South West Rocks Dive Trip

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Over Easter 2015,  11 Melburnians schlepped their way by plane and/or car to a small town in northern NSW known as South West Rocks. (SWR) 3 hours drive north from Newcastle or a mere hour south from Coffs Harbour (or 13 hours drive from Melbourne) the area is a protected habitat for the endangered grey nurse shark and a sanctuary for other species... though strangely, fishing under certain conditions is permitted.

Rays, turtles, snapper, false fusiliers, black tip bulls eyes, batfish, blennies, nudibranchs, wobbegong and grey nurse sharks and many more species are found in abundance at Fish Rock ~  a 30 minutes fast boat ride from SWR.  

 Fish Rock has one of the longest ocean cave dives in the southern hemisphere and with a couple of narrow pipes on the deeper entrance the run through is quite fun. The bubble cave  is a quirky element of the dive.

Academy of Scuba Club Trip to Fish Rock @ Southwest Rocks ~ Easter 2015 from Don Collins on Vimeo.

The staff at Southwest Rocks Dive Centre were super. A well organised and friendly operation that provides experience, know how and support in spades. The Accomm was pleasant enough and sharing a room with five other blokes was not malodorous at all. The massive lounge meant there was space for people to eat, edit footage from the dives... 

and play games that Josh introduced to the group... like picking up in your mouth without touching the ground with your hands  an ever diminishing Rice Bubbles packet... until all that remains is a flat piece of cardboard.. 

So close to sucking up that thin piece of recycled Rice Bubble cardboard...

... and moments later Fi tasted cardboard, carpet fluff and victory!

We supped on the likes of paella and lamb korma for sure but with the weather finally being a tad kinder to us in the post final dive afternoon which was spent lounging about the grassy knolls surrounding the SWR Smokey Cape Lighthouse, little could better a good lie down, cold beers and excellent "hamburgers with the lot" created and cooked by Josh and Paul. With a view to die for, as well as  juggling balls, a handstand exhibition and kangaroos, bliss had a new meaning.

the Joshie Burger... sure to give Andrews Hamburgers of Albert Park a run for their money...

Some folk may not rate it, but the old Trial Bay gaol on the headland is well worth the $10.00 admission and the good burghers of SWR  Historical Society have done a super job capturing the essence of the institution. Besides being just a penal institution, it also served as an internment camp for those of German or Austrian descent who were all seen as Huns and spies and gathered up from across the state to wait out the war. (WWI) This included second and third generation peeps.

Scott is perhaps wondering if he will be let back out...