18^th May 2008

Why listen to weather predictions? Where were our 30+ knot winds? Where were our rain storms? All we got was this sunshine, blue skies, and favourable winds to get us all the way down to the Seal Colony and back.

Another superb weekend diving with the always professional Ocean Trek crew, with hot towels, hot showers, hot muffins, and a Saturday roast dinner to die for. Hooray!

Sean.

Always a pleasure to come back to the friendly, personable Ocean Trek crew – Mick, Lyn, Matt, Andrew & Carly. A great escape for the weekend with many memories to take back home. It was our daughters first trip on Ocean Trek Diving Resort. Emily had a ball and really enjoyed helping Mick with the steering of the boat. Thanks to all again for making it yet another GOOD ONE! We’ll see you again soon.

Melissa & Emily

"First will be Spider Cave"… famous last words, we drive south right past the cave and the wind whistles around the dive site. 3 hours later Lyn again cries "next dive Spider Cave"… as we drive north this time it is clear that the swell has risen and we have no chance of getting near the Cave.

Sunday morning comes, "First dive, Spider Cave" says Lyn, and is greeted with an air of skepticism. As we round the north end of Bowen, it is clear that luck is finally on our side… we enter the mirror-like water to be greeted by 20m+ vis, and Spider Cave finally lived up to expectation.

I knew Mick and Lyn were good…. but to be able to predict better than the bureau of meterology? Very impressive!!!! With this sixth sense in the forfront of our minds we were able to steam south and get up close and personal with some very curious seals.

Thanks once again to Mick, Lyn and crew for yet another unforgettable experience. The level of service and professionalism never ceases to amaze!

Peter.

Being the only "newbie" on board, my first live-aboard experience looked like it would be a rough ride. With a 40 kt forecast and the threat of rain, my luggage consisted of fleece, fleece and more fleece. Last thing I expected was blue skies, calm seas, and the chance to dive some of my most coveted sites outside the bay. One word… awesome!

Thanks (again) Lyn, Mick and crew for a great trip (and the bottomless cup of green cordial).

Annette, Phil and Teresa

My farewell cruise turned out to be one to remember. The crew and facilities were as usual first class, and the company from everyone was fantastic. I don’t remember talking to the same group of people twice during our meals, and that was most enjoyable. Now we turn to the diving … An un-named dive site which James R and I have christened "Nudi-topia" due to us finding not 1, not 2, but 3 nudi’s that we hadn’t seen before down there. Flat seas, great vis, and not too cold for this time of year – amazing after the weather predictions of 40 knot southerly’s and leaving Canberra to the taunts of my mates from InDepth Scuba telling me to "Enjoy the Nursery". The rest of the dives were all equally fun – fantastic sponges in the depths off steamers beach, and another new nudi, then a lovely drift along the outside of bowen. I skipped the night dive in favour of a couple of lovely bottles of red, and then finally got to do spider cave J , and finished off with a little sojourn off the outside of bowen, and found yet another new nudibranch. It was certainly a weekend of nudi’s.

So to the farewell … I’m off to Perth … so I don’t know how many more times I’ll get to dive on OT, but with a bit of luck some of the friends I’ve made here will visit in Perth, or we will meet up in the future somewhere that the water is warm, the critters plentiful, and the wine good. Enjoy.

James M.