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Published: March 7th 2013
Search and Recovery
Me working on raising a bicycle from under the water. At this point, I was working on my knots and using the recovery bag to make the bike ascend.It's been a busy few weeks here out in Australia and I'm finding myself more tired as the days pass. It seems that the diving is really running a toll on me, more then I was expecting. I haven't had a day off in about 2 weeks, and when your doing 2-3 dives a day, and then come home to do studying/homework, I get excited if I can get to bed by 10. At this point in my internship, I can officially say that I have passed my advanced open water, search and recovery, navigation, nitrox, deep waters, emergency frist responce, and rescue course. I am currently working on my divemaster program and have been in the shop from about 7:30am-5:30pm, and as I said, I'm exhausted. Since I've been spending so much of my time underwater, I thought I'd dedicate this blog to all of the great things that I have been seeing under the water.
Numbray: Like a stingray, but with no tail and barb. Instead, they are electric and when you touch them, you get a sting even through your wetsuit.
Blue Grouper: So friendly that you can pet them as they follow you throughout the
Nudibranch
A little slug! They come in all different colors and patterns. whole dive. They love to eat sea urchins and enjoy a good belly rub.
Nudibranch: These little slugs come in all different colors and sizes and are found all over the seafloor. One of my favorites!
Old Wives: The are a cousin of the angelfish and come in schools of about 20+.
Yellowtail: Another one of my favorites! These never come in a small school and when your swimming, you will be completly surrounded. It's like Planet Earth, truely a sight to behold.
Rockfish: Its call this becasue of its undeniable ability to camoflague itself to look like a rock.
Cuddlefish: Another master of diguise, this octopus/squid can changes its colors to blend with the environment or even as a defense mechanism.
Anglerfish (Frogfish): The most rare thing I have found in the water. Its sits next to spongy corals and you wont even notice it. It walks on this fins and makes a sad face all the time. Getting one to climb up my arm was a feat in itself.
Port Jackson: This shark is kind of boring in my books since it just sits around on the bottom. However, it does
Wobbegong
I see these on a regular basis, Laying under rocks and corals. lay a crazy spiral shaped egg that floats on the bottom.
Starfish: This is pretty self explainitory, theres just so many different kinds here its hard to name them all.
Goby: So feisty! these little guys hide in small holes or bottles and once you get near, will start to bite you. Serious napoleon complex.
Wobbegong: This shark is interesting. It sits motionless on the bottom, but had the ability to bend completly in half and bite its own tail (or preditor). Needless to say, you need to keep a safe distance. After it latches on, the only way to remove it it by completly removing it from water and prying its mouth open.
Octopus: More common then you would think. They hide under coral formations on the sandy bottom and use their tenticles to barracade themselves behind shells. Ive gotten quite good at finding them becasue you will see a rndom pile of shells at the base of corals. Wiggle your fingers in front and he will wrap his tenticles around your finger just enough that you can pull him right out of his hole. They wrap artound your arm like a bracelet and camoflauge
to your skin.
Weedy Seadragon: My favorite! This 6-7in seahorse like creature has little dots all over his body, like an aboriginal painting. They hide out in the kelp, motionless, and its very hard to spot them.
All of these things have made my trip such a great experience, but I have had quite a bad experience as well. The other day, after finishing my thrid dive, I felt a bit of irritation under my right eye. Ignoring it as basic irritation, I continued on with my day. After waking up the next morning, I realized my face was complelty swollen and I had a rash all of the way down my chest. Stung by a jellfish, in the face. I went to the chemist and got some high dose meds/steriods to take the sweeling down, and after 3 days, its starting to work. I was out of the water for two days doing nothing but sleeping from the medication. The swelling in my face has almost subsided, but the rash on my chest has gotten worse. Today was my first day back in the water, and I was sick. All day I was feeling ill in my
Jellyfish Sting
As I said, my chest has gotten much worse then in this photo. stomach and itchy. The meds make me loopy and tired and I'm hoping they will make me better in a few days.
Once i finish my divemaster course next week, Ill be on my way to the Great Barrier Reef for three weeks. I will be working at the shop and leading divers to gain experience for my instructor course. 3 weeks with no computer, no phone, no civilization. I'm looking forward to it, but I am also hoping for a day off before I go, to catch up on some sleep.
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auspicious
Michelle Duer
Great Weedy Seadragon and so sorry to read about the jellyfish stings! Can't wait to see more underwater photos~ :)