North Stradbroke Island

Well... this Thursday I should be holding my c-card in my hot clammy little hand. I passed woohoo!!!

After last weekend in the pool, I managed to catch a nasty, nasty flu. I was completely convinced that I would not be able to do the check-out dives. I was also way hesitant to book accommodation, just in case the flu really struck me.

Then... I found accommodation. $297 for 3 nights or $290 for two nights. I opted for the extra night and found myself alone on a big island with my baby boy - loving it. The weekend rolled around, my beautiful instructor was a bit confused with why we were staying elsewhere, but I think he held it together really, really well.

Dive 1
Amity Point Pier, NSI

This was a corker of a dive. Our assistant instructor was trying to convince me that there was a mild current, but God it hurt. We kept drifting towards the boat launch area and kids were dive-bombing us off the pier - pretty funny actually. I'm there trying to equalise/remembering to breathe/keep track of my buddy and feel the tap on the shoulder. Turn around to see a little kid giving me the thumbs up - lol! Didn't expect that one! My buddy had slight issues with his mask and eyes and things like that, but I was ok... just got exceptionally tired by the current. When it came to doing my CESA I was rooted, as was the instructor as I was the last in our group of 7. I aborted mid way through, then went to a depth of 5.8m for the real thing. I honestly hope I never have to do one for real!

Dive 2
Amity Point Pier, NSI

Lovely dive... I saw a starfish! I kicked the heck out of the sand, the dude behind me later said he was tempted to get his compass out, had he have been able to read it! Did the bulk of our surface skills, fin pivots, etc. Felt I was underweighted (which later turned out to be right!) because my fins just didn't like finding the sand. I did not enjoy mask clearing, I've never enjoyed salt water in my eyes. The thing is though, I got through these things that I disliked and feel that was huge step forward.

After the two dives we headed up for a walk on the gorge and saw a couple of dolphins and chatted to the people in our group a bit more. They are a really interesting bunch of individuals. Our AI is the baby at 21 and then me at 24, my partner at 25, a couple of girls at 26, our instructor at 27, then a couple at 28 and 33. I think as a group we worked well together, turns out that our lucky instructor had us as his first group post instructor exams. We are all very proud of him and the fact that we all survived - good work Benny Boy!

Dive 3
Shag Rock, NSI

Deeper water! I had felt a lot of trepidation going into deeper water, but found that I need not have worried. Because I had to concentrate on equalising, staying with my buddy and actually making sure I could get under the water, the depth kind of disappeared. I did need an extra 3pds of weight as my head got a foot underwater and that was it. I find it amazing what one weight can do! I sank like a sack of bricks to a depth of 14m. Amazing! There was surge, even at that depth which surprised me. And it was spectacular! There were little blue fishes and so many wobbegong sharks, lounging between the rocks everywhere you looked. My beloved partner is decidedly looking at underwater cameras now - I'm not going to stop him! We also experienced our first thermocline which was a real surprise to the system! Surfacing was a disappointment as I felt slightly seasick on a v. choppy day. I got myself together no probs in the end...

Dive 4
Shag Rock, NSI

Much of a muchness as Dive3... a tiny little bit shorter. We saw a crayfish and practiced our safety stop, I find it difficult to remain at the same depth. Much to work on.

The baby has awoken! Time to entertain him!