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• MT GAMBIER CAVE DIVING FUN

                           

AUGUST CLUB MEETS

1.

WEDNESDAY 4th AUGUST, 7pm

Join the famous 'Mike Ball' at Ocean Divers and be in the running to win a 3 Night Cod Hole Dive Trip absolutely FREE!  This will be drawn ON THE NIGHT - so you've gotta be in in to win it!!

Mike with entice you with the delights of tropo diving in Queensland and the numerous dive site options to suit all levels.  Anyone that's here on the night also receives a $50 voucher to use on an Ocean Divers Mike Ball Expedition Trip.

 Please book for this event re seating

 2.

MONDAY 30th 7PM START

Dr Andrew Fock and Dr Les Rothbart 

presenting "The Hermes" wreck, Sri Lanka.

Of all Sri Lanka's dives, the wreck of the HMS Hermes is probably the most thrilling and challenging. This British aircraft carrier was attacked by the Japanese in 1942 and went down with over 300 men off Batticaloa on the east coast. It now lies in 60m of water. This is a dive only for the very experienced, and even then it requires extensive preparation and safety precautions. But the sight of the huge hulk looming purple and grey below you, patrolled by schools of giant trevally, mangrove snapper and yellowfin barracuda; of mangled gun emplacements, spars and girders like petrified forests of iron, now covered with gorgonians and whip corals; of the occasional 350kg grouper emerging from a dark lair inside the ship; makes this an unforgettable dive.

 Please book for this event re seating

JUST ASK DAN

DAN is a global network of not-for-profit, member-based organisations. Wherever members live or dive around the world they have peace of mind knowing that DAN is available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week to assist in the Join DAN today "www.danseap.org" event of an accident.

Pre Loved....              

Uwatec SPG       

Scubapro Glide Pro BCD     

Steel Tank     

 

The annual northerly migration of Humpbacks and Southern Right Whales begins in June and large numbers (mostly Humpbacks) have been sighted at Cape Paterson and Phillip Island.  Last week, a whale and her calf were spotted near Ricketts Point and at Beacon Cove.
Also in June, a Sunfish was found beached at Seaford. Local council rangers and Alison Kuiter pushed it back into deeper water. Well done to all involved, we hope it survived.  Sunfish have also been stranded on the west coast in the last couple of years. The species identified to date have been the Common Sunfish Mola mola and the less common Sharp-tailed mola Masturus lanceolatus.  Dave Donnelly, a Marine Wildlife Consultant who conducts aerial and boat surveys, has reported Sunfish to be relatively common seasonally along Victoria’s coast and offshore waters. He cites Phillip Island to Cape Paterson and Eastern Bass Strait to be Sunfish hot spots. 

"Reef Watch Victoria" is a not-for-profit project that encourages you as divers and snorkellers to check on marine life at your favourite dive sites. Through Reef Watch, you will be able to encourage better policies and actions to protect Victoria's marine Environment.

HARDY OPEN WATER DIVERS!

North Wind, South Rd

In Greek mythology, Boreas was the god of the north wind and bringer of cold winter air. Well that certainly happened to our brave openwater course students this weekend. On Saturday Sean and I took the divers down to South Rd, Brighton a great haven when the winds blows from the north. After kitting up in semidries, 2 piece 7 mm suits, hoods, gloves, booties we were greeted by great calm conditions in this little nook of the Bay. Viz was reasonable on the high tide around 5m and while we got through lots of surface skills it was great to hear students like Chris, David and Matt say wow look below us you can see pufferfish, different colours of sea urchins. After a nice controlled descent we swam along the reef edge and saw heaps of pufferfish, few small abs, and a nice size stingray. The sea urchins ensured that the students were very careful with there buoyancy except for poor Mark who knelt on one on the second dive, ouch!. We then swam back to shore and managed a 22 min bottom time not bad for 11 degrees! We had hot chocolate and lamington fingers to warm the troops up off the back of Lambros ute. Rob used a water bottle tucked in to his wetsuit top to warm up. Phoebe and Arthur were doing their course as a part of a school development course. Lucky ducks! After the compass drills it was back in the water. Tide was dropping and so was the viz and after quite a few skills done it was time to head back to shore. A few chattering teeth but we had done a lot of good work and this time had been under for 52 mins bottom time. Easy drive back to the shop for log books and hot coffee. Learning in these conditions makes for good tough divers who will really appreciate the Summer months. A huge thanks to Liam for his excellent dive master assistance.

Well done gang!

Terri Allen PADI Master Scuba Diver Instructor

 Pick up the vouchers when you are next in store.

• Emergency First Response 29+31st July - First Aid $185

• Digital Photography 3,4,5th September "Capture the moment forever" $295
  

Marine Archaeology "Part 1" 28th/29thAugust.          - This Heritage Victoria run course includes archaelogical principles, archaelogical sciences, materials conservation, ship construction, surveying, search techniques, shipwreck position fixing, remote sensing & State & Commonwealth legislation.  Please note *a diving qualification is not required to complete this course.  Cost $220, payable at least a month before course commencement as manuals are posted direct to each student..    

  PADI GO PRO

"LIVE THE DREAM & TRAVEL THE WORLD"

• Assistant Instuctor 13th-16th August

• Open Water Scuba Instructor 17th-21st August

An elderly couple, Margaret and Bert, moved to Texas ..

Bert always wanted a pair of authentic cowboy boots, so, seeing
some on sale, he bought them and wore them home.  Walking proudly, he sauntered into the kitchen and said to his wife,
'Notice anything different about me?'

Margaret looked him over. 'Nope.'

Frustrated, Bert stormed off into the bathroom, undressed and walked back into the kitchen completely naked except for the boots.

Again he asked Margaret, a little louder this time , 'Notice anything different NOW?'

Margaret looked up and exclaimed, 'Bert, what's different? It's hanging down today, it was hanging down yesterday, it'll be hanging down again tomorrow!!'

Furious, Bert yelled, 'AND DO YOU KNOW WHY IT'S HANGING DOWN, MARGARET?''

'Nope', she replied.
 
'IT'S HANGING DOWN, BECAUSE IT'S LOOKING AT MY NEW BOOTS!!!!''

Without changing her expression, Margaret replied, 'Shoulda bought a hat, Bert. Shoulda bought a hat.'

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