Mike T.
- Mike T.'s trip Great Barrier Reef 2005
2005-02-11 - Troppos, Norman Reef, Australia
21.3m - 44 min - Dived with Deep Sea Divers Den
On the GBR w/ Deep Sea Diver's Den! Boarded ReefQuest transfer boat, after hilarious van ride with Dan the Englishman. About 90 minute boat ride out to Norman Reef. Definite cattle herder, but nice outfit. Lots of Japanese divers. Only 6 certified divers out of about 30 people on xfer boat, and lots of snorkelers. Descended over a giant clam (approx 1m wider), went around coral peninsula to dive along wall. Saw white tipped reef shark near "ski slope" of sand (4-5ft). Back into coral bay via ski slope. Got very shallow (~12ft), but great vis and life and coral. Saw pink clownfish and great barrier reef clownfish Snorkeled after and saw very large puffer. Overall marginally better than Maui. Toby is main divemaster, very nice.
2005-02-11 - Wild Side East, Norman Reef, Australia
17.4m - 49 min - Dived with Deep Sea Divers Den
Site Name: Wild Side East Norman Reef Boat: Reefquest Descended along mooring line to wall. Went along wall to end of coral peninsula. Saw true clownfish Great barracuda, 3-5ft, passed him on way out and back. Very cold thermocline at end of peninsula Liked better than first dive because coral was better, especially along wall
2005-02-11 - Rocky's Rock, Norman Reef, Australia
13.7m - 46 min - Dived with Deep Sea Divers Den
Rocky's Rock (Bommie) Great Barrier Reef, Norman Reef, Australia Dove from boat: Oceanquest Objective: around and over bommie A bommie is a coral/rock pinnacle. The took us off the large boat in a small "tender" and we did a backwards roll into the water. Told us we could go anywhere and they would pick us up after we surfaced. Very relaxing way to dive. BEST. DIVE. EVER. The coral formations at this site, which they said is not dived often, were amazing. Could make you religious. Lots of table coral, feather stars, staghorn coral. innumerable kinds of coral. Lots of fish, but no "significant creatures". More pink clownfish. Coral was so delicate looking and beautiful. Made Hawaii look like crap diving. A few big clams (1 foot wide). After surfacing the tender picked us up and they pulled us out of the water, Dan the Englishman says of the Japanese divers "good thing they are small".
2005-02-11 - Clipper, Norman Reef, Australia
14.3m - 36 min - Dived with Deep Sea Divers Den
Site name: Clipper Norman Reef, GBR, Australia Boat:Oceanquest Night dive! Guided by Laura, 23-year-old Canadian, recently graduated from Waterlook U in Ontario. Freckly, kinda cute. Didn't see all that much. 1 large crab. 1 sleeping parrot fish under coral. Lots of shrimp & red shrimp eyes peeking out. Most interesting thing was very large trevally (5 ft) who want to eat the fish in our light beam, so they swoop in under or around you dramatically and very close. Amazing at first, then gets annoying. Laura guided us along the wall and back, but she got lost on the way back to the boat and had to change direction. Toby bitched her out back on the boat for going too far away from the light. Talked with Laura on the bow later & we believe she was stoned. She said she though the overall diving in Thailand was better. She said the GbR was about -30% mediocre or dived out - 30% good - 30% best in the world (better than Thailand) All depended on the chosen sites.
2005-02-12 - Clipper, Norman Reef, Australia
23.2m - 41 min - Dived with Deep Sea Divers Den
Great dive, beautiful coral, tons of life. Had big problems clearing Pink clownfish Wall out and back Joe playing with new camera annoyingly Large titan triggerfish. 2 large "vase coral" (turbinaria frondens) Clownfish in carpet anemone unicornfish moorish idols
2005-02-12 - Coral Gardens, Saxon Reef, Australia
15.5m - 42 min - Dived with Deep Sea Divers Den
Objective: look for cuttlefish Water on surface incredibly blue and clear, but not as clear below. Lots of particles in water. Another incredibly beautiful site. Clownfish White tip reef shark Titan Triggerfish Large eel at end. pink clownfish in closed anemone Bright green coral (looked like cabbage)
2005-02-12 - Coral Gardens, Saxon Reef, Australia
17.4m - 30 min - Dived with Deep Sea Divers Den
Objective: look for eel on bommie, then head for reef. Did not find eel on Bommie, then got lost on way to reef, never finding it. We think the current had us going in a curve away. Did see a blue-spotted ray at the end. ------------------ People met on boat Toby - DM (~30), cool guy, ran things Laura - guide (23, canadian, Waterloo U) Dan - Instructor (english, crazy/annoying/nice) Dorien - (30, dutch woman, very nice) Angel - Taiwanese woman, ~22, school in sydney Josie - Angel's older sister 2 welshmen and 1 dutch man, ~21 getting certified, funny & nice Diver's Den was fine ,but might try another outfit next time to see if could be less cattle herder.
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