Dive #96 - Monterey Bay, California

Dive Location: San Carlos Beach Breakwater
Dive Date: 05/09/2011
Dive Type: Salt water shore dive
Total Dive Time: 1:04
Max Depth: 14 m
Visibility: 8 m
Temperature: 14°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 61 hours 05 minutes
Description: Much better than first dive although not a loot of sea life. Visibility was better through the kelp and at shallower depths.

Dive #95 - Monterey Bay, California

Dive Location: Butterfly House
Dive Date: 05/09/2011
Dive Type: Shore dive from rocky point
Total Dive Time: 0:50
Max Depth: 12 m
Visibility: 5 m
Temperature: 14°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 60 hours 01 minutes
Description: Quite a lot of surge and not a lot to see

Dive #94 - Rincon, Puerto Rico

Dive Location: Steps Beach
Dive Date: 30/06/2011
Dive Type: Shore dive from sandy beach
Total Dive Time: 1:12
Max Depth: 10 m
Visibility: 10 m
Temperature: 29°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 59 hours 11 minutes
Description: First dive in Puerto Rico and, thanks to the weather, the only dive in Puerto Rico. Nothing to write home about. Quite shallow and a fairly damaged reef but a few larger fish and cool rock formations. Pretty much just a snorkel with scuba gear.

Dive #93 - Monterey Bay, California

Dive Location: Otter Cove
Dive Date: 13/11/2010
Dive Type: Shore dive with significant swell!
Total Dive Time: 43 min
Max Depth: 9.5 m
Visibility: 1 m
Temperature: 13°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 57 hours 59 minutes
Description: Mailman jinxed the second dive by saying 'I think it has died down a bit'. Well, it had actually gotten worse. Whereas the first time I kinda had my bearings and we exited where I though we would, this time I had no idea where we were and we got slammed up against the rocks by the swell when we were trying to get out. Still, took a nice shot of Mailman holding a crab.

Dive #92 - Monterey Bay, California

Dive Location: Otter Cove
Dive Date: 13/11/2010
Dive Type: Shore dive with significant swell!
Total Dive Time: 44 min
Max Depth: 11.1 m
Visibility: 1 m
Temperature: 13°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 57 hours 16 minutes
Description: We probably should have checked the ocean report before heading out diving. There was pretty much no visibility and we were getting dragged all over the place. Still, it did make for quite an interesting and adventurous dive. Very surprised that I did not loose Mailman in the murky water.

Dive #91 - Monterey Bay, California

Dive Location: San Carlos Beach
Dive Date: 09/10/2010
Dive Type: Shore dive along the pipe line from the pump house
Total Dive Time: 52 min
Max Depth: 13.4 m
Visibility: 15 m
Temperature: 12°C
Cumulative Dive Time:56 hours 32 minutes
Description: This time even my back up battery was flat. We had a nice, although some what cold dive out from the beach through some nice kelp forest. Even saw a few sea lions.

Dive #90 - Monterey Bay, California

Dive Location: San Carlos Beach Breakwater
Dive Date: 09/10/2010
Dive Type: Salt water shore dive
Total Dive Time: 52 min
Max Depth: 16 m
Visibility: 15 m
Temperature: 12°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 55 hours 40 minutes
Description: First dive in Monterey... with a flat camera battery! Went out for the day with Mailman and had a very relaxing and easy couple of dives.

Dive #89 - Tahoe, California

Dive Location: D. L. Bliss State Park
Dive Date: 29/08/2010
Dive Type: Altitude, Fresh Water, Nitrox 30%
Total Dive Time: 37 min
Max Depth: 21.4 m
Visibility: 15 m
Temperature: 16°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 54 hours 48 minutes
Description: First nitrox dive went well. No hint of oxygen toxicity.The water was a bit colder today and I only managed to get one dive in. The granite walls along the point were pretty cool, as were some of the fresh water cray-fish.

Dive #88 - Tahoe, California

Dive Location: Sandy Harbour
Dive Date: 28/08/2010
Dive Type: Altitude, Fresh Water
Total Dive Time: 39 min
Max Depth: 8.5 m
Visibility: 15 m
Temperature: 18°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 54 hours 11 minutes
Description: First time I went diving with Neil Benjamin... it only took three years for that to happen!

Dive #87 - Tahoe, California

Dive Location: Sandy Harbour
Dive Date: 28/08/2010
Dive Type: Altitude, Fresh Water
Total Dive Time: 45 min
Max Depth: 18.1 m
Visibility: 15 m
Temperature: 18°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 53 hours 32 minutes
Description: A dive of firsts. First altitude dive, first cold water dive (although not as cold as I thought it would be), first fresh water dive, first dive in North America, first dive in Northern Hemisphere and first dive with my brand new BCD.

Dive #86 - Fiji

Dive Location: Wilkes Wall
Dive Date: 06/04/2010
Dive Type: Ocean - Outer Reef
Total Dive Time: 55 min
Max Depth: 15.5 m
Visibility: 15
Temperature: 29°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 52 hours 47 minutes
Description: Probably the equal best dive of the trip. Saw a very large sea snake and a few crustaceans.

Dive #85 - Fiji

Dive Location: Namotu Barrier
Dive Date: 06/04/2010
Dive Type: Ocean - Outer Reef
Total Dive Time: 54 min
Max Depth: 16.3 m
Visibility: 15
Temperature: 29°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 51 hours 52 minutes

Dive #84 - Fiji

Dive Location: Barrel Head
Dive Date: 05/04/2010
Dive Type: Ocean
Total Dive Time: 55 min
Max Depth: 16.1 m
Visibility: 15
Temperature: 29°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 50 hours 58 minutes

Dive #83 - Fiji

Dive Location: ???
Dive Date: 03/04/2010
Dive Type: ???
Total Dive Time: ???
Max Depth: ???
Visibility: ???
Temperature: ???
Cumulative Dive Time: 50 hours 03 minutes
Description: ??? (I couldn't find the record for this dive at the dive shop)

Dive #82 - Fiji

Dive Location: Coral Garden
Dive Date: 03/04/2010
Dive Type: Ocean - Shark Dive
Total Dive Time: 42 min
Max Depth: 29.8 m
Visibility: 10 m
Temperature: 28°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 50 hours 03 minutes
Description: Shark dive not a great as the last time I was in Fiji. Only saw three reef sharks and no other large sharks. Cormac did come along for this dive though.

Dive #81 - Fiji

Dive Location: Pinnacle
Dive Date: 02/04/2010
Dive Type: Ocean
Total Dive Time: 43 min
Max Depth: 30.0 m
Visibility: 10 m
Temperature: 28°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 48 hours 26 minutes
Description: Chris Austin came along for this trip, unfortunately he didn't make it down for this dive. Ot was a pity since this was one of the best dives of the trip. Below the pinnacle there was a great swim through with a lion fish hiding behind a piece of fan coral.

Dive #80 - Fiji

Dive Location: North Reef
Dive Date: 01/04/2010
Dive Type: Ocean
Total Dive Time: 53 min
Max Depth: 14.2 m
Visibility: 10 m
Temperature: 28°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 47 hours 43 minutes

Dive #79 - Fiji

Dive Location: Wilkes
Dive Date: 01/04/2010
Dive Type: Ocean
Total Dive Time: 47 min
Max Depth: 17.9 m
Visibility: 10 m
Temperature: 28°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 46 hours 50 minutes

Dive #78 - Fiji

Dive Location: Namotu Wall
Dive Date: 01/04/2010
Dive Type: Ocean
Total Dive Time: 37 min
Max Depth: 21.3 m
Visibility: 10 m
Temperature: 28°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 46 hours 3 minutes

Dive #77 - Fiji

Dive Location: Wilkes
Dive Date: 31/03/2010
Dive Type: Ocean
Total Dive Time: 47 min
Max Depth: 14.4 m
Visibility: 10 m
Temperature: 28°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 45 hours 26 minutes
Description: Another great dive with more turtles and sharks as well as a Giant Moray.

Dive #76 - Fiji

Dive Location: Tavarua Wall
Dive Date: 31/03/2010
Dive Type: Ocean
Total Dive Time: 49 min
Max Depth: 21.3 m
Visibility: 10 m
Temperature: 28°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 44 hours 34 minutes
Description: First dive of my Fiji trip. Nice wall dive with a very majestic turtle and a black tip reef shark. Water was nice and warm but visibility was not that great. It was a bit windy overnight and there was a fair amount of chop on the ocean surface.

Dive #75 - Wollongong

Dive Location: Toothbrush Island
Dive Date: 22/08/09
Dive Type: Boat Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:43
Max Depth: 16m
Visibility: 10m
Temperature: 19°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 43:51
Description: Boat dive off Wollongong coast

Dive #74 - Wollongong

Dive Location: Toothbrush Island
Dive Date: 23/08/09
Dive Type: Boat Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:46
Max Depth: 18m
Visibility: 10m
Temperature: 19°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 43:05
Description: Boat dive at one of the Five Islands off Wollongong coast. Saw a grey nurse shark and a few lobsters

Dive #73 - Wollongong

Dive Location: Pig Island
Dive Date: 23/08/09
Dive Type: Boat Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:31
Max Depth: 14m
Visibility: 5m
Temperature: 19°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 42:34
Description: Strong surge on this side of the island. Probably move to another location for the next dives.

Dive #72 - Shellharbour

Dive Location: Bushrangers Bay
Dive Date: 22/08/09
Dive Type: Shore Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:56
Max Depth: 10m
Visibility: 10m
Temperature: 17°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 41:38
Description: Few crustaceans and very cold water!

Dive #71 - Shellharbour

Dive Location: Bushrangers Bay
Dive Date: 22/08/09
Dive Type: Shore Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:48
Max Depth: 10m
Visibility: 10m
Temperature: 17°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 40:50
Description: Cold, cold, cold! Not a lot to see, but I am here with Simon so we are going in again!

Dive #70 - Norman Reef, Great Barrier Reef

Dive Location: Pinnacle
Dive Date: 08/08/07
Dive Type: Boat Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:44
Max Depth: 18m
Visibility: 15m
Temperature: 28°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 40:06
Description: Good amount of marine life and a lot of hard coral, but I am still suprised at how much the color has degraded when I was here a year ago.

Dive #69 - Norman Reef, Great Barrier Reef

Dive Location: ???
Dive Date: 08/08/07
Dive Type: Boat Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:49
Max Depth: 21m
Visibility: 15m
Temperature: 28°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 39:17
Description: Sneaking out during the conference I am supposed to be organising. Well worth it!

Dive #68 - Shellharbour

Dive Location: The Gutter
Dive Date: 19/05/07
Dive Type: Shore Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:28
Max Depth: 11m
Visibility: 8m
Temperature: 19°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 38:49
Description: Grouper came back and snacked on some urchins.

Dive #67 - Shellharbour

Dive Location: The Gutter
Dive Date: 19/05/07
Dive Type: Shore Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:19
Max Depth: 11m
Visibility: 8m
Temperature: 19°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 38:30
Description: Rocky entry and Christine was feeling a bit cold, but we did get to meet the local grouper.

Dive #66 - Norman Reef, Great Barrier Reef

Dive Location: Not Recorded
Dive Date: 09/07/06
Dive Type: Boat Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:39
Max Depth: 16m
Visibility: 15m
Temperature: 28°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 37:51
Description: Last afternoon dive before heading back to shore

Dive #65 - Norman Reef, Great Barrier Reef

Dive Location: Not Recorded
Dive Date: 09/07/06
Dive Type: Boat Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:30
Max Depth: 19m
Visibility: 15m
Temperature: 29°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 37:21
Description: So many reef sharks.

Dive #64 - Norman Reef, Great Barrier Reef

Dive Location: Not Recorded
Dive Date: 09/07/06
Dive Type: Boat Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:41
Max Depth: 21m
Visibility: 15m
Temperature: 19°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 36:40
Description:

Dive #63 - Saxon Reef, Great Barrier Reef

Dive Location: Not Recorded
Dive Date: 08/07/06
Dive Type: Boat Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:41
Max Depth: 17m
Visibility: 15m
Temperature: 29°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 35:59
Description:

Dive #62 - Saxon Reef, Great Barrier Reef

Dive Location: Not Recorded
Dive Date: 08/07/06
Dive Type: Boat Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:30
Max Depth: 20m
Visibility: 15m
Temperature: 29°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 35:29
Description:

Dive #61 - Saxon Reef, Great Barrier Reef

Dive Location: Not Recorded
Dive Date: 08/07/06
Dive Type: Boat Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:38
Max Depth: 21m
Visibility: 15m
Temperature: 28°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 34:51
Description: First dive back on the reef since I got certified a few years ago. Seems like the reef has degraded a bit.

Dive #60 - Wollongong, NSW

Dive Location: Pig Island
Dive Date: 12/02/06
Dive Type: Boat Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:30
Max Depth: 15m
Visibility: 10m
Temperature: 19°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 34:21
Description: A lot of surge again. Not sure if Wollongong makes for the best diving. Especially after Thailand!

Dive #59 - Wollongong, NSW

Dive Location: Pig Island
Dive Date: 12/02/06
Dive Type: Boat Dive
Total Dive Time: 0:38
Max Depth: 17m
Visibility: 10m
Temperature: 19°C
Cumulative Dive Time: 33:43
Description: First dive out at the Five Islands. Quite choppy, but saw a 2m Wobbygong hidden in a cave.

My first entry but not my first dive.

Well, I thought I should really start tracking my dives again, especially if one day I want to get my Dive Master certificate so I can live on a tropical island and take tourists out diving every day. I was doing quite well logging all my dives, and I got up to seventy dives before I lost my Log Book (lost on a cargo ship somewhere over the Pacific). Since then I have done another five dives (which I have updated here), and the actual first dive I have logged here after starting this onlne dive log is Dive #76. Based on photos and other dive peoples dive logs (and memories), I have been able to relog dives from #59 onwards.
Just to give a brief summary of the diving I have done to date and the dive experience I have, I'll give a very short report on my diving history. Christine and I received both our Open Water (PADI - 0302A42619) and our Advanced (PADI - 0302A43346) certification on the Great Barrier Reef while on a six day live-aboard. We have also spent 10 days diving in Fiji as well as a 6 day live-aboard in Thailand. I have also done multiple dives of the Wollongong coast (the most recent on my trip back home in August of 2009) at Pig and Toothbrush Islands as well as at the Gutter and Bushrangers Bay in the Bass Point area. I have also been diving up near South West Rocks (possibly the single greatest dive I have ever done... I just wish I had brought my camera on the second dive so everyone believes me when I say I saw lobsters as large as me!), down at Eden with the ANU dive club, and several more times on the Great Barrier Reef on two trips back to Cairns for physics conferences.
Since pictures speak a thousand words, here are some photos I have captured from previous dives:


Great Barrier Reef





Eden




South West Rocks



Fiji







Thailand





Green Island, Cairns
(actually this was just a snorkeling photo, but I really love this turtle)