Just got home, the diving on the GBR and Osprey & Shark...

[caymaniac]

the diving was really awesome. Fussilers by the thousands streaming by on Shark Reef, Sharks at North Horn on Osprey, giant clams, big Potato Cod, the coral off Lizard island was fantastic. The Ribbons also provided great visual vistas, at Steve's Bommie I had a Minke Whale swim right under me as I was boarding the liveaboard. I'm really looking forward to getting my pictures developed.
One really big let down was Hawaii, after the Coral Sea, I was really disapointed with Hawaii - no fish and the coral was nothing, the viz was bland at best. We were skunked on our Manta dive, the inside of Molokini was - well not much, I did like the outside of Molokini the best, the viz was around 70 ft., not what I've read, this 100+ must be a different time of year :boom:
Now that I've had some really great dives on a liveaboard in the Coral Sea I'm wondering if I'll ever enjoy the Carribean again
When I get my photos back, I'll have to do a dive report.
Dive Safe,
Caymaniac

 

[cdiver2]

Hi Jerry
Great to see you back (sorry), and glad to hear you had a great time. How about a pm on Osprey ?. Oct will coming up soon then its PNG then Osprey for me on the Diversety. I agree on Maui I found it so-so ansd I suspect it will be evan more so-so after this trip. I just dived Florida east coast July 4th weekend for the first time and liked it better than Maui and I live on the west coast, I could have saved myself thousands ha well you live and learn. Looking forward to hearing about your trip the land side as well.
All the best David

 

[ColdH20diving]

Sounds like you had a great time. Where off of lizard Island did you dive? I have a map of the area off the island and was wondering if it was near where we went. Which live aboard did you use and would you use them again. Thanks... Ron

 

[caymaniac]

We had several dives at Lizard area that I remember. Cod Hole for one was great, Shark Reef was also great by Lizard Island (not to be confused with Shark Reef next to Osprey) - ones a reef area the other a dive site. Our night dive revealed hugh blue sea stars, giant tridacna clams, basket stars. We did a snorkel inbetween dives near Cod Hole that was fabulously beautiful, and you might know, I didn't take my camera along on the snorkel.....dang it! Lots of Lion fish, a couple of different variety.
The liveaboard was the "Diversity", a Quicksilver boat, it is just two years old and was quite comfortable especially since we had only 6 divers. Mike Ball who we saw at Lizard Island has a bigger boat but they had 37 on board, I was happy I wasn't stuck on that boat.
We saw Minke whales just after we left Lizard Island and snorkeled with them. We also answered a MAYDAY call off Lizard Island to a sailboat who stuck its keel on the reef.
Dive Safe,
Caymaniac

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Welcome back! Glad you made it okay. Looking forward to the dive report.

 

[RSdiver]

I went to Aus 2 years ago and thought it was fantastic and better than other places I've been including PNG. One post on this board a while back mentioned the coral bleaching in the Coral Sea was so prolific that they aborted diving at Flinders reef to move North into the GBR.

Any word on this? Did you see widespread coral bleaching?

Link to my photos of the Coral Sea and Yongala wreck

 

[Valwood1]

Sounds like a great trip, and that you were pleased with the Diversity -- which is comforting since we're booked on it in less than 3 months. Now, if the US dollar would just start to rise a bit...

Bill

 

[dmoran]

I'm also booked on Diversity - Sept 26th. Glad to hear another good report about the boat and trip. Any recommendations? (Other than bring a camera on the snorkel too) Can’t wait to see your pictures.

Bill, when is your trip? Anyone else going to be on the Diversity or diving GBR in Sept/Oct?

Doug

 

[caymaniac]

We didn't notice much coral bleaching, but we stayed in the northern area of the Ribbons and Osprey & Shark reefs are well north and east of the GBR. The vizibility was advertised as over 100ft. and I would have to say that we did not find this to be true. Coz has 100+ and especially Little Cayman has better viz, but the fish and the coral - the variety seemed endless as well as schools of fish numbering in the 100s and even some seen in a thousand.
I've read that the coral bleaching is worse to the south, although we did do some dives at Agincourt area where the coral was not in as great of shape as others north. Steve's Bommie for one was beat, maybe that was coral bleaching or diver wear or storm wear, but the fish life there was incredible, a pinnacle rising up from the bottom with schools of fish of variety spinning around it sometimes in opposite directions, a big school of Jacks (Trevally) on the outside of the smaller fish, anemones w/ clowns, fussliers, triggers, butterflys, anthias, wrasses, boxfish, sweetlips, moorish idols, unicornfish, angels, and surgeon fish varieties.
Dive Safe,
Caymaniac

RSdiver once bubbled...
I went to Aus 2 years ago and thought it was fantastic and better than other places I've been including PNG. One post on this board a while back mentioned the coral bleaching in the Coral Sea was so prolific that they aborted diving at Flinders reef to move North into the GBR.

Any word on this? Did you see widespread coral bleaching?

Link to my photos of the Coral Sea and Yongala wreck

 

[caymaniac]

They provided a light marker and a saftey sausage that fit in your BC pocket, they also provided our dive lights at no charge. You set up your gear and then when you come up from a dive they refill the tank your equip. is on, there is never a need to change your gear. Susi (the chef), did a great job, the menu was varied, plenty of veggies and fish, I remember chicken one night was very good.('')

Dive dreams are wet dreams
Caymaniac

dmoran once bubbled...
I'm also booked on Diversity - Sept 26th. Glad to hear another good report about the boat and trip. Any recommendations? (Other than bring a camera on the snorkel too) Can’t wait to see your pictures.

Bill, when is your trip? Anyone else going to be on the Diversity or diving GBR in Sept/Oct?

Doug