Dive Mistress » Dive Trips http://www.divemistress.net Scuba Diving Training, Trips, News and Blog Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:49:38 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Wreck Dive: HMNZS Waikato http://www.divemistress.net/2011/wreck-dive-hmnzs-waikato/ http://www.divemistress.net/2011/wreck-dive-hmnzs-waikato/#comments Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:43:44 +0000 dive mistress http://www.divemistress.net/?p=4071

Under full steam

The HMNZS Waikato was built for the New Zealand Navy by Harland & Wolfe Ltd in Belfast. She was the first Leander Class frigate to be built for the Royal New Zealand Navy and was launched by HRH Princess Alexandra on 18 February 1965.
The Waikato and the HMNZS Canterbury served the Armilla patrol during the Falklands conflict, freeing British ships for deployment.

In 2000 the Waikato was sunk as an artifical reef outside Tutukaka in Northland, after she was decommissioned in 1998 and had been stripped leaving her gun turret and one propeller.
During service she carried modern air and surface warning radar and navigation aids along with undersea detection equipment. The ships twin 115mm guns (4.5in) had a long range and a high rate of fire. She also wore two 20mm Orlikeon machine guns on the wings, a quad Seacat anti-aircraft missile launcher, six 12.75m anti-submarine torpedo tubes, one anti-submarine warfare Limbo mortar Mark 10 and a Wasp Helicopter capable of delivering depth charges and the Mark 46 anti-submarine torpedo.
The ships crest features a Taniwha, a water monster and legendary guardian of the Waikato people and their river.

The HMNZS Waikato broke in two a couple of years after her sinking.
One of the Northland storms sent the bow about 12m apart from the stern section – the ship has broken apart just in front of the bridge.

Bow section / Photograph by Pete Mesley

Diving the wreck of the Waikato is relatively easy although she is a deep dive.
The hangar sits in around 19m.  Moving past the hangar to the sand sees you in around 27m.

She is pretty easy to find providing the weather plays ball.
There are normally two buoys on the wreck – one on the bow section and one on the stern next to the helicopter hangar.
She is a large ship, easy to navigate (on the outside for your first few dives) with a lot of interesting features and a lot of growth (as you would expect after 11 years underwater).
Magenta jewel anemones, schooling fish, crayfish all make their home on this artificial reef.

The HMNZS Waikato and her sister ship HMNZS Canterbury are two of my favourite wreck dives that I can visit time and time again and find something new each time.
I regularly take students on their first wreck dive on this ship, whilst on a separate dive with one of my buddies, we can spend an hour on the bottom covering small sections each time.

A piece of New Zealand history underwater, it is not uncommon to find a diver that served on her or knew someone who did.

I would love to hear if you have dived this wreck – let me know what you think.
If you have not, and would like to, let me know.

A recent dive with Deralie on HMNZS Waikato

More information:

Official Website of the HMNZS Waikato Association

Wreck diving with Yukon Dive Charters

Dive! Tutukaka Wreck Diving

 

Jewel Anemones on HMNZS Canterbury bow section Pete Mesley photographing HMNZS Canterbury bow section Machine gun turret room sign Team Tara descends to the HMNZS Waikato / Photograph by Andrew Simpson Jewel Anemone Crested Blennie on HMNZS Canterbury Jewel Anemones on HMNZS Canterbury bow section Jewel Anemones on HMNZS Canterbury bow section Specialty Instructor Ratings Jewel Anemones on HMNZS Canterbury bow section

Related Posts

]]> http://www.divemistress.net/2011/wreck-dive-hmnzs-waikato/feed/ 2 Trip Report : Shaking off Winter – Springing in to Spring http://www.divemistress.net/2011/shaking-off-winter-springing-in-to-spring/ http://www.divemistress.net/2011/shaking-off-winter-springing-in-to-spring/#comments Sun, 16 Oct 2011 23:12:00 +0000 dive mistress http://www.divemistress.net/?p=3604 About a month ago, Deralie suggested we book some spaces on the October Liveaboard trip out to the Poor Knights Islands and for a month I have been looking forward to it a lot.

A few weeks ago, I found out that both Anna and Andrew would be on board.
Then Pip and Trevor were coming.
And then last week, the final space was taken by Marty.
The trip list was full of awesome people that I love diving with!

And then we worked out that one year ago, I certified Deralie as a PADI Advanced Open Water diver and since then she has completed her Rescue Diver course, TDI Introduction to Tech and Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures as well as started her Divemaster.

Tambja verconis

Tambja verconis at Middle Arch

It has been a slow winter for scuba diving for me.  I have done very little teaching and very little diving.
This weekend was going to be a shakedown weekend for me before I launch myself fully in to all that the New Zealand summer brings – in terms of spending the next 4 months on and off the boats and being in and out of the water.

We spent the weekend cruising – with our faces in the walls, looking for all sort of little critters and big fat nudibranchs.

Dive One : Middle Arch

The sun was in the bay.  It was calm and beautiful.

I had a shocker of a dive with my camera.  I couldn’t get the photographs that I wanted!!
I spent quite a lot of the dive wriggling around in my gear and thinking about my breathing.  I could feel the weight that I put on over the winter.  I made a mental note – GO TO THE GYM!

Welcome back

Mosaic Moray Eel at Middle Arch

Dive One Data || Depth: 16.7m | Time: 56 mins | Temp: 15 degrees | Visibility: 10m | EANx: 33%

Dive Two : Magic Wall

During my surface interval, I grabbed Andrew and pleaded for help.
We looked through my photographs and my camera setup and made a couple of modifications so I was pleased to head over the side of the boat and make for the sand.  Deralie and I decided that we would settle on the sand at the base of the wall, make sure we were all set up  and then head off from there.

Magic Wall is truly magic.

…. especially when camera settings, strobe settings and a photographer who knows what they are doing all come together!!
We had to avoid the Photography course which cruised past us kicking up a bit of sand and getting a wee bit close to the wall.
Didn’t stop us from coming across fat nudibranchs, blue flat worms, diadema’s and beautiful gorgonian fans.
Top it all off, we practiced SMB releases at the end of the dive.  And they were good!

Gem nudibranch

Gem nudibranch on Magic Wall

Dive Two Data || Depth: 16.5m | Time: 60 mins | Temp: 15 degrees | Visibility: 15m | EANx: 33%

Dive Three :  the wall opposite Blue Maomao Arch, in Labrid Channel, near Fraggle Rock

I’ve dived this location a couple of times – both times with students on an Advanced Open Water Night Dive.

Deralie and Marty and I decided to dive the wall/bay instead of the archway as there was quite a lot of water movement and we thought it would be more peaceful.  Just goes to show that I am not always right after all!!

It was a little bit shit – BUT … I found some lovely Elysia sp. AND AND AND AND a Janolus sp. (a nocturnal nudibranch).
Due to the surge, the photos are pretty bad.  For those two reasons alone though, it was an okay night dive.  It was worth getting in!

Dive Three Data || Depth: 16m | Time: 38 mins | Temp: 15 degrees | EANx: 24%

Dive Four :  Serpent Rock

Sunday morning and Deralie and I had planned a 45m dive with a 25 minute bottom time.
Before we got geared up and in the water, I changed the dive plan.  Even after the shake down dives yesterday, I didn’t feel fit/good/up to a decompression dive.
We have a pretty good rule – Anyone can call a dive at any time (and this includes calling it before you get in the water).

Dive Four Data || Depth: 20.6m | Time: 49 mins | Temp: 15 degrees | Visibility: 10m

Dive Five : HMNZS Waikato (Stern section)

We were going hunting – hunting for Jasons mirabilis nudibranchs.
Deralie, Pip and Big Ed and I headed down the line and around the port side of the helicopter hangar.

I got all excited!  I was so sure that I had seen one – I signalled to Deralie and then realised I was quite narked and wasn’t looking at a nudibranch at all.  Whoops!

It was a lovely dive.  Warmer than I expected with tons and tons and tons of anemones.

We headed back up the line up to our safety stop.  Ed and Deralie and I were hanging on the line when I thought “hang on, where’s Pip”.  Signalled to the others, searched for bubbles on the wreck – nothing.  I was clear of decompression obligations and had completed my safety stop so I headed up to check with the boat.  I asked Ed to stay with Deralie who still had a couple of minutes left.
When I got to the surface and yelled to Bruce – phew!  Pippy was on the boat!  I headed back down to 5m, let the team know and we surfaced all together.

Dive Five Data || Depth: 25.7m | Time: 52 mins | Temp: 14 degrees | Visibility: 8m

Speckled Moray Eel Grey and Yellow Moray Eels Firebrick Starfish detail Firebrick Starfish Cadlina Willani Longtail Stingrays Red Banded Coral Shrimp Nell and the Demoiselles Crayfish in crack Gem Nudibranch

Related Posts

]]> http://www.divemistress.net/2011/shaking-off-winter-springing-in-to-spring/feed/ 0 Trip Report : Diving the Rainbow Warrior http://www.divemistress.net/2011/diving-warrior/ http://www.divemistress.net/2011/diving-warrior/#comments Mon, 28 Mar 2011 02:50:42 +0000 dive mistress http://www.divemistress.net/?p=3324 It was pouring with rain when we left Auckland and it only seemed to get worse as we headed towards Paihia.
I had been looking forward to this weekend in what seemed like forever.  The weather was not going to get me down.
This was the fourth time I had planned to dive the Rainbow Warrior and I was hell bent on doing it!

The Rainbow Warrior is a special wreck.

From Wikipedia – Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior:

The sinking of theRainbow Warrior, codenamed Opération Satanique,[1] was an operation by the “action” branch of the French foreign intelligence services, theDirection Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure (DGSE), carried out on July 10, 1985. It aimed to sink the flagship of the Greenpeace fleet, the Rainbow Warrior in the port of Auckland, New Zealand, to prevent her from interfering in a nuclear test in Moruroa.

Fernando Pereira, a photographer, drowned on the sinking ship. Two French agents were arrested by the New Zealand Police on passport fraud and immigration charges. They were charged with arson, conspiracy to commit arson, willful damage, and murder. As part of a plea bargain, they pleaded guilty to manslaughter and were sentenced to ten years, of which they served just over two.

The scandal resulted in the resignation of the French Defence Minister Charles Hernu.

We headed out from Matauri Bay with Paihia Dive.

Myself and my dive buddies almost filled their RIB (rigid inflatable boat) but we are used to working like this, so we shuffled our gear together as close as possible and still managed to fit at least another 5-7 divers who were doing their Advanced Open Water course.
I have to say I was really impressed with how the crew handled us – and our gear – would totally recommend the team from Dive Paihia!!

Dropping down on to the stern – two things caught me by surprise.
The Rainbow Warrior was smaller than I expected.  I knew she was colourful but the amount of colour blew me away.

I spent an hour on her on my first dive (backgas of 21% and a 42% in a stage cylinder) with my 60mm macro lens.
The second dive was a little shorter.
I’d go back again for sure but next time with a wide angle lens.

Images from by buddies:

Me, Ian and Alice heading to the bridge - HMNZS Canterbury / Photograph by Jonathan Gatland me photographing my buddy on the HMNZS Canterbury / Photograph by Jonathan Gatland me on the Rainbow Warrior / Photograph by Jonathan Gatland

Dive One Data ||  Depth: 25.2m |  Time: 60 mins |  Temp: 22 degrees |

Dive Two Data ||  Depth: 23.8m |  Time: 36 mins |  Temp: 22 degrees |

More photographs (wide angle) and a trip report; Martin Wallis Photography – Diving the Rainbow Warrior

Diving the Rainbow Warrior - Martin Wallis

Related Posts

]]> http://www.divemistress.net/2011/diving-warrior/feed/ 0 Trip Report : Diving with a Winner! http://www.divemistress.net/2011/diving-with-a-winner/ http://www.divemistress.net/2011/diving-with-a-winner/#comments Mon, 17 Jan 2011 21:30:00 +0000 dive mistress http://www.divemistress.net/?p=3220 Last week, I went diving with my friend Nickie – and her husband Pete.

Nickie was the lucky winner of the Wetkiwi / Dive! Tutukaka / Global Dive tshirt competition.
The prize was a days diving out at the Poor Knights Islands – which we spent on Bright Arrow, in the sun!

Who would have thought that by buying a T-shirt with an awesome design, would result in such a great days diving with my husband Pete, and the team at Dive Tutukaka onboard Bright Arrow.

To top it all off, my dive instructor Tara (now a very good friend), came along aswell for the day, on and under the water.

Two great dives, the first at Landing Bay Pinnacle and the second at Red Baron Caves, gave me plenty of opportunity to practice my skills at underwater photography.  I have attached a couple of photos from the days diving.

Hope to catch up with you all soon, as I have truly been bitten by the diving bug and the wonders of the Poor Knights.

Marblefish - Aplodactylus arctidens Firebrick Starfish - Asterodiscus truncatus Nickie Mountney Clown Nudibranch - Ceratosoma amoena Verco's Tambja Nudibranch - Tambja verconis Common Anemone - Actinothoe albocincta
Small Yellow Moray Eel TDI Training open Gorgonian Fan polyps Grey and Yellow Moray Clown Nudibranch on sponge Gem Nudibranch Variable Nudibranch (Aphelodoris luctuosa) Firebrick Starfish Grey and Yellow Moray Eels Variable Nudibranch (Aphelodoris luctuosa)

Related Posts

]]> http://www.divemistress.net/2011/diving-with-a-winner/feed/ 0 Trip Report : Happy New Yeaaaa! http://www.divemistress.net/2011/happy-new-yeaaaa/ http://www.divemistress.net/2011/happy-new-yeaaaa/#comments Sat, 08 Jan 2011 02:35:55 +0000 dive mistress http://www.divemistress.net/?p=3181 Demoiselle at Tie Dye ArchThis year, our annual New Year Poor Knights Liveaboard was a three day trip.

Once again, we were going to host the most unique DJ set (in the world?) with DJ Gareth B playing in the New Year in Rikoriko Cave.

I’m in the process of (if I have not already) popping a post up on my personal blog about the set in the cave – Most unique DJ set on the Planet.

And this year, (… excitement!) I had my buddy Marcia along.
Diving with Marcia means hundreds of photographs, long bottom times, early morning dives and very short distances.
One dive, we spent a good 70 minutes underwater taking photographs.  We thought we had a bit of a swim back to the boat so we turned …. and came across the anchor line.
We had basically swum around one rock in all that time!
Anyway – back to this years trip.

Three days of diving at the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve with a boat load of fantastic friends … and my camera.
The visibility is down at the moment and there are some weird currents out there. Quite strange for this time of year.
It is almost as if the world has tilted slightly and things have gone a little pear shaped. Either that, or the islands think that it is late October/early November and they are just starting to warm up and the blue water is going to be pushing on through.

Never mind, I have my macro lens so all is well. I’m not going to write a trip report for all the sites we visited over the three days.
But I will post a wee album as there were some pretty amazing underwater sights to see.

From Northern Arch packed with Pink Maomao to a Demoiselle trying to pick off a Tambja verconis in Tie Dye Arch (which was stacked with rays), diving the Poor Knights was, as it always is, stunning!

To everyone – Happy New Year and all the best for 2011. dm xxx

Gem Nudibranch Cadlina Willani Clown Nudibranch Red Banded Coral Shrimp m Nudibranch (Dendrodoris denisoni) Cadlina Willani Grey Moray Eel Pink Maomao Diadema Team Tara descends to the HMNZS Waikato / Photograph by Andrew Simpson

Related Posts

]]> http://www.divemistress.net/2011/happy-new-yeaaaa/feed/ 0 Dive Sites: Poor Knights Islands – Rikoriko Cave http://www.divemistress.net/2011/dive-sites-poor-knights-islands-rikoriko-cave/ http://www.divemistress.net/2011/dive-sites-poor-knights-islands-rikoriko-cave/#comments Sat, 08 Jan 2011 02:01:56 +0000 dive mistress http://www.divemistress.net/?p=3195 Rikoriko Cave has been surveyed as the largest natural sea cave in the world.
Using 3D lasers and traditional hydrographic surveying, the cave has been measured at 35m high above the water, 26m deep below the water, 80m wide and 139m long.

entrance to Rikoriko Cave

It is a blister cave – formed by a gas bubble in an volcanic eruption 10,000 years ago when the islands were created.

In the Maori language, Rikoriko means waning moon or twilight.

Often the skippers will explain how many bands have played in the cave as the acoustics are known to be some of the best in the world – apparently equal to the Sydney Opera House with an echo that is only one to two seconds shorter than that of the Taj Mahal.

It is an often repeated story that the Spice Girls did a short acapella in this cave on their trip to New Zealand. New Zealand group Pitch Black also performed for the Minister of Conservation in 2003 during sea week – with over 10 boats rafted together.

inside Rikoriko Cave

Diving Rikoriko Cave is an extraordinary experience and so is just entering the cave.
It is a good spot to anchor up and spend the night as well as a fabulous spot for a night dive.

It is very easy to navigate your dive in Rikoriko Cave.
The walls at the entrance to the cave exist in the light zone and are covered in anemones, nudibranchs and starfish – as you would find in most locations at the Poor Knights Islands.

The rear of the cave is affectionately known as a moon scape.

Whilst the bottom is 8m at the rear of the cave down to 15m at the beginning of the light zone, marine life that is known to exist at 200m is found here.
The lack of light brings a whole different perspective.

Quite often we find the noctural Nudibranch, Janolus Ignis, at the back of the cave.

Looking in to the light, a vast window out to the blue shows visibility normally 10m better than any where else.

And at the front of the cave, in front of the pinnacle at approximately 27m, are the remains of a sperm whale head bone.

Location : Maroro Bay, Aorangi Island
( approximately 35°28’35.61″S / 174°44’11.46″E )

Depth : 8m to 30m

Marine Life : Noctural Nudibranchs, Carpet Sharks, Firebrick Starfish

Fans on RikoRiko Cave Anemones and Urchins

Related Posts

]]> http://www.divemistress.net/2011/dive-sites-poor-knights-islands-rikoriko-cave/feed/ 2 Trip Report : Skirts in Scuba http://www.divemistress.net/2010/trip-report-skirts-in-scuba-2/ http://www.divemistress.net/2010/trip-report-skirts-in-scuba-2/#comments Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:58:09 +0000 dive mistress http://www.divemistress.net/?p=3112 November 7th 2010 was ALL about the girls.

Global Dive had booked another “Skirts in Scuba” or Ladies Day Out with Jo and Noel of Yukon Dive Charters.
This trip is at least an annual event and is very popular with the ladies – not just for the diving but for the fully catered (and absolutely delicious) lunch that Jo puts on.
We have also had many a male try, but fail, to beg, plead and even promise to wear skirts and makeup in order to get on the boat.

Spending a day out on the boat with the girls is always a great time. Lots of laying around in the sun (yes! there was sun!), eating and laughing – and most of the girls have cameras and just want to mosey about taking photographs.
And photographs were my plan this trip.  Still getting to grips with my Nikon D300, I just wanted to cruise and photograph small things to try and get the focusing right.

First up this year, one of my all time favourites.

Dive One – Mary’s Wall

I headed over the side of the boat with Veronika and Paul.
We all had our cameras so Paul recommended we head around to Mary’s Wall out and past the pinnacle – instead of following the wall which is our usual path.

The pinnacle was covered in nudibranchs – perfect for spending some time to get familiar with the focus and shutter controls of the Ikelite housing.

Tambja Verconis lays Egg Rosette

Once we left the pinnacle and headed over to the wall, I swapped to the second item on my list.
I always dive with a list of things I am looking for – usually 3 creatures/compositions – my other item was Gorgonian Fans and their open polyps.
Each polyp has tentacles that will open to the prevailing current catching plankton and particulate matter that passes.  This is filter feeding as the fan maximises the use of the water movement to increase the food supply to the fan.

open Gorgonian Fan polyps

Dive Data ||  Depth: 22.4m |  Time: 67 mins |  SAC Rate: 11.7lp/m |  Temp: 16 degrees |

… and then there was lunch – YUM!
Jo makes the best chicken pieces, homemade sausage rolls and quiche.  We had salad and rolls – and for dessert – mini meringues with fresh fruit salad!
If you have been out on one of these trips before hand, then you know what I mean.  And if you haven’t – well get to booking!!

Dive Two – Nursery Cove

A new spot for me!
And on a side note, this is why Noel is a fantastic skipper.  It doesn’t matter that I have done hundreds of dives out at the Poor Knights – at least one dive on every trip/weekend is somewhere I have not been before.

Again I headed off with Paul and Veronika – we were heading out of the bay to go and check out the anchor in the sand and then meandering our way back in.
We got back to the wall where Paul and Veronika went one way through the swim through back in to the bay and I ended up going the other way – around the wall we came out and back in to the bay that way.

The photography plan for this dive was fish! Triplefins and Demoiselles!
Notoriously hard to catch in a pose and in focus but worth spending the time on if you don’t get too frustrated.

Blue Eyed Triplefin

Two Spotted Demoiselle

Dive Data ||  Depth: 18.9m |  Time: 52 mins |  SAC Rate: 10.4lp/m |  Temp: 16 degrees |

Keep an eye out on Global Dive’s Trips List for the next Skirts in Scuba trip. I’ll be there – will you?

Matts Crack (Long Cave) Clown Nudibranch Speckled Moray Gorgonian Fan detail Nudibranch Egg Rosettes Grey Moray Speckled Moray Eel Norman the Carpet Shark Crested Blennie Teachings / Photograph by Andrew Simpson

Related Posts

  • The pool is Open!
    [caption id="" align="alignright" width="307" caption="chilling on the bow - a hot spring morning at the Poor Knights Is...
  • Trip Report : Skirts in Scuba
    8 girls + 4 boys (all in skirts) + 3 crew + chicken nibbles + frittata+ chocolate cake + bubbly wine + beer + awesome di...
  • Upcoming Trip : Skirts in Scuba 2009
    [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="98" caption=" "][/caption] The Global Dive Skirts in Scuba 2009 trip is confi...
  • Ladies Day – and a special treat
    [caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Sunset in Northland"][/caption] As a wee celebration - for bot...
]]> http://www.divemistress.net/2010/trip-report-skirts-in-scuba-2/feed/ 0 Trip Report : Fiji’s stunning Soft Corals http://www.divemistress.net/2010/trip-report-fijis-stunning-soft-corals/ http://www.divemistress.net/2010/trip-report-fijis-stunning-soft-corals/#comments Thu, 14 Oct 2010 20:44:38 +0000 dive mistress http://www.divemistress.net/?p=3042 Fijian Sunset Take me back to Fiji!  And right away!

I have just spent the last week diving the absolutely spectacular Bligh Waters out of Volivoli Resort with the crew from Ra Divers and Global Dive.

It is not all about the diving though.  A tropical island get away would not be complete without at least a day of lying by the pool – both sleeping and swimming (and of course getting a bit sunburned) and the obligatory consumption of a lot of Gin and Tonic!

Over six days, we completed 11 dives and I was absolutely amazed by the condition of the coral reefs.
Skimming along the reef on a drift dive with soft corals open and as big as trees, well you can see why I want to go back so badly.  Not even considering the fact that it is at least half the air and the water temperature that it was in Fiji here at home right now!

As there was a lot of diving – lots and lots and lots – here is a quick break down of the sites and the dives and some highlights:

- Day One

Heading out on the boat on Day One, the plan was to dive the inner reef and ensure that everyone was comfortable in their equipment and feeling confident before we headed out to the reefs in the Bligh Waters.

Dragon Tails

Named for the Dragon Tail nudibranchs.
A mild current to swim against, we circled around large coral heads.

Dive Data
||  Depth: 22.7m |  Time:  59 mins |  Temp: 26 degrees |

Volivoli Sunrise

Coming across a white tip reef shark sleeping on the sand, we spent our time cruising between three large coral heads.

Dive Data
||  Depth: 19.6m |  Time:  66 mins |  Temp: 26 degrees |

- Day Two

Day Two was the exciting day!
The water wings came off and we raced to the outer reefs to dive the sites in the Bligh Channel – the reason we came.

The Soft Corals of Fiji's Bligh Waters

Black Magic Mountain

Coming up from around 40m, this site features a massive coral head with a rather large flat top to it.
Covered in nudibranchs, the soft corals were not all open as there wasn’t a lot of water movement.
Jono found a shark – funny that – so he missed the turtle.  Thats right, the turtle!  There is a video of the turtle at the end of this post.

Dive Data
||  Depth: 29.2m |  Time:  68 mins |  Temp: 26 degrees |

Mellow Yellow

Peacock Nudibranch at Mellow Yellow

Yellow it is named – and yellow it is.
The very top of this site is covered in – well I think they are a type of yellow soft coral.  I added some pictures to the gallery so if you know, please let me know!
Anna and I spent ages at the end of this dive in the sunlight with Peacock Nudibranchs and a tiny Lionfish.

Dive Data
||  Depth: 17.4m |  Time:  84 mins |  Temp: 26 degrees |

- Day Three

Wheatfields

The top of the coral head at Wheatfields is a perfect explanation of how this site got its name.

Dive Data
||  Depth: 24m |  Time:  81 mins |  Temp: 26 degrees |

Heartbreak Ridge

This site has a couple of swim-throughs – massive ones at nearly 30m.
The walls of the passages are covered in big gorgonian fans.  With a torch (and strobe), the colours are stunning.

Clown Fish My no-deco time disappeared faster than .. well … something very fast.

Before I knew it, I was right at the limits.  We slowly circled our way back up – white tip reef shark.  I spent a lot of time at 8m waiting for a Clown fish playing in some anemones.

<video>

Dive Data
||  Depth: 29.2m |  Time:  68 mins |  Temp: 26 degrees |

- Day Four

Instant Replay

Oh I do love a good drift dive – and today, we were drifting!

Spotted sweetlips under rock.  Very large and hungry grey reef shark.

Dive Data
||  Depth: 25m |  Time:  52 mins |  Temp: 26 degrees |

Pot Luck

This site was apparently a gamble … but definitely not a disappointment!

Dive Data
||  Depth: 24m |  Time:  81 mins |  Temp: 26 degrees |

The New World

We decided that we really wanted to do a night dive but a few of our group had never done a night dive.
The Fijian guides said that they would take care of them so we headed off to the inner reef to find a suitable site.
I have to be honest and say that if I was making the dive site choice – it would not have been this one.

Dive Data
||  Depth: 24m |  Time:  81 mins |  Temp: 26 degrees |

- Day Five

Marys Maytag

The only dive where we were limited on our bottom time.
We were in a place where we were going to complete a rather fast and long drift dive and there was no where for the boat to anchor.  60 mins max they said.  So group One piled overboard, grabbed our cameras and headed down.

The site is stunning!!

Dive Data
||  Depth: 24m |  Time:  81 mins |  Temp: 26 degrees |

Open All Hours

Our own dive site!  Well, a site that we got to name – something to do with Andrew being Arkwright (he may have more than one Granville), the sound of the cash register draw a standing joke at the dive shop … anyways “Open All Hours” seemed appropriate.

It was rather a shame to find 3 or 4 Crown-Of-Thorns Starfish on this part of the reef.
These starfish are not only poisonous and dangerous to us, but they are corallivores – one Crown of Thorns can consume up to 6 square metres of reef each year.
They are extremely hard to kill, and with the long arms covered in venomous spines, any diver trying to clear an area must be extremely careful.

Dive Data
||  Depth: 24m |  Time:  81 mins |  Temp: 26 degrees |

Check out the whole Fiji 2010 Album:


Scorpion Fish on Coral Fiji Soft Corals Nudibranch Fiji Soft Corals Discover Scuba Crew Coral Reefs Yellow Angel Fish Fiji Soft Corals Heading Out Yellow Angel Fish

Related Posts

]]> http://www.divemistress.net/2010/trip-report-fijis-stunning-soft-corals/feed/ 1 Guest Blog Entry: Storm, what storm? http://www.divemistress.net/2010/guest-blog-entry-storm-what-storm/ http://www.divemistress.net/2010/guest-blog-entry-storm-what-storm/#comments Sat, 25 Sep 2010 09:29:44 +0000 dive mistress http://www.divemistress.net/?p=2978

Rachael Jones

This Guest Blog comes courtesy of the lovely Rachael.

We went up to the Poor Knights in July and completed her Advanced Open Water – and she was great.

The past weekend, we all went again and Rachael got to dive with her partner Steve and her daughter Abbie spent the weekend on board with us.

Check out her story of the weekend on her blog >>> Storm, what storm?.

[fb_like]

Grey Moray Gem Nudibranch Longtail Stingrays Sea Anemone Grey Moray Yellow Moray Southern Arch Gem Nudibranch Crayfish in crack Grey Moray Eel

Related Posts

]]> http://www.divemistress.net/2010/guest-blog-entry-storm-what-storm/feed/ 0 Trip Report : Whether to Dive in this Weather http://www.divemistress.net/2010/trip-report-whether-to-dive-in-this-weather/ http://www.divemistress.net/2010/trip-report-whether-to-dive-in-this-weather/#comments Mon, 20 Sep 2010 21:10:29 +0000 dive mistress http://www.divemistress.net/?p=2976 New Zealand has a pretty nasty low covering it at the moment, however in the winterless north, things were slightly different and the weather let us get out to the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve for the monthly Global Dive liveaboard trip.

I’d been saying all week that it would be fine, but I was actually having a hard time convincing anyone else.
I’d published a note on my personal blog to say that it would be great ( http://quikflik.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/weather-itll-settle/ ) and the MetService had even come out with their own blog telling people that some of the media had blown it out of proportion – excuse the pun

However we all drove up to Tutukaka on Friday night and Saturday morning dawned gorgeous.  And I did my “Told You So” dance.

I had one Advanced Open Water student – Deralie – who, on her first dive, impressed me heaps!

We spent a little time mooching around the islands trying to find some nice bays to tuck in to and we were rewarded with some lovely diving!

Massive crayfish cruising around Cave Bay Spanish Lobster Gorgonian Polyps Jason Mirabilis Jason Mirabilis Eastern Arch Rachael viewing the Poor Knights Islands from the deck of Pacific Hideaway Jodine Nathan and Greg chilling on deck
Cadlina Willani Grey Moray Eel Norman the Carpet Shark Speckled Moray Eel Matts Crack (Long Cave) Firebrick Starfish Grey Moray m Nudibranch (Dendrodoris denisoni) Cadlina Willani Firebrick Starfish

Related Posts

]]> http://www.divemistress.net/2010/trip-report-whether-to-dive-in-this-weather/feed/ 1