AOW: Advanced Open Water finished

I have been a bit slack on posting news, but I completed my Advanced Open Water course two weeks ago. It was done at Nelsons Bay. We leftFriday night for a 3 hour drive north of Sydney. Saturday diving training started,consisting of 3 shore dives. A navigation of dive of a 30 metre square in murky water (visibility 2 metres) with a compass. I did well only out by 2 metres at the end of the square. Later in the day 2 dives of peak buoyancy and then a naturalist dive, identifiying various sea creatures. Water was much clearer, 10-12 metres but nothing like Fiji where it was 20-30 meteres. Was fun though. Sunday was the day of boat dives. The one I was really looking forward to. The trip out to the dive site site was exciting, A 2 metre swell and wind chop, once we got out the messy conditions, it was the deep water dive. 30 metres down (100 ft.) Odd being that deep but seems the same as a shallow dive but darker, and colours change and you use more air. Then we had a 1 hour break and did a wreck dive. S.S. Oakland. 27 metres down So many fish, a school of yellow tail that numbered in the 1000's everywhere you looked you were surrounded by them, wobegong sharks, scorpion fish, etc. Only a small class 1 instructor from Germany, me, a guy from England and another from Texas. See group photo. Seb-German instructor, Tim the Pom, Me, Ripp the Texan.

Chowder Bay Dive

My first Australian dive was today. Chowder Bay Mosman First time diving in a wetsuit. Not real good visibility, 2-3 metres. I did see seahorses, octopus, stingray, pipefish, bat fish, pygmy leather jackets. a motorbike. anchors and chains, old boats.

More NAIA- FIJI PHOTOS

Here are some more folks

More NAIA- FIJI PHOTOS

Here are some more PICS.

FIJI TRIP of a LIFETIME

It's been along time since my last BLOG. But is has been worth the wait. My sister Jane asked Jane and myself if we would like to go to Fiji and and spend 10 days on the NAIA. The NAIA is a live aboard dive boat. Jane B. couldn't get the time off of work but I managed to and it was well worth it. I became a certified diver after I said I had no interest in diving, but 45 minutes of snorkeling on a coral reef convinced me there was a lot more to see under the water for longer periods of time. I haven't looked back. The photos will show more than I can say. I will continue to add photos. The number of photos is endless.

BLUES ACROSS THE BAY-PATONGA BLUES FESTIVAL

Saturday the 15th was the 7th annual Patonga Blues festival. A short ferry trip from Palm Beach to pick up people from the fishing village of Patonga and then a shorter trip to the festival site. 400-600 people turned to the water access only festival. Cindy, Barbs & Trish joined Jane and I for an eat, drink & listen to the BLUES afternoon. It rained and the harder it rained the louder the music got. As the Pics will show.

ACTION PHOTOS: FIRE EXTINGUISHER TESTING

Action photos of fire extinguisher testing today. It was a slow day at work so we decided to have some fun. CO2's don't put out paper or wood type fires very wel. They only stop the fire momentarily. Thats Damien my boss using an old foam extinguisher put out the fire. We used Janes and my old dryer drum for the fire test. But is was fun. Hope you like my snazzy uniform!!