Where to dive in Queensland in January?

[ozzydamo]

Ozzydamo, pretty sure that I never mentioned diving in Sydney nor did anyone else in this topic. But since you raised it, we have just had two months of 20 to 40 m visibility in Sydney. No, we do not see fish like you have mentioned, but we do have seals, huge bullrays, grey nurse sharks and many unique creatures you will not see in Brisbane or even the GBR. I have done well over 2,000 dives in Sydney (and over 1,500 elsewhere, including most Pacific Ocean dive locations) and I can assure you that the diving in Sydney is as good as anywhere I have dived.

You also claim that there is a grey nurse shark season at SWR. No, there is not. They are there in large numbers all year round. There was a season 25 years ago, but since numbers have increased they are seen all the time.

OP, have a look at the link I have previously supplied and read about the places I mention. There are photos as well to give you a better idea. Any questions, message me.

Half your luck Mick,
Here has been blowning its ar$e off, that's why I'd take a punt of here having a good summer coming- el nino cutting in again I think. You'd know this from your seaway sojourn sunday a ways!

So you'd say there is as many sharks at swr in January as in july????
Been a longtime since I dived fish rock so I couldn't say only surmise from my days there in late80's it had bugger all! but certainly wolf rock as far fewer GNS in January- Julian Rocks you be very lucky to see a GNS in January.

If its time to bragg about dives logged- well I have only been certified since 2010, because I wanted to start traveling overseas, but.....
I have done more then 7,000hrs in Sydney, mostly with a haminex 9ft handspear fitted with 9"prangers in hand 25 years ago(started in 1978 at 10y.o in Queenscliff lagoon, my olds thought I was crazy, they were right!), didn't count dives did 10hour days in the water! who could a afford a padi ticket, who needed it.... my Uncle Tone use to lend me his scuba gear once a week, which was expensive back then in the 80's. And he used to powerhead GNS- me never killed sharks only bream,kingfish, morwong, snapper and sand whiting- back when shelly beach used to have a hand haul net operator there. I've jumped off ocean rock in 6m swell and landed back on the same rock with 4kg snapper in hand riding the wave onto the rock, down at Broulee- which is great diving guerrilla bay especially.

Dee why beach xmas day 1984 I was skindiving with an elephant shark. Lots of action that day including Yellowfin, Kingies, Jewfish, Mackerel tuna even a Black marlin( I got a jew on a speargun 27kg, mackerel tuna 5kg and a blue mowie 6kg). Never forget that....

Sydney had good diving then, people killed it with sewer and apathy(like uncle Tone spearing GNS back in the day).



My argument is this- if the guy is in Brisbane, why wouldn't he dive flinders reef at lest oneday, maybe then go to North straddie, dive flat rock and see some manta rays(yeap see them at julians along with the crowds of leopard sharks) even the chance of hammerheads, white tips and bull sharks- if there is bait around. Seems to get to much bad mouth from so many direction even clowns that have never dived the place. Everywhere is unique and has it's moment when Huey shines his love down on you for a great dive.....but no way is any NSW site got the bio-diversity that Flinders reef has- He'd be crazy not to dive it while he's here- be 4 or 5 operators I see there now and then when I dive the place privately and I have Dive on the odd occasion with the charter guys- big cat or go dive(it is expensive) but there is no scuba police onboard- everytime I go with them though I am looking after noobs- which I kind of enjoy as I solo dive mostly so its kind of novel, so the rules are there more so to forego liabilities then to force behaviour as you know you can tell by the rig set up if someone is good for it or not; then see then descend tidy should do the rest. You can't buy skills and really you got start young to be top rate, natural same in any endeavour, tennis, golf, surfing(my other old sport) etc....I seen lots of inlander, euro/usa types(like from VT, Good at rifle hunting, ice skating and skiing) with big fancy certs and with bad underwater form.
http://www.nautilusscuba.com.au/trips.html
http://www.brisbanediving.com/divetrips/day/page.php/1/5/22
http://www.bigcatreality.com/scuba-diving.html
---------- Post added August 7th, 2014 at 10:54 PM ----------

Time to take it outside fellahs?
Byron is lovely and South West Rocks is apparently one of the best dives in Australia, though I haven't made it down there yet. :depressed: Brisbane has some great diving off Flinders Reef, though the main operators only go there on the weekend so that may not suit your plans. As an ideal plan, you could dive Flinders on a Sunday from Brisbane, drive down to Byron that night (160km, though add another 20 from Redcliffe which is where the Flinders Reef operators berth and it's a full day trip, so you'd get back to Redcliffe at 5ish and start driving from then), overnight at Byron, dive Julian Rocks the following day with Sundive (0900 and 1130), drive to SWR (340km), overnight there, dive the following day then drive to Sydney (450km) and dive there the following day. You would then need to have 24 hours before you flew out, but there's plenty to do in Sydney.
That's all a bit of a rush, but if you're happy to dive, drive and sleep you could manage it. Obviously if you have more time you could add some overnight stops, or take a day trip from Sydney down to Jervis Bay.
P.S no u in QANTAS (in more ways than one ); acronym for Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Services. Can help with upgrades and all-round better treatment.

Qantarse!
In January chance of a weekday dive with go dive would be pretty good, But I would say do the weekend on big cat at flinders, if your really lucky get to one of the most uniques sites in Australia - hendos rock and cherubs cave where coral meets kelp! Amazing structure and Big pelagics ? Experience the Awe of Cherubs Cave and Henderson Rock Moreton Island.

Can get a bit Narky sometimes....... But remember Queenslanders rule! the rest are just jealous.....the 2 speed economy!!!!
Ps- most holidays diving I now go to Khao lak in Thailand, next trip is in November on the white manta liveaboard $200/day great food. lovely boat beers are cheap too!!!
White Manta Diving - Schedules & Rates for MV White Manta

Aussie diving is just way to expensive, that's why I dive my own boat! Hopefully those scuba police aren't around........pfffffttttt!

any other dive info look at this site(he needs the hits for the big bucks to come) http://www.michaelmcfadyenscuba.info/news.php

Seriously a great site, wonder what he does in his spare time!

---------- Post added August 7th, 2014 at 11:12 PM ----------

Most of the live aboards are north to be honest and go to the GBR. Cairns is the centre so unless you are willing to fly up do the trip then fly Cairns to Sydney then look at NSW.

There is now only one liveaboard operating south of Townsville(the entire east coast???) now I hear- big cat reality- maybe the agenda was to expand coal mining ports, not increase dive tourism!!!! oppressing dive operators with regulation while reaping in the coal royalties- scuba police or coal thugs??? Like clive...

 

[chris kippax]

Embarrassed to be a qlder

 

[ozzydamo]

Embarrassed to be a qlder

Yes you should be Mate!!!
You haven't even done 500 dives yet, but you call yourself a master........shame indeed!

 

[Wobbegong wannabe]

Qantarse!

Politer than some versions.

hendos rock and cherubs cave where coral meets kelp!

I would love to dive both sites, so if BCR are regularly going there then we need to talk. I had an aborted dive at Cherub's many years ago when the anchor failed to hold; great tour of sand, an anchor trail and some narcosis 101 at 30m but not much else. The long swim back to the boat made the whole experience unfulfilling...

 

[ozzydamo]

Politer than some versions.

I would love to dive both sites, so if BCR are regularly going there then we need to talk. I had an aborted dive at Cherub's many years ago when the anchor failed to hold; great tour of sand, an anchor trail and some narcosis 101 at 30m but not much else. The long swim back to the boat made the whole experience unfulfilling...

Yes current and depth are big issues at Henderson's rock, its got a double whammy, with the runout tide from sth passage bar and the cape, it compounds with the ocean currents and the con cave shape of the 30meter line along Moreton Island to create a huge sweep- it shares a lot of attributes with Barwon banks/Noosa hards, Hutchinson shoal, Boat Rock, Tweed 9mile and even the Windara banks down off Brunswick heads. here I found some random vid of the Banks, you can see the current with eagle rays blowflying the wack, off the lead of the reef. Windarra Banks on Vimeo

Here's the Chick's blog it has some insight on the S/E QLD TO Byron- be handy for ol mate to make decision on where to dive.
divingwithme | come divingwithme and learn about the beauty that lies in the sea
It's a good reason to buy an apollo av scooter like I did- yes another boy toy!!!!


John Gransbury is nice fella(unlike me), he does some speciality charters around this area and I recommend him to any AOW ticketed divers, to see this hardly dived sites, which makes a big difference in sea life. Explore Windarra Banks ? The Cod Grounds and find out what all the fuss is about!

Compare Boat rock to Manta bommie to know what I mean. Manta Lodge and Scuba Centre : Stradbroke Island :: Learn to Dive - Online Open Water Course

Sometimes I get sucked in by the crap talk by people who have real experience in "my waters"- their words are water off a ducks back, but it would be criminal for the OP-er not to do somes dives here while he's around. Me I'll dive anywhere just to get an ideal of that is like.

Talk is cheap, positive actions make for great real life experiences. And any dive site can have a WOW moment, they are a stage that need the actors to be there on the day.