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Not yet 10 years of diving....but officially that will be for the end of this year...and still...these few days, I'm on for my 500th dive.
I could have done it in Socorro, Mexico, back in February this year...but my planning was not the best...than it could have been in March at Protea Banks, but that day the winds were too strong, and we couldn't launch...then here I am back to dive Protea Banks, this time for 3 days of true fun. Bear in mind I could have also waited few more days, as my next diving is coming pretty soon...just on the other side of earth...but I love this place, so let's do it here.
9 years of diving...in close to 40 countries. You don't need to tell me I'm lucky and thankful, you can guess, I know it pretty well. I do believe that seeing every little wonder available around the world is not that easy in a lifetime...but diving all the best dive sites in the world...is truly my aim, and that before I reach my fifties....well, could be even 45 at the current speed! And yes, the list is finally getting shorter
for me...I'm getting there...hopefully pretty soon...
I spent the last two weeks in Congo. As usual, pretty amazing weeks in Lubumbashi and Kinshasa...and yes, in the near future, Kinshasa will see a lot more of me...we'll see what the future will bring...but big fun and amazing people....these were the last two weeks....no diving here...
This time, I'm back for more diving just 90 minutes drive south of Durban. I love the people around here too....from those at Aquaplanet, to my stay at Tropical Beach....or my usual evenings at C-Bali...
Here, I wake up at 6.30am to do one...and hopefully two dives in the morning with the sharks....than a very late breakfast....followed by a fast drive to one of the surrounding golf courses of SouthBroom, San Lameer, Wild Coast, Selborne, Margate, Port Shepstone,....then there s always some nice seafood....finishing by a very serious wine on my terrace with a little cigar...and yes, all this in a single day...and the next day...I simply do the same!
Why Protea Banks? Well, Kym and Tristan are really fun divers...but I come here for the sharks. Put it simply, here, one or twice
a year, you could "bump" in a great white shark while diving. There is NO cage here...and one day, me too, I want my great white...right in front of me, close enough for a great pic. After all, I've seen tens of bull sharks here...and I chased my first tiger shark back in March...and when I mean chase...yes...right on him!
Ok, so really what about those 3 days....well....I'm not that lucky...there is a group of frenchies...you know, those who know everything about diving because...they are french (not going to make friends here)....good news, not all of them are like them, just the majority...well...they did get lost on my dive 501....and the best part is to see them scared of the sharks when the sharks...are a little too curious...come on....why dive here if it's to back up when a big one is coming...
So dive 500th! I would have loved a great white...instead....I had a whale under water...come on....that's their first ever Blyde whale while underwater...saw two of them again at the surface, but these are going way too fast to swim after them, and my tank was dry...ok, same dive had 4 scalloped hammerheads,
a giant hammerhead, few oceanic black tip...even a black ribbontail ray. Compare to this, dive 501 was pretty boring with only oceanic black tips. That day, I couldn't go to play golf as we came back too late...damn it, but what a day!
Next day, the frenchies had paid and booked for a baited dive...I hate baited dives! But I was going to dive, so I tag around....a boring dive.....but enough time to hit a round of golf after this at Southbroom...not a bad day either...
My third day, the frenchies had booked another baited dive...damn...I gave it a pass...went to play golf early at Margate...than got ready for my first day of the dive just around lunch, just to find out one of the engine had an issue...there would be no second dive that day...no diving for me...and for info, the baited dive was just average. I made my way north, to the gorgeous golf course of Umdoni, next door from Selborne. That place is amazing...but I was pretty happy to have let myself tempted by renting a buggy...special with a sunset at 5pm!
What to come after 500 dives...well...way more...and way more
diving to come with Leslie and Tiffany. Because better than all the sharks...diving with my kids beats everything else! Just wait few months for Tiffany to get her padi junior...and Leslie his advanced junior padi! Before going on the "done" list...what still to come over the next tens years...sorry...no list....as so much is already booked! And for the insane...more is coming...in only 10 days!
So below, the little list of diving sites done...you'll see, I prefer the big guys....even if macro is also always fun....not a huge fan of wrecks....give me sharks...more sharks...and below this, some 80 of my preferred diving pictures!
So far had encounters with...tens of whalesharks, thousands of hammerheads....scalloped and giants, tiger shark, wollongong sharks, guitar sharks, duskin sharks, lemon sharks, nurse sharks, oceanic white tip, oceanic black tips...but also grey reef sharks, white tips, black tips, silver tips, spinner sharks, silky sharks, bull sharks, galapagos sharks, but more friendly leopard sharks too...and yes, even the great white, but from a cage! Hope I didn't forget one or two on the list....
Was happy to enjoy mantas, mobullas...night...day...down and not so down....but the best may remain the southern
whale...and best of all...all those dolphins...not from the boats...but down there! And obviously...my second whale underwater...on dive 500th!
My best five may be...Socorro, Galapagos, Palau, Tubbataha (Philippines), Protea Banks (South Africa)...and yes, even Sipadan...and I know, that makes 6!
And here is a little list...
Europe...Silfra (Iceland) and Croatia...
Americas...Kona (Hawaii), Harbour Island (Bahamas), Cuba, Turks & Caicos, Grenada, Grenadines, Belize, cenotes in Tulum and Socorro (Mexico), Coiba (Panama), Los Roques (Venezuela),Colombia, Galapagos (Equator), Peninsula Valdez (Argentina), Easter Island (Chile)...
Africa...Egypt, Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania, Tofo (Mozambique), Protea Bank and Aliwal Shaol (South Africa)...
Middle East and Indian Ocean...Oman, Jordan, Maldives (multiple times), Seychelles, Mauritius, Andaman Islands (India), Sri Lanka...
Asia...Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia (Pulau Tenggol, Perenthians, Sipadan), Indonesia (Bali, Gilis, Pulau Weh), Philiipines (Tubbataha, El Nido), Palau (twice!), PNG...
Oceania ...Bora Bora (French Polynesia), Fiji, Australia (GBR and South West Rock)...
As a friend of mine told me not long ago...keep diving, because the way our oceans are going....soon what you witness...may be the past...
Save the sharks...save our oceans....ban shark
fin soup!
Disclaimer...all these pics are mine...I may blow a fortune into diving, but my equipement has gone only from the really seriously basic camera...to the simply basic. I did get my first underwater housing around dive number 150, back in early 2008 for my Galapagos trip....100usd camera, 200usd housing. Than I received from a great girl a camera and housing for one of my birthday...still on the small camera side...but what a present...than last year I bought a 200usd camera....220 usd housing...so the pics are what they are....but they are mine! My first logged dives were in Maldives, Thailand, Vietnam, Palau, Mauritius, Grenada, Grenadines, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos...but no underwater camera for those dives...
And in few days...grrr....can't wait!
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Keep Smiling
Mike Fossey
Play hard, work sometimes?
That must be one terrific job you have. I spent 35 years travelling the world at someone else's expense but would never have had time to dive and play golf as much as you do! Great pictures.