Never forget your camera.

Contributed by Peter

This may also happen to you.

This is my 8th year as a diver. My patch of underwater heaven is in Beautiful Moreton Bay and surrounding waters, including Curtin Artifical Reef, Flinders reef (Moreton Bay Marine Park), Hutchinson Shoal, Henderson's Reef, Megs Reef (Gotham City) and other amazing sites, too many to name. All this just 25 or so Nautical miles off Brisbane. I also dive Stradebroke Island and the North Coast when I get the opportunity. I am very fortunate to be a Dive Instructor and Deckhand on one of Bissie's liveaboards, hanging out at sea at every second week-end.

My top five dives ever....all without my camera. I can't begin to tell you how disappointing it is to not have some of these marvellous moments on film (computer I mean).

Dive no.1. Finders Reef Eastern Side.

You can all read about on Underwater.com - "Whale of a time" - Myself and first time diver in 8 meters (bottom 18) and whale swims by right beside us, could have reached out and touched it. Eyes as big as a saucer, his and ours.

Dive no.2. Hutchinson Shoal in 20 meters (bottom 24).

Saw something in the distance, big, very big, coming straight at me fairly slowly. Vis that day around 15-20 meters. My dive buddy was close by but not close enough. The look on my face would have been interesting when the 4 meter female Tiger came in to view. Looked around and as I had no where to go, watched as the imposing creature glided by. Could count the stripes. Both pectorial fins (large) were horitzontal and mouth was closed. My buddy did spot the Shark and to this day am in awe of the gracefulness and beauty of these amazing animals (close enough to pat on head).

Dive no.3. Wolf Rock off Double Is Pt North Coast.

Was on way to Bundaberg for Xmas GBR trips. Decided to dive the Rock around 3.30pm. Had never dived it and was told to start at ledge 10mt and make our way counter wise. It started with NOTHING for first couple of minutes. Then almost bumped into a monster Grey Nurse Shark, had to be over 3 meters. Travelled a little further at around 20 meters and discovered diver's paradise..... WOW !!! There must have been 15 Grey Nurse Sharks travelling back and forward at a very relaxed pace. The vis this day was at least 20 meters because looking up to the surface could be seen 6 or so eaglerays plus a huge Bullray with its youngster in tow, not forgetting the MASSIVE school of Gaint Trevally. A diving photographer's dream, especially if they love silhouettes....ARRRRGGGG
The dive came to an end so quickly. But hang on we had to ascend through the GNS. Spiderman would have been proud of us as we clung to the rock shimming up as to not interfere with the GNS. Painful No Camera.

Dive no.4. Roberts Shoal - Henderson's Reef eastern side Moreton Is.

Had Advance Student doing deep dive around 27mt on the sand, he was doing skills and I looked up to see a school of 80 or so Yellow Tail Kingfish coming straight at us at speed. We again had great vis 25+mt / 25degrees. Student was from Victoria so used to 5mt vis and cold. They balled around us for what had to be 60 secs or so and very close it was surreal. We had a most amazing deep dive. We were side by side the whole time and No ca-me-ra.

Dive no.5. Triple J - Site at Hutchinson Shoal Nth Cape Moreton.

Just this weekend gone, 20th of Feb 28 degrees and 35 meters vis everywhere wow.... Never seen it better. Amazing. This site is truely unforgetable (divers always want to come back here) Jorgie's Jaggered Jungle sums it up perfectly. Caves and swim throughs are abundant. We went east, came across a large cave / swim through and holy shit this Nurse Shark was a mammoth, close to 3 meters plus, huge girth of half a meter and large pectoral fins, colour was almost white, bottom dwelling tail fin. Features were that of Nurse but could it have been something...(would like feedback on this)
Oh yeah and NO camera.

Please do not fall into the trap as I did with 3 out of 5 of these dives "I'll leave the camera behind, we'll probably see nothing good". Never again shall I dive without my camera. I have a new BC and my camera fits into 1 pocket perfectly. Diving is my passion, now photography is too.
PLEASE DON'T LEAVE YOUR CAMERA ON BOARD