Diving in Australia in general

I decided to make a last minute trip to Australia. I was staying in Sydney and didn`t have a chance to get upto the barrier reef. Instead i did a couple of shove dives with 5* PADI Manly Dive Centre in Manly, Sydney. In terms of sealife, i saw cuttlefish, globe fish, eastern blue groupers, and long fin banner fish. Apparently there had been sightings of port jackson sharks but we didn`t see any on our trip. We dived to the maximum 14 metres and for my first shove dive i thoroughly enjoyed it. We dived in late May and although the surface temperature was hot, the water underneath was pleasantly cool. I used a 5mm full length wetsuit and this was comfortable ...  Read the complete review

The Whale Shark is the biggest fish in the sea, reaching lengths of up to 18 metres. It feeds only on plankton (despite 300 rows of teeth!), and is such a gentle giant that people like me can snorkel right alongside them. This is one of THE most incredible experiences that one could ever hope to have. If you ever have the chance, do not think for a second longer, go for it!!! For a few months of the year the Whale Shark chooses to hang around the Ningaloo Reef on the west coast of Australia, and it was here that my 'experience of a lifetime' took place. Although the Whale Shark is known to appear elsewhere in the world in accessible waters, ...  Read the complete review

Having spent a year in Australia, my friends and I decided to learn to dive. We set our target at 'Advanced PADI' level, a status which leaves you able to dive to 30 metres and perform various safety procedures un-aided. Before we booked or even travelled to a dive resort, we did a little research. I'll try to summarise without getting too boring! We completed our course with a company called 'Mission Beach Diving'. This is based about 2 hours south of Cairns. Before I talk about Mission beach, I'll explain why we chose this small, lesser visited location above the cities of Cairns and Townsville. The companies which operate in ...  Read the complete review