Seeking advices about a trip in Oz

[RisingPhoenix]

Thanks ! I was desperately seeking for Sealies on google earth ! Without any succes of course...
QUOTE]

Apologies, yes, Sealies = Seal Rocks, i think i lived there for far too long.

So far as diving in Forster, i think the nicest operation would be Rotten Ronny at Dive Fishermans Wharf. Nice stable boat, accomodation on site etc.

And as for Bissy diving, yes, it is good diving, and so much to see. I was merely pointing out the differences, where at home we have 6km steam to get to most of our dive sites. Other Places to check out would be as noted before.

South West Rocks Dive Centre
SCUBA Haven web site
Wooli Dive Centre Wooli New South Wales Australia I absolutely Love The diving at North Solitary Island, and personally rate it as some of the best on the East Coast (Either With Wooli dive, or Divequest Mullaway (whom i dont have a website for)

Just some more food for thought, i must say, i've only done limited diving around Sydney, at Long Reef and a few other little sites, never done a shore dive there, which i hear good things about however.

Cheers,

Steve

 

[Air One]

Does the Wooli dive center's boat start from the beach ?
I haven't seen any harbor...

Rotten Ronny:11:....very attractive indeed...

 

[Kern]

Does the Wooli dive center's boat start from the beach ?
I haven't seen any harbor...

Rotten Ronny:11:....very attractive indeed...

Wooli dive load their boats from a wharf on the Wooli river. It's a small river with a bared entrance & can be quite exciting/interesting getting in & out at times.

Dive Quest launch from Arrawarra beach. Bannacoast divers launch from the man made harbour at Coffs Jetty, which is really a part of Coffs Harbour (the name of the town). Try Google Earth, it doesn't show the islands but you'll get a good look at the harbour, beach & river.

 

[Zeeman]

She is actually in Chastwood, could you tell me if there is a nice dive op near there ? Considering that she has nearly no diving experience.

Shelley Beach (near Manly) is a nice quiet dive site. There are often HUGE cuttlefish, the odd ray, Port Jackson sharks, wobbiegong sharks and even some baby dusky whalers if you are very quiet and go to the right place. Vis is usually OK as it is pretty well protected, and quite a few dive ops take their new divers there, so it's pretty tame.

It's also one of my favourites around Sydney.

Z...

 

[Eau_Girl]

So far as diving in Forster, i think the nicest operation would be Rotten Ronny at Dive Fishermans Wharf. Nice stable boat, accomodation on site etc.

I would second this. I went diving with them at the end of March. Ron was on land that weekend, but Dave and Neil were great guides. Spinner the boat dog is cool too -- just watch out for your fin straps!

My Australian friend has been diving with them before.

We dove near Forster on the Saturday and then dove Seal Rocks on Sunday. At Seal Rocks one of the other divers counted 63 :11: grey nurse sharks. I can't confirm or deny that count -- just say there were HEAPS of sharks and we got really close to them. Well worth the dive and I'd do it again in a second!

 

[Tomeck]

@ Air One : You will not go not to famous Great Barrier Reef for the diving?

 

[Air One]

No, The great Barrier is tropical diving.
If I'd go for tropical diving, I would rather go to Nigaloo I think.
Anyway, this is not only a diving trip,

 

[Aussie scuba chick]

Drop bears! Lol!!! You guys are sooo funny!

Actually, the sounds that large possums make at night on the overland track in Tassie sound freakishly like a drop bear - especially when they jump on your wooden camping platform and start scrabbling through your pack...

 

[under water]

oh, and watch out for drop bears

I believe that I read somewhere that about 25% of the tourists to Scotland try Haggis spotting while in the Highlands on their way to see Nessie.
I see some of them go to Australia as well.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Melbourne diving seems good till you get spoilt by diving in Sydney... so many great shore dive sites.
Seriously I wouldn't mind diving the subs out of Melbourne.
If you are looking for an amazing dive check out Fish Rock. Last time we were there ... masses of Grey Nurse sharks. Got a pic of a lion fish eating another fish. Amazing dive through the cave heaps of fish and a turtle. We watched whales tail slapping near the boat on surface interval. Oh and they have let us know that an adult male albino grey nurse shark spotted several times there.
South West Rocks is a really nice spot for the non divers too with a great caravan park on the beach.