Dive Mistress » Trip Reports 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 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

Anemones and Urchins Gem Nudibranch Grey and Yellow Moray Eels Scorpionfish Sea Urchins and Bubbles at 36m Mosaic Moray Eel Cadlina Willani Gorgonian Fan detail Variable Nudibranch (Aphelodoris luctuosa) Divers descending

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]]> 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

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]]> 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
TDI Training Two Firebrick Starfish Nudibranch Egg Rosette Small Yellow Moray Eel TDI Training Firebrick Starfish Cadlina Willani Scorpionfish Firebrick Starfish Leg Detail Firebrick Starfish

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]]> 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

Sea Anemone m Nudibranch (Dendrodoris denisoni) Cadlina Willani Crayfish in crack Crested Blennie Firebrick Starfish Clown Nudibranch Mosaic Moray Eel Firebrick Starfish Nudibranch Egg Rosette

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]]> http://www.divemistress.net/2011/happy-new-yeaaaa/feed/ 0 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?

Tambja Verconis Mottled Moray Eel Slender Roughy Divers descending Northern Scorpionfish open Gorgonian Fan polyps Cliffs of Tawhiti Rahi Baby Demoiselle Fans on RikoRiko Cave Nudibranch Egg Rosette

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]]> 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:


Scuba Certified Fiji Soft Corals Peacock Nudibranch Nudibranch Baby fish playing in Corals Fiji Soft Corals Dragon Tail Nudibranch Baby fish playing in Corals Nudibranch Clown Fish

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]]> 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?.

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Cadlina Willani open Gorgonian Fan polyps Gem Nudibranch Nell and the Demoiselles Firebrick Starfish Leg Detail Nudibranch Egg Rosette open Gorgonian Fan polyps TDI Training Blue Eyed Triplefin Grey and Yellow Moray Eels

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]]> 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
Teachings / Photograph by Andrew Simpson Grey Moray Eel Yellow Moray Yellow Moray Eels Diadema Cadlina Willani TDI Training Scorpionfish Solitary Coral Speckled Moray

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]]> http://www.divemistress.net/2010/trip-report-whether-to-dive-in-this-weather/feed/ 1 Trip Report : Winter Wonderland at White Island http://www.divemistress.net/2010/trip-report-winter-wonderland-at-white-island/ http://www.divemistress.net/2010/trip-report-winter-wonderland-at-white-island/#comments Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:36:19 +0000 dive mistress http://www.divemistress.net/?p=2880 A small convoy of us headed down to Tauranga from Auckland on a chilly winter Thursday evening.
Jono, Veronika, Francois and I stopped for massive steaks (at the Horny Bull – Francois’ choice) and talked about what an excellent weekend we were going to have.

Whilst waiting for the rest of our group to arrive, we stood around on the dock in the freezing cold sipping kawakawa Mr. Vodka and Veronika’s own mulled vodka concoction til we could feel our toes and our fingers again.
Francois then decided that red wine was in order – but all of this is a story for another time (including the small cloud of vomit that we needed to ascend through the following day).
Tony and Ben finally arrived – with Brent in the morning – and it was time for bed to be rocked to sleep in my cosy little berth.
And it was cosy.

Ma Cherie is a lovely boat.
She is made of wood and although we crammed 7 divers and 2 crew on for the weekend (luckily we are all friends here), if you are my height, then there is plenty of room to move around.

The next morning I woke to find John Baker – our skipper – had arrived and was loading all our food for the weekend.
We quickly hit the supermarket for more wine (yes MORE .. what was I thinking) and then unloaded the truck.
We headed out of Whakatane Marina just after 8am on Friday morning while everyone else would have been in traffic on their way to work.  Ha ha!

It takes around 3 hours to get out to White Island.  It is 50km offshore.
My Telecom XT mobile lost coverage about 10 minutes before we arrived at our first dive site … bugger! #NOT!

This weekend I tried out the Scubapro Fusion Dry Suit (thereafter nicknamed ‘the Condom’.  I have to say – I loved it, bar the small issue I had as below in one of the dive logs.

Dive One – The Fumeroles (Shark Bay)

Grey Moray Eel hanging out in the Kelp

The Fumeroles are so named for the tiny holes in the sand where you can stick your fingers and warm them up.
You can also feel the warmth of the volcano by lying on the sand.  But diving is not all about lying down so Veronkia and Jono and I spent the dive exploring.  There are heaps of boulders and crevices and a swim-through.

This is a lovely site that I will be doing again – perhaps minus completing a safety stop watching the fish chow down on what Francois could not keep in his tummy.  Ewww.

Dive Data
||  Depth: 25.44m |  Time:  58 mins |  SAC Rate: 15.25L/Min | Temp: 16 degrees |

Dive Two – Club Rocks

This was a nightmare – a whole seven minutes of feeling water leak into my suit!
Anyway, there is not too much more to say about this dive – other than it was a total user error. Bum as it was going to be a good one – I could tell that as soon as I descended near the rock wall.

We had been watching the seals for quite a while as the tanks were filling.  Francois and Brent headed off – again Francois was determined to get seals swimming in the water on video.

Dive Data
||  Depth: 11.24m |  Time:  7 mins |  SAC Rate: 23L/Min | Temp: 14 degrees |

Friday night and we huddled in to a bay on the eastern side of the island.
John and our deckie Dylan cracked out the BBQ and we had a few quiet drinks.
Now is probably a great time to say that both John and Dylan had made all of us feel extremely welcome on the boat and were just awesome at taking care of us.  Its amazing how fast the time can pass when you are all sitting around on a boat – even with no television.  Music, stories, laughs – this is part of what makes a liveaboard so much fun.

Dive Three – Twin Peaks

We decided to head out to Volkner Rocks – I was so excited.  Volkner Rocks is a marine reserve and I had heard great things.
This dive was a great way to start the morning!  The first thing I noticed was the size of the fish!

We dropped down under the boat and headed off in search of a pinnacle.  I am still not 100% sure that we found it – but we found a big rock nearly reaching the surface and that was good enough for me.

The Pink Maomao were the fish that I noticed had the greatest difference in size.  And I also noticed that the grey moray eels were seen more wrapped around the kelp than they were hiding in rocks and cracks.

Dive Data
||  Depth: 19.78m |  Time:  52 mins |  SAC Rate: 14.52L/Min | Temp: 15 degrees |

Dive Four – Diadema Rock

WOAH WOAH WOAH YEA YEA YEA!  I did not want to come up from this dive!

A negatively buoyant descent off the back of the boat due to a bit of swell that was rocking us around but as soon as I put my head under the water I could see the rock.  And the water was blue.  Oh so blue.

We headed down to our maximum depth.  On this dive, Tony was trying out my DUI Dry Suit so Tony and I, Jono and Veronika hung together.  There was a bit of a current heading around the rock to the eastern side however swimming in to it for the first half of our dive meant we were swept slowly back to our ascent point for the second half.

And I know why it is called Diadema Rock!!  You could not help but notice that the rock was covered in them – as well as Scorpion Fish and Crested Blennies.

Northern Scorpion Fish on Diadema Rock

Dive Data
||  Depth: 32.05m |  Time:  62 mins |  SAC Rate: 14.39L/Min | Temp: 15 degrees |

Dive Five – Homestead Reef

A little dusk adventure time.  The swell was reasonable but we could manage it – us intrepid adventurers.

I think John spent most of the weekend planning ways to send us off in search of dive sites and then watching our bubbles and laughing to himself.  However his directions were spot on and Jono, Francois, Veronika and I took off to explore Homestead Reef.  It was basically a night dive by the time that we hit the reef and the visibility was terrible compared to the 30m or so that we had out at Volkner Rocks that day – but again the Pink Maomao were out and were interested in our torches.

Oh and I found a Spanish Lobster for the boys.
I hear Francois tried to grab it but I think his crayfish tickling skills need some improvement!!

Dive Data
||  Depth: 16.64m |  Time:  37 mins |  SAC Rate: 18.63L/Min | Temp: 15 degrees |

Dive Six – Red Snapper Rock

Trumpet Shell at Red Snapper Rock

First thing on Sunday morning and we headed straight back out to Volkner Rocks.
We were planning on diving the two massive rocks that make up the marine reserve – and yes, if possible, find some seals for Francois.

Red Snapper Rock is on the western side of Volkner Rocks and has a small channel circling around the massive rocks and heading up to a reef at 9m.
The channel was filled was massive fish – Porae and Blue Moki!  At least twice as big as what we see normally up at the Knights.  Jono and I spent some time cruising in the channel – checking out the fish and a few small Clown Nudibranchs and some shells, and then headed around the channel and up over the reef.  Thats where I shot the video of Jono – from a previous post – Rocking out at Volkner Rocks..

Dive Data

||  Depth: 20.25m |  Time:  64 mins |  SAC Rate: 15.38L/Min | Temp: 15 degrees |

Dive Seven – Central Spire

Our last dive and again, the visibility was amazing.
Francois was actually chasing seals although they were trying to avoid him like the plague.

We were all pretty full of nitrogen after all the diving over the weekend so we headed down to our maximum depth – an easy 30m and then spent the rest of the dive in the sunshine slowly heading up to a safety stop depth.

We found a lovely swim through where we shot some more video and we also found either practice ammunition shells or something else hidden in one of the crevices.

I was pretty tired during this dive and was watching my NDL’s so I was quite happy just to cruise around checking out the rock formations which are nothing like what we normally dive up north.

Dive Data
||  Depth: 31.87m |  Time:  55 mins |  SAC Rate: 14.06L/Min | Temp: 15 degrees |

With a huge thanks to John Baker – and to Dylan – and hugs all around to my weekend dive buddies Jono, Veronika, Francois, Tony, Brent and Ben.  I had an excellent three days out at White Island and Volkner Rocks.
Before I left, John and I booked another weekend so we will be heading back at Labour Weekend!  Can’t wait!!

Francois made an excellent video of the weekend


White Island Live Aboard
Uploaded by ozfrancois. – Explore new destinations and travel videos.

Grey Moray Eel Solitary Coral Grey Moray Eel Grey Moray Eel Trumpet Shell Grey Moray Eel Grey Moray Eel Diadema Variable Nudibranch (Aphelodoris luctuosa) Grey Moray

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]]> http://www.divemistress.net/2010/trip-report-winter-wonderland-at-white-island/feed/ 1 Trip Report : Winter Days Diving at the Knights http://www.divemistress.net/2010/trip-report-winter-days-diving-at-the-knights/ http://www.divemistress.net/2010/trip-report-winter-days-diving-at-the-knights/#comments Tue, 06 Jul 2010 02:31:26 +0000 dive mistress http://www.divemistress.net/?p=2812 Tutukaka Marina

the winter-less north

With the few problems I have been having with this site and some little bugger who thought it would be fun to try and trash it, updates have been few and far between.

It also feels like ages since I got out for some really nice diving and scratched my itch.

In my quest to finish 300 dives by the end of winter 2010, I arranged for some dive buddies to head up to Tutukaka with me to spend the weekend out with Noel and Jo of Yukon Charters.

Marty and I drove up Friday morning – leaving a rather wet Auckland and heading through a rather foggy Bryndrwyn Hills to arrive in what Kate loves to call “the winterless north”  And she was right.

Tutukaka Marina was bathed in sunlight and there was not a hint of a breeze.

We headed out to the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve looking forward to the great visibility that we had all been hearing about for some time.

Friday Dive One – Northern Arch

Skip and Marty and I headed towards the Arch from the Southern side of the entrance. Frustratingly for me, my camera battery had not charged properly overnight so I managed five/six photographs before it died.
This meant I got to an Arch absolutely clear as a bell and stacked full of fish with no camera to shoot it all.
l looked back through my dive profile and I hung in the Arch just spinning and watching the massive snapper for about 20 minutes (am getting really fed up with ending a dive because I need to pee!)

Dive Data
||  Depth: 27.15m |  Time:  54 mins |  Used Gas: 98.07 bar |   SAC Rate: 11.53L/Min | Temp: 16 degrees |

Friday Dive Two – Rikoriko Cave

We headed down to the Cave and on the way down, Paulie started telling us how the Department of Conservation had apparently tried to tow the dead sperm whale – the one that was in the back of the cave during our end of May trip – out into deeper water.
There was talk of bones at the entrance of the cave – and an especially large piece of the head of the whale.

I was very very excited to jump over board for this dive.  Ania and I geared up and let the boys head off first and then we descended down the anchor line and over to the entrance of the cave – and there it was!  Huge!  A massive piece of whale bone at the front of our sea cave.

Richie took some amazing photographs – there is a link to his site at the end of this post and I’ll probably post another article link to there as well

Dive Data
||  Depth: 26.49m |  Time:  48 mins |  Used Gas: 74.96 bar |   SAC Rate: 12.27L/Min | Temp: 16 degrees |

Crested Blennie at The Passage

Saturday was not quite as nice as Friday weather wise.
Veronika, Alex, Ania and I headed off on a girls dive to a spot that I have not dived yet (yayy love new spots!)

The wall at The Passage is a lovely 23m to the sand and is covered in gorgonian fans and sponges.
I got a couple of photographs but not nearly enough.  Its on my list of places to head back to.

Dive Data
||  Depth: 23.91m |  Time:  56 mins |  Used Gas: 94.48 bar |   SAC Rate: 12.27L/Min | Temp: 16 degrees |

Saturday Dive Two – Rikoriko Cave

The sloppy water did not leave us with too many choices on dive spots for the afternoon so we headed back down to the Cave.  We had plenty of new people on board to show the whale bones to.

This dive I took some quick video of Alex heading down to the head bone to show the sheer size of it!

Dive Data
||  Depth: 24.18m |  Time:  56 mins |  Used Gas: 83.91 bar |   SAC Rate: 12.82L/Min | Temp: 16 degrees |

Sunday Dive One – Blue Maomao Arch

Sunday morning and I had my fishies on the boat!  Pete and Nickie and Jono and John and Janie came out for the day.
We headed over to South Harbour and took a look at Blue Maomao Arch – which would be the most perfect of perfect introduction to the Poor Knights for Pete and Nickie and Janie who had not been out before.

Pete and Nickie waited til we were in the water til they headed off. Ania, John and Jono and I headed down the line to get settled and sorted and then headed into the arch.  There were not a lot of fish – a couple of lone snapper.  What I did notice is the dramatic increase in the number of kina and how the arch walls at the southwestern end are a lot more barren than what they used to be.

We mucked around in front of the arch – waving hi to Nickie – and then I saw a bronzie in the distance!  Quickly making my shark signal, I took off after it – well closer at least – but it was gone.  We headed down to 25m to have a nosy for sting rays as they are often lying on the sand but sadly they were not around today.  A Clown Toado (Sharp Nose Pufferfish) came streaking out of the kelp and I managed to get that sign across to Jono before we needed to head back up to our safety stop.

Dive Data
||  Depth: 25.28m |  Time:  61 mins |  Used Gas: 103.49 bar |   SAC Rate: 115.83L/Min | Temp: 16 degrees |

Sunday Dive Two – Magic Wall

By the time Noel moved the boat over to Magic Wall, I was itching to get back in to the water.

Scorpion Fish at Magic Wall

I checked my surface interval and starting gearing up telling the boys to move their butts.  Dropped into the bay and headed straight over the rocks and to the wall.  Kingfish, rays – lovely marine life everywhere!

I have no idea where the boys were for a lot of the dive but I spent most of it stuck to my camera.  I was photographing fans on the underside of the swimthrough when Jono pointed  out a massive Scorpion fish just above me.

Cruising along the wall, I found my Diademas and Red Banded Coral Shrimp and pointed those out.  Jono probably hopes I’ll stop raving on about them now.

Dive Data
||  Depth: 17.34m |  Time:  53 mins |  Used Gas: 73.21 bar |   SAC Rate: 12.43L/Min | Temp: 16 degrees |

——————————————————–

Richie Robinson has also posted some information and photographs of the Sperm Whale on his site : http://blog.depth.co.nz/2010/07/05/sperm-whale-physeter-macrocephalus/

Grey Moray Eel Divers descending Gem Nudibranch Nudibranch Egg Rosette Variable Nudibranch (Aphelodoris luctuosa) Firebrick Starfish Speckled Moray Eel Scorpion Fish Yellow Moray Eels Matts Crack (Long Cave)

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