JD on deco in Kilsby's Hole © Sue Burnett

Touring Party
Andrew Roberson, Robb Westerdyk, Stuart McGregor, Sue Burnett, Mark Jobbins, Michelle Jobbins, Micheal Smith, John Dare, Howard Smith, Karl St. John, Brad Eastwood, Damian Howard, John Rowe, David Goldie, Paul Tobin.

Fifteen divers headed for Mount Gambier to spend 10 days diving in the crystal clear water of the limestone sinkholes and caves that proliferate this area.

Buggs in Baker's Cave © Stuart McGregor

The journey to Mt. Gambier started for most at 6:00am Friday morning with the convey south, first stop McDonalds for breakfast just north of Goulbourn, second stop Yep McDonalds again, this time for lunch at Albury. and the last stop at Robco's truck stop for dinner. Then onto Mt. Gambier, arriving exhausted at around 11:00pm. It is quite a trip from Sydney. The trip back is merely the reverse.

This trip was somewhat of a record as it was the first trip to have divers undertake their Cavern, Sinkhole, Cave or Penetration course.

Congratulations to those that passed!

Attending the Cavern and Sinkhole courses were Brad, John Rowe, Damien, Dave and Paul. Andrew Robertson, Andrew Poole and John Vanderleast put all through their paces.

Buggs on deco in The Shaft © Sue Burnett

Attending the cave course was JD, Sue and Karl ... commonly referred to as Dolphin Boy and the Whoop Whoop Monkeys. With the instructors being Andrew Poole and John Vanderleast.

Attending the spur of the moment Nitrox course conducted by Andrew Poole and John Vanderleast with Andrew Robertson assisting was Micheal, Howard, Paul, Dave, Damien and Sue. The course Nitrox dive was conducted using a Draeger rebreather.

Exiting The Shaft © Sue Burnett

And for the highest level of cave diving, Penetration, Andrew Robertson, Robb and Howard (the ultimate cave diver, who has a redundant self being a twin) were undergoing stressful times over the two weekends we were away.

The pleasure divers, no course just diving, the envy of those suffering from late nights lectures and early morning dives, were Stuart, Micheal, Mark and Michelle.

So why do we do it, I hear you asking? ... Well this type of diving is by far the best diving I have done, places like The Shaft, Piccaninnie Ponds, Kilsby's, Pines, Fossil, Englebreghts, Allendale, Blacks and 1080 each have their own special attraction.

Buggs in Engelbrechts West © Robbert Westerdyk

It is not the life in the water that we come to see, it is the sheer beauty of the white limestone formations and water clarity. But I think mainly it is the challenge and feeling of achievement that comes from the exploration. To have ventured where only a few have been, or to find that passage were nobody has been.

The Shaft is just so big and so clear that all perspective is lost, it is clearer than a swimming pool. We finned around roof formation at 40 metre for most of the dive and only covered a small area of this sinkhole. To see the bottom some 30 metres below us was just awesome.

Another inspiring dive was Kilsby's, again the water was so clear that from 40 metres you could look back to your entry point and see the pontoon with people standing on it and also the clouds in the background behind them. Just truly amazing stuff.

JD

JD