Tuggerah 21-04-12
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 We hadn't dive the Tug since December 3, 2011.  So on April 21 2012 we headed down to the Tug.  The seas were a bit variable/  Coming out of Bate Bay it was fairly flat with a long swell and no wind.  But as we headed up the wind came up and produced quite a bit of wind chop on the surface.  At the Tug site we could not see any current and the seas was sloppy but manageable.  So we anchored and set up the deco bar. 

This was our first deep dive for 2012, the conditions had just not been good enough to get out to the Tug.  Over the side I went and immediately realised there as a current running to the north away from the anchor line.  I swam has hard as I could with twins and stage and managed to get to the anchor line after quite an effort. Even though I was breathing heavily I did not want to stay on the surface so headed down while working to ease my breathing.  I was packing Wayne's twin 12's which I found quite a bit cumbersome compared to my usual twin 10.5L Fabers.  We got to the bottom OK and for a moment nothing looked familiar.  I thought we were right up at the bow but as I looked around I realised we were 8m in front of the boiler.  I had trouble with  my wing.  I was pumping air into it with no response.  I asked Wayne to check for leaks and then with a bit more air I was OK.  I usually add air as I descend but on this occasion I had not, and with the extra weight of the 12s I just needed more air in my wing.

This was also my 800th dive so we headed down to the propeller where Wayne took my 800th dive pic.

I headed down to the stern to check out the tool rack before heading forward to find a cuttle hiding under the wreck.  In the boiler was a huge wobbiegong.

All too soon we had to head up.  The anchor came off easily and drifted off on the air bag while we slowly ascended. It was a long swim up., the cross over line, which normally hangs vertically was running at a shallow angle, suggesting that the boat was drifting quite quickly with the wind.  It was a hand over hand crawl up to the deco bat at 10m.  But our woes were only just starting.  The deco bar was bouncing up and down quite sharply and we had no choice but to bounce up and down with it.  This was not very comfortable and very hard on the hands and shoulders.  It is the longest 20 minute deco I've ever done.  Then we had to climb back into the boat.  It was too rough to take the stage and cameras off so we just took our fins off and struggled into the boat, trying not to fall forward.

A great dive with not a great deco stop.

 

 

This site was last updated 22/04/12