Hello from the Gold Coast, Australia

[Divectionist]

Hello ScubaBoard Members

after endless google searches landed me on this forum over and over again, it was finally time to sign up and hopefully contribute to a community that has answered many of my specific questions.

I've first got certified (VDTL) on the Canary Islands as a teenager 14 years ago, but when a Divemaster on the Maldives almost denied me the ocean a couple years later not knowing my cert agency, I started going down the PADI path to AOWD, which I completed during a liveaboard on the famous Great Barrier Reef.

I've sinced moved to Australia altogether and call the Gold Coast on the Australian East Coast home. I am now focussing on getting as much local diving in as my other commitments allow, with the occasional weekend trip further afield. I'd appreciate meeting some local dive buddies as well.

I dive a 'balanced' BP/W setup with some (not all) DIR influences, so far purely recreational.

Cheers!

 

[Skulmoski]

Hello! Welcome to this community.
Regards
GJS (Varsity Lakes, QLD)

 

[Rob9876]

Welcome to the forums!

 

[Divectionist]

Thank you

 

[Compressor]

Welcome to Scubaboard Divestionist. Yes SB is the place to be while on surface intervals.

 

[Mantra]

Welcome!

Some great diving around the GC. Brissie diver here. My wife and I are often diving cook island/seaway etc.

 

[Divectionist]

Nice!

I was at Cook and 9 Mile a couple of days ago. Keen to scope out the seaway, maybe next weekend!

 

[Mantra]

The seaway is not just the only shore dive for hundreds of Ks, it’s also a surprisingly rich site!

 

[tunza60]

Hi guys, im popping up to GC to visit family during Easter, I was gonna try a dive with Gold Coast Dive Adventures, just to get my fgeet wet...they are offering GC Reefs and Scottish Prince shipwreck for $149. Does anyone know of any other dives around the area?

ta

 

[Divectionist]

Hi guys, im popping up to GC to visit family during Easter, I was gonna try a dive with Gold Coast Dive Adventures, just to get my fgeet wet...they are offering GC Reefs and Scottish Prince shipwreck for $149. Does anyone know of any other dives around the area?

ta

Hey there

I went out a couple times with these guys before, run a good service and I can recommend them, but other than Palm Beach Reef, which is only accessible with very good surface conditions due to the distance from their marina, the diving on those other 'reefs' is not usually too exciting. I've only seen the Prince in pretty average vis conditions but it was not the most awe inspiring wreck on this planet, but it is worth visiting I suppose.

But if you don't mind an hour drive, consider diving at Julian Rocks from Brunswick Heads or Byron - been there last weekend and going again this weekend because conditions are great - in my opinion the best site in the area with an abundance of marine life.

Second to Julian Rocks, and a bit closer to the GC ex Tweed Heads, are Cook Island and 9 Mile Reef, which have always been interesting dives in a variety of conditions.

I rotate between these locations but I feel like Julian Rocks will keep me coming back for a while!