Lee Vella
- Lee Vella's trip Easter 2023 Adanvce2 Liveaboard
2023-04-06 - Ex Hmas Tobruk, Hervey Bay, Australia
28.2m - 41 min - Dived with Claire from Hervey Bay Dive Centre
1st dive of the liveaboard trip was on the EX-HMAS Tobruk off Hervey Bay, viz was Ok and not much current. Followed Claire the dive master around the ship. As we got to the bow we were almost at bottom and I noticed large strange lumps in the sand, then I noticed sticks poking up out of the sand, then almost crapped myself as I realised they were huge rays and I was a bit too close. Ended the dive and surfaced with Chris as he was down to 50bar.
As we started to descend the current dragged us away from the wreck, so we surfaced after 6 minutes and swam back to the descent line to re-descend.
2023-04-06 - Ex Hmas Tobruk, Hervey Bay, Australia
25.2m - 44 min - Dived with Claire from Hervey Bay Dive Centre
After having to surface and re-descend, we swam around the wreck, then did a swim through the main hold. Lots of sea life in and around the ship. Towards the end, Julius and Chris were low on air, so Clair took them back to the surface while Connor and i continued the dive. Grant made a crack about there being 150 turtles on the wreck, and as we started to finish our dive, turtles came in by the droves. We were getting surrounded by turtles, heaps and heaps of big turtles.
2023-04-07 - Anchor Bommies, Lady Elliott Island, Australia
15.5m - 50 min - Dived with Lee from Hervey Bay Dive Centre
After traveling all night we arrived at Lady Elliot Island with blue skies and clear blue water. Lady Elliot did not disappoint !! I took a bearing on the surface and we swam out to Anchor Bommie. As we arrived we could see the huge black Manta Ray Taurus getting cleaned. There were a couple of bommies and quite a few manta rays. Of course there was beautiful coral and lovely colourful reef fish, but the manta rays were amazing. I even found the coral encrusted anchor the Bommie is named after.
2nd dive at Lady Elliot was an awesome drift dive from the blow hole. We followed Grant to the blow hole, through it and then along the wall with amazing visibility.
2023-04-07 - Lady Musgrave Island Outer Wall Near Entrance, Lady Musgrave Island, Australia
15.2m - 48 min - Dived with Lee from Hervey Bay Dive Centre
After Lady Elliot we cruised to Lady Musgrave and had a dive on the outside wall. Saw some cool fish, nice easy dive. At the end of the dive we saw Grant and followed him back to the boat swimming at 5m for our safety stop
2023-04-07 - Lady Musgrave Island Inside Lagoon, Lady Musgrave Island, Australia
8.4m - 49 min - Dived with Lee from Hervey Bay Dive Centre
1st night dive of the trip. Took 2 goes to get into the water as the boat drifted off the site from the breeze, but we finally got it in. No predatory fish, but a few shrimp and little fish hiding, as well as a sleeping turtle we blinded with our lights. Half way through the dive Connors torch died, so I gave him my spare to use.
2023-04-08 - Lady Musgrave Island Inside Lagoon, Lady Musgrave Island, Australia
9.2m - 57 min - Dived with Lee from Hervey Bay Dive Centre
Crappy day stuck in the lagoon due to the wind, we still went for a dive. Saw a few fish, some colourful coral.
2023-04-08 - Lady Musgrave Island Inside Lagoon, Lady Musgrave Island, Australia
7.1m - 60 min - Dived with Hervey Bay Dive Centre
Went for another dive after lunch, getting a bit bored with this dive site, we spent quite a bit of the dive at less than 6m. Saw a turtle, a small reef shark.
2023-04-09 - Anchor Bommies, Lady Elliott Island, Australia
14.9m - 52 min - Dived with Hervey Bay Dive Centre
After leaving Lady Musgrave we started the cruise home via Lady Elliot for a couple more dives. Once again lady Elliot did not disappoint, we swam to the Bommie and watched manta rays
2023-04-09 - Anchor Bommies, Lady Elliott Island, Australia
14.9m - 46 min - Dived with Hervey Bay Dive Centre
Video of the dive trip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE_aVmcQ5H4 Last dive of the trip, I only missed 1 dive, a 2nd night dive at Lady Musgrave. This dive was awesome once again. Found a great position right under the Bommie with Manta rays quite happily swimming above and around us. I recommend the Advance2 liveaboard, the boat and crew were awesome... except for the corn on the last nights dinner Claire !!!
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