ph: 02 6456 2099
If you have any further questions do not hesitate to contact us on 60 411405 or dive@descend.com.au
Kids and The Sea - To bring a smile to your face!  | |
A number of Primary Schools were doing a project on "The Sea". Kids were asked to draw pictures, or write about their experiences.
Teachers got together to compare the results, and put together some of the comments that were funny, and some that were sad. Here are some of them. The kids were all aged between 5 and 8 years.
This is a picture of an octopus. It has eight testicles. (Kelly age 6)
Whales are animals, not fish. If they don't get air they can drown like my brother did last summer. (David age 7)
Oysters balls are called pearls. (James age 6)
I don't like the sea. It makes me sick on the ferry. (Peter age 6)
My goldfish died. Why? (Katie age 5)
If you are surrounded by sea you are an Island. If you don't have sea all round you, you are in continent. (Wayne age 7)
I think sharks are ugly and mean, and have big teeth, just like Emily Richardson. She's not my friend no more. (Kylie age 6)
A dolphin breaths through an arsehole on the top of it's head. (Billy age 8)
My uncle goes out in his boat with pots, and comes back with crabs. (Millie age6)
When ships had sails, they used to use the trade winds to cross the ocean. Sometimes, when the wind didn't blow, the sailors would whistle to make the wind come. My brother said they would be better off eating beans. (William age 7)
I like mermaids. They are beautiful, and I like their shiny tails. How do mermaids get pregnant? (Helen age 6)
I'm not going to write about the sea. My baby brother is always screaming and being sick, my Dad keeps shouting at my Mum, and my big sister has just got pregnant, so I can't think what to write. (Amy age 6)
Some fish are dangerous. Jelly fish can sting. Electric eels can give you a shock. They have to live in caves under the sea where I think they have to plug themselves into chargers. (Christopher age 7)
My mum has fish nets, but doesn't catch any fish. (Laura age 5)
When you go swimming in the sea, it is very cold, and it makes my willy small. (Kevin age 6)
When me and Sarah went to the sea side in the summer holidays, we hid in the sand dunes and watched my big sister doing it with her boy friend. It was fun. (Lauren age 7)
A submarine goes under the water like a fish, but it has lots of seamen inside. (Emma age 5)
When I grow up, I want to be captain of a big ship, and have lots of sailors. (Lerie age 6)
Divers have to be safe when they go under the water. Two divers can't go down alone, so they have to go down on each other. (Becky age 8)
On holiday my Mum went water ski-ing. She fell off when she was going very fast. She says she won't do it again because water shot up her bum. (Julie age 7)
Narooma Dive Trip – Easter
25th-28th March 2005
Join Descend to the wonderful dive destination of Narooma this Easter.
Narooma offers various dive sites to cater for all levels of divers. This is going to be a wonderful trip.
The trip includes share accommodation for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights with double dives on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, you can of course do more if you wish. Places are strictly limited and a deposit must accompany your booking.
Here’s just a preview of what to expect….
Montague Island is situated on the overlap of oceanic zones resulting in a multitude of tropical, sub-tropical and cold water species. Here you will find at various times of the year Manta Rays, Wobbegongs, Bull Rays, turtles, Port Jackson and Grey Nurse sharks as well as schools of tropical fish, octopus, cuttlefish and nautilus. Various dive sites have hard or soft corals, sea tulips and exquisite fans.
There are heaps of dive sites to choose from - each with its own kind of magic! There are amazing formations at spots like The Cathedral , the Pinnacles and the Bubble Cave.
For advanced divers, there is a wreck dive. The "SS Lady Darling" was discovered by Paul Mood and Bert Elswyk (formerly of Island Charters) in 1996. Sunk in 1880, it now lies in 30 metres of water, on a bed of sand and is covered in invertebrate life. It is a photographer's dream.
Cost: $375 /diver includes, dives, accommodation and air fills
$30/night accommodation /non diver
Or $265/diver and you can arrange your own accommodation
A $100 deposit is required
And the clock strikes 12:00 - By Des
What do ‘old fella’s’ do on new years eve ?
Have a barbie, drink too much? Fall asleep in front of the telly waiting for 12:00. Wake up to the dog barking at the fire works, kiss the wife who went to bed at 10:00pm, put out the cat and join snoring wife.
Well, not always. The new years eve of 2000 I spent it underwater diving the pit with a red boating flare. This year joined and spurred on by Geoff and Rachel Reed we fine dined on lobster Theodore, followed by pavalova then off to The Pit to do a night dive, but this time in the old heavy gear.
Dressed in about 90kg of helmet, corselet, lead boots and a very heavy weight belt we clumped around the old Subaru.
Nutters, yeah probably, good but…
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