Date & Time: 9-12 June 2023. Please note, the Queen’s Birthday weekend is 12^th June in NSW but not in Queensland. Queen’s Birthday Weekend is 2^nd October in Queensland, but Pimpernel Rock is a winter dive (for the Grey Nurse sharks and likelihood of reaching the site due to weather/currents).

Dive Site: This dive site is arguably one of the best on the Australian Eastern seaboard for Sports Diver and above. Diver should be comfortable with current and deep diving combined. Depth is 80-10 meters. Features three steep pinnacles and large tunnel with the entrance to the tunnel in 45 m of water. There is an enormous cavern, approximately 12 m high and 15 m wide, in the centre of the vast main structure 40 meters from the surface. All manner of sea life including grey nurse sharks inhabit the giant shelter. In cold months, it is literally “shark soup” swimming through the shelter and you can run your hands through the course sand in the bottom of the shelter (~40 m of water) and find shark teeth. Sponge gardens decorate a reef spreading from the base of each of the three pinnacles. Large rocky boulders, small trenches and overhangs, flat areas, and step overhangs host seafans, seawhips and anemones.

Dive guide available (pending extra cost). I can coordinate this for divers who want to stay within a comfortable depth on the side of the pinnacles and not dive to the bottom of the cavern in 45 m of water. Please advise me individually if you would like a guide.

Diver grades: Sports diver and above. Perfect for those seeking depth progression if an instructor is available. You need to be comfortable diving in current and at depth. We need 8 divers to make this trip feasible for Stan given inflation and fuel costs.

Deco/advanced diving: The operator (Stan) will permit deco diving from his vessel subject to us running our own deco dive plans and buddy pairs being qualified for deco. For me, as the deco qualified dive leader this includes a run plan on wet notes/slate (with appropriate gas, gas reserves and timed deco stops. No chasing the computer please without adequate gas planning). Computer is required for deco bail out.

Back up dive sites: Pimpernel rock is isolated and can be affected by weather and strong current. Back up dive sites include NW Rock and the North Solitary Islands.

Organiser: Tigga (Dive Leader).

Cost: $200/double dive for Pimpernel Rock. $170/double dive for other dive sites. For 6 dives (2 on Saturday, 2 on Sunday and 2 on Monday morning) the price range is $510-$600 for the NSW long weekend. Accommodation (2 nights is $40/person/night). Deposit is $255/person. Balance owed will be paid directly to the dive centre. Tanks and weights supplied. Costs do not include extra equipment.

Extra Costs:

• Likely to be in the region of $50/person for fuel and also some breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks for the house.
• I will work out the balance for the group extras after the weekend.
• BYO Alcohol.

Dive Shop:

Website: http://woolidive.com.au

Wooli Dive Centre, Wooli NSW, 43 Riverside Drive, Wooli NSW 2462.

Tel: (02) 6649 7100

Travel/Address for Sat Nav:

• Drive time is approximately 4 hours
• Address: 43 Riverside Drive, Wooli, NSW, 2462.
• Please drive carefully and take breaks every 2 hours as recommended.
• Car-pooling: Tigga will coordinate. Single driving is discouraged with the distance involved.
• Monday will be a long day as we be diving and then driving back.

Accommodation:

• We will be accommodated at the dive shop (big grey building).
• There is a mixture of double beds/bunks.
• Room allocation: First come, first served.
• If anyone arrives before 5 pm go into the dive shop and ask Stan for the key.
• You will need to take your own sheets/towels but pillows and blankets/doonas are provided. Or take a sleeping bag if you prefer or think you might get cold.

Food:

• I will organize breakfast (cereal/toast/eggs/bacon etc.) and snacks/lunch for after the dive.
• Friday night is supporting the local bowls club for dinner.
• Alcohol – BYO.
• If you have any other preferences for food, allergies or intolerance please advise or BYO.
• Saturday and Sunday night will be dinner at our accommodation block.

Gas: Air fills ($10) or tank hire (Aluminum 85 cuft). They do not have Nitrox, Helium or oxygen so you need to be self-sufficient there for deco gas.

Equipment:

• Full SCUBA kit including your own tank and weights.
• Divers should carry knife/line cutter, whistle, DSMB and reel and snorkel.
• Certification cards (including deco cards for deco divers).
• BSAC membership card.
• Hood, gloves, thick wetsuit or dry suit. Water temp can drop below 21°C.
• Anti-motion sickness medication.
• Sunscreen.
• Water bottle.
• Wind proof jacket/beanie (there is a dry cabin on the ‘Kraken’ dive vessel for storage between dives).

Hiring of Equipment: Please book equipment through the dive club. Alternatively, I can book extra equipment through the dive shop. Please advise.

Buddy pairs: Tigga will coordinate.

SEEDS brief: Will be given on Friday evening/Saturday morning. Each buddy pair will be required to do their buddy check (BAR) prior to entering the water.

Schedules:

• Daily schedule is to meet at 0730 and depart as soon as the gear is loaded onto the boat (~0800).
• It highly recommended to have equipment prepped the night before and left in the basement area under the stairwells.
• The shop provides hot soup, tea and cakes in the surface interval.