annqldau

This site has quite a lot of the clubs on http://www.underwater.com.au/dive_cl...tion/australia including Melbourne BSAC.

Here's my diving photos....http://www.geocities.com/easingtonuk/divingphotos.html

Plus some general Aus photos...http://www.geocities.com/easingtonuk/australia.html

northerner

In the words of Homer J Simpson - DOH!

Throw the kids in the car for a couple hours, leave the windows open just a little, and bob's your uncle

We're in Balmain.

Graham

cresta57

It says site unavailable.
Must have a porn filter

esperanza

It worked for me! Some great pics!

Mctree

Has anyone learned to dive in Sydney?

If so, who did you go with?

annqldau

Dam I forgot I'd put those other photos on... .

For anyone not aware you can also get the magazine Divernet which is Diver Magazines online version online in Aus or anywhere else in the world... http://www.divernet.com/cgi-bin/home.pl

spottydog

I think BSAC quals are transferrable, not 100% sure as I was PADI in the UK but I'm now BSAC. If you want me to I'll ask our Chair or DO when I see them.

There are BSAC clubs in Sydney and Melbourne. Sydney BSAC (diving and drinking) club's website is at http://www.sydneysubaquaclub.com
I'm not sure what Melbournes website it.

Sydney BSAC meet at Mortons every Wedensday night for a few beers lots of chatter. We generally have lots of trips organised ranging from 10+ to 50m+ plus lots of non-diving activites - 16 of us spent this weekend wine tasting in Orange. We have also been running training courses although not really Ocean diver as we don't have kit for trainees.

If you want any more information about Sydney BSAC feel free to send me a PM as I'm now the branch treasurer (websites probably not updated yet as our web girl was also in Orange)

annqldau

You are supposedly able to step over into padi but you lose your nitrox and have to redo and also your 50 meter depth as padi only 30. We could have tried to join BSAC but non in Brisbane area so that was that idea buggered.

annqldau

Just found this list of dive sites and says there are some more shore ones around Brisbane.

http://www.diveoz.com.au/directory_s...es.asp?state=2

it even mentions doing one at Redcliffe if we feel brave.

annqldau

Somewhere called Dicky Beach at Caloundra also mentioned in a different site

“I found Dicky Beach to be surprisingly good for small dive groups and we only have to go a short distance from shore and we’re in seven to nine metres of water with some good sightings of marine life,”http://caloundratourism.com.au/e-news2006july.html

and http://www.underwater.com.au/listing.php/id/5884/ at Caloundra also mentions shallow shore dives.

Take a closer look at the rusting skeleton of the SS Dicky wreck on Dicky Beach, one of a handful of Australian beaches with its own shipwreck.

spottydog

I believe you can join BSAC directly as a general, non-club, member if you need to be a member to keep your qualifications up to date. We haven't found any dive centres in NSW that have problems accepting BSAC qualifications (including Nitrox) but then again Queensland have a reputation for being more of a pain for divers (particularly re-breather divers and our club has a number).

The transferring bit is unfortunately the way it is as PADI only qualifies to 30m as standard (even as a divemaster) whereas BSAC Dive Leader is 50m and sport 35m. Then again given that eveyone you will be diving with is likely to be PADI any boat is likely to limit you to around 30m whatever your qualification.

annqldau

When we queried that we were told to continue having our cards renewed every year we had to be members so it was going to cost us more than a padi course to continue on as members after a few years. Would still be interested to know if we can continue on with BSAC though.

cresta57

I've snorkeled that one off Dicky Beach as well as a couple more around the Caloundra area, nothing I saw would compel me to return with complete kit. All there was to see was sand sand and more sand a few shells and the odd flathead. Oh and because we were snorkeling and swimming for a couple of hours one of the lifeguards felt it necessary to use the tannoy system as he thought we were in trouble, that was embarrassing .

annqldau

Did you go very far out though if you were still in tannoy range?

annqldau

Hve you done the shore dive at Tweed Heads?

Or anyond in Brisbane done this one http://www.seaslugforum.net/display....=17110...quote "I consider the Gold Coast Seaway is by far the best dive site in any Australian City. Those of us who have travelled the world diving in exotic locations appreciate the fact that very few locations have this level of diversity and abundance of sea life in an area so easily accessible 365 days a year."