This week started off with some of the best
weather this
year and finally the youth
group got
a cracker day to dive Slipper Island. With
a
van full we traveled to Bubbas dive shop in
Whangamata.
They have just purchased a 7m + alloy hard
top. The “ Waka
II” which is a formidable sea
boat which they are gearing up for dive and
fishing charters.
We got off to a to a bit of a rough start at the boat ramp
when the boys noticed water coming
in the boat. The big fella Ryan from Bubbas
stripped down and dived under to check the
bungs, it was about then that we realized
it may be rain water flowing to the back of the
boat. Thanks and sorry Ryan
great commitment mate.
The seas were flat for the ride out and we headed to the
eastern end of slipper where the
visibility is usually the best. Visibility turned out a bit average at around
8m and the kina
had come through and wiped out the plant life unfortunately, we
did find a nice canyon to
follow and follow back out as it looked like it ended
in about a foot of water and the kids
managed to find a decent pack horse cray
which was to deep inside the rocks to grab but this
didn’t stop them from
poking the poor thing with Ecklonia
to try coerce it out of its safe
place.
I had a bit of a swim around on the surface interval looking
for better terrain to dive and
covered a lot of ground but the kina had ravaged
the entire area so we moved to the
western end of Penguin Island for the second
dive.
This was a lot more scenic with large boulders with big
undercuts in the rocks and ledges to
look under. Apart from Kingi and Kahawhai
all the usual suspects were mooching around.
The second dive the kids were
allot more comfortable in the water as they hadn’t dived for a
little while and
the better scenery made the trip. All in all it was a great day on the water.
Flat seas twenty degrees and good company.
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