New Diver from Melbourne, Australia

[vaishnavsr]

Hi all,

Its been my dream to learn scuba diving for nearly 16 years now. Finally, I've achieved it! What a wonderful experience scuba diving is!

I've just returned from Thailand having completed my SSI OW and Advanced Adventurer courses. I am still a novice diver with around 10 dives, so I would like to get this number up to at least 30 or so by the end of this year.

My eventual goal is to take up underwater photography and videography as a hobby. I realize that this requires being a good diver as well as a good photographer, so I'm working on both aspects of my skills at the same time.

I live in Australia, so one of my short term goals is to do a few dives in the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland soon. Glad to be part of this community and appreciate any advice from the pros here!

Cheers,

~ Vaishnav

 

[Dive Right In Scuba 2]

Welcome to the community! You are in the right location for some good diving! You seem to be on the right track with your mindset of gaining experience before you push the UW photography. All too often newer divers get overly ambitious by adding task loading activities to their diving(photography, spearfishing, etc) without mastering the simple art of diving. It's refreshing to see your attitude, just be sure to maintain that in the long term. And remember to keep diving and always learning!

 

[Joelage]

Hi all,

Its been my dream to learn scuba diving for nearly 16 years now. Finally, I've achieved it! What a wonderful experience scuba diving is!

I've just returned from Thailand having completed my SSI OW and Advanced Adventurer courses. I am still a novice diver with around 10 dives, so I would like to get this number up to at least 30 or so by the end of this year.

My eventual goal is to take up underwater photography and videography as a hobby. I realize that this requires being a good diver as well as a good photographer, so I'm working on both aspects of my skills at the same time.

I live in Australia, so one of my short term goals is to do a few dives in the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland soon. Glad to be part of this community and appreciate any advice from the pros here!

Cheers,

~ Vaishnav

Hi Vaishnav,

I'm also from Melbourne, and a new diver (and new to the forum)

I just got back from a road trip along the east coast (bit of diving too)

Due to time restrictions, and it being more of a spontaneous trip, I could only make it up to the Great Barrier Reefs most southern point (Lady Musgrave Island) - just about 2 weeks ago.

I have a video of it,
[video=youtube;6SFztTdG9mo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFztTdG9mo[/video]

It was pretty average - due to rain (especially when compared to the nice dive spots in Asia) - I would be thinking that going much further north to do the more central parts of the Great Barrier Reef would be better. (but that is just a guess)

Also, I went to do an external wreck dive (Moreton island), rain earlier didn't help visibility, but it was a good introduction to it!

[video=youtube;dVeQK2H1-bE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVeQK2H1-bE[/video]

 

[Dan d]

welcome good to have an aussie here my wife dove the north west cape years ago come dive with us on the big isl
aloha

 

[bergersau]

Hi Vaishnav,
Don't ignore local diving if you're in Melbourne.
You will need a 7mm wetsuit, gloves and hood (and maybe a drysuit or core warmer for winter) but there is great diving around the Port Phillip Bay heads and out into Bass Straight along both the Port Londsdale and Port Neapean sides.
Diving temperate water is more challenging than tropical - more exposure protection = more lead, and there is often surge or current to contend with, it's worth it though. Wrecks, sponges, soft corals, zoanthids, nudi's they're all local to you.
[video=vimeo;64770440]http://vimeo.com/64770440[/video]

 

[Joelage]

Hi Vaishnav,
Don't ignore local diving if you're in Melbourne.
You will need a 7mm wetsuit, gloves and hood (and maybe a drysuit or core warmer for winter) but there is great diving around the Port Phillip Bay heads and out into Bass Straight along both the Port Londsdale and Port Neapean sides.
Diving temperate water is more challenging than tropical - more exposure protection = more lead, and there is often surge or current to contend with, it's worth it though. Wrecks, sponges, soft corals, zoanthids, nudi's they're all local to you.

Awesome video bergersau!

 

[bergersau]

Thanks, but whilst I've corresponded with with the guy who made it on a different forum, all I can take credit for was link to another person's vid.