The Gold Coasts underwater world is waiting for you. If you want to go scuba diving or snorkeling on the famed Gold Coast or Northern New South Wales OCEAN DIVE CHARTERS is for you . Welcome to one of the best but least known diving spots on Australia's east coast. Right on the door step of the nations tourist capital are some of the most colourful and exciting dive locations in this part of the world.
For all Dive Charter bookings please ph. 0418750084
*LOCAL DIVE SITES
* THE BOAT
* THE SKIPPER
* THE BUSINESS
* COURSES
* THE INSTRUCTORS
SOME OF OUR LOCAL DIVE SITES
COOK ISLAND MARINE SANCTUARY: Our number 1 dive site. The area around Cook Island has some of the best variety of dive sites in one area. Dives range from caves and tunnels to gradually sloping ledges ideal for exploring and instructional use. 4-22m.
PALM BEACH REEF: Large expanse of reef. Lots of tropical fish and leopard sharks. 6-22m.
POINT REEF: Large pelagic fish. 10-22m.
90 FOOT (BALLAST ROCK) REEF: Excellent deep dive with large ballast rocks stacked on the sand. 23-33m.
BOB'S GULLY: This reef emerged from the sand after a storm in October, 1993. We have been watching it grow from a barren rocky reef to an area covered with marine growth and kelp forest. Good dive. 12-18m.
FIDO REEF: Huge expanse of reef with almost 15 different dive sites. Ideal for drift diving and exploring. Has a 90-year-old wreck, the SS Fido. 4-24m.
FIVE MILE REEF: Only partially explored. Elle's Wall - 8m face with grey nurse sharks. 15-30m.
NINE MILE REEF: Advanced dive. A number of different dive sites The main one being Shark Alley with grey nurse sharks in winter and leopard sharks and bullrays in summer with lots of pelagic fish. 7-33m.
THE CANYONS: Deep, advanced dive only. Spur of reef with big splits and caves joining most of them. 16-35m.
KINGSCLIFF PINNACLE: Superb advanced dive. A pinnacle of rock coming out of the sand with a cave on the south side and a semi-flat top. 16-33m. S.S.
ALBERTA: More than 100-year-old shipwreck. Excellent shallow dive and ideal skin diving. 6-12m.
SUNKEN ISLAND: An underwater island very similar in shape to Cook Island. Great for exploring with caves and tunnels, sheer and gradual walls. 12-28m.
WOMMIN REEF: Still only partially explored due to frequent strong currents and dirty water. Worth exploring. Has wreckage of unidentified shipwreck. 13-28m.
RONNIE'S ROCKS: Deep dive. Advanced only. The reef rises only 9 metres out of the sand. Superb fish and coral life. Grey nurse sharks and large pelagic fish. 29-38m.
THE BOULDERS: Large boulders sitting on the sand next to each other, forming caves and tunnels. 18-26m
G-SPOT REEF: Open water to advanced dive with sheer walls, caves and tunnels. Grey nurse sharks and leopard sharks in season. Hundreds of fish. A top dive. 12-28m.
We have too many different dive sites to describe them all. These are just a few. We are also finding new dive sites all the time, so come exploring with us.
THE BOAT
Our fully surveyed charter boat, OCEAN DIVE, is purpose built for diving and fishing. It is an 8.4 metre 'Alfarm Fisher' built in Victoria out of aluminum with the same hull design as their Bass Strait rescue boats. It is powered by a 250 hp supercharged 4 stroke outboard (no diesel or petrol fumes) and has all the current safety equipment and emergency oxygen. It also has VHF radio (to keep in touch with Air-Sea Rescue) and a mobile phone, as well as all the latest electronic navigation equipment. Sit-down tank racks and a proper dive boarding ladder. It also has a full canopy to protect you from the sun as well as side curtains to protect divers from the wind during surface intervals. We have just completed a major refit including a new engine full paint job canopy and side curtains (march 09).
THE SKIPPER
Master mariner Chris has been operating dive charter and fishing vessels off the Queensland and NSW coasts for more than 30 years. He has been a qualified Divemaster and is a Master Scuba Instructor and Nitrox Instructor for more than 30 years. Chris is one of the most experienced dive and fishing charter operators on the coast and his vast knowledge of the offshore dive sites and reefs is a benefit to all divers on his boat.
THE BUSINESS
Ocean Diving and Photographics is purely a charter boat and diver education business. As there is no dive shop or shopfront involved, we are able to keep costs to a minimum and pass on the benefits to our customers. Due to this we would like to emphasise that we specialise in dive charters and diver education only.
COURSES
Ocean Diving and Photographics can give you: The highest standard of dive instruction. We can do full-time or part-time courses. All our courses include ocean boat dives where most of the cheaper courses only do river dives . NAUI or PADI or TDI or SDI certification. Individual or private instruction is also available for an added cost. All scuba equipment is supplied for your lessons at no extra cost. We suggest using your own mask, snorkel and fins for health and comfort reasons.
THE INSTRUCTORS
We have a number of the highest qualified and experienced master instructors available on request to run our courses. Courses can be day or night, week days or weekends (weather and numbers permitting). We believe in teaching above the standard, giving you far more experience for the same certification than the others. We insist on individual attention for all our students.
THE NEXT STEP
Is to further your diving education. Once you become a qualified openwater scuba diver we have a wide variety of future courses for your individual interests, including
Nitrox diver
Advanced diver Rescue diver
Search and recovery U/W photo and video
Wreck diver Deep diver
Night diver Master diver
Divemaster Boat handling
THE BOAT