HMAS Brisbane

• Sunreef Divers Moolooloba
• Double boat dive (led)
• 26m 45min x 2 (ish)
• 19 degrees, 12m-15m ish vis
• Some current and a bit of wind slop
• Partly cloudy
• EAN36
• 3mm wetsuit

Arrived a little early, did the paperwork, met the other divers, grabbed a BC and regs, loaded the busw, loaded ther boat and headed the 15min trip out to the purposely sunk, diver-friendly HMAS Brisbane. Both dives were led, the first had to be for all new Brisbane divers, and also had to be no-penetration - local safety rules and fair enough. I tagged along at the back of the group, buddied with the dive stores intern, with most of the remainder of our boat of eight between us and the divemaster up front. The water was neither very clear nor especially warm but I was comfortable enough. I was, however, less comnfortable than I like to be and that I put down to being with divers I don't know, wearing a jacket BC (yuk!) and taking my camera with me. Put those together and I spent most of the dive concerntrating more on my position in the water and the relative positions of my other divers than I did on enjoying the wreck or taking pictures. A shame, but that's just what I'm like; I don't really enjoy diving with strangers. Despite that it was a fine dive. The wreck has lots of fixed life and plenty of fish life. It sits upright on sand so is a magnet for any life in the area. The fixed growth in particualr surprised me; the ship las little bare metal left despite being down for only a couple of years. However, the wayer was not super clear and there was a little current and combine those things and you'll start to build a flowerpot. Dive one took around 45mins and I was somewhat chilled at the end - the 3mm a little optimistic - but not too bad. We did a lap pretty much at deck level, dropping down the stern to see the prop/rudder, passing the desk guns, gazing in diver-freindly holes cut in the hull and spotting the obligatory toilet. Fish life is prolific; a small scould of kingfish, a large puffer, dense walls of littel stuff, some black and white anenome fish in the deck-anenome home. All very nice.

Dive two was camera free. I'd been frustrated with it on dive one and figured I'd enjoy the second dive more without it. And my bouyancy was all to hell in the jacket BC; with the camera held in front of me I felt as if I was driving a go-kart - very frustrating. Dive two was through the wreck. We were taken nowhere without natural light penetration and the wreck has been cleared of as much nasty dangling crap as possible. We stuck to a single level while inside and passed by lots of the workings of the ship that had been left in place. Huge schools of glassfish (I think they were glassfish; small stuff) were inside, I found a lobster and a cray and had a nice enough time following the group around and looking at this that and the other. Areal shame that I was not buddied with someone I know as this dive could be a lot of fun. As it was I still enjoyed it.

For the hardcore wreckies there are a couple of snug holes leading to lower deck levels; I reckon you'd head down there to find yourself in another area of natural light penetration, but the journey would be fun. Apparently yhe real nutter sections have been barred; you can get close to the belly and look throiugh the bars, but sensibly enough for a playground scuttled wreck they have done all they can to make the thing as idiot proof as they can while still leaving it as a fun place to dive.

One day I'll go back, BYO buddy, and take some proper pics.