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Undersea Explorer Story
To the best of my knowledge.........18 Amigos & 1 Undersea Explorer
By Tim Jack Adams
Imagine this:no land in sight, floating on a boat with a thousand meter drop underneath
with only the Archimedes principle buoying you up. 12 hour’s motoring from the nearest
Island, let alone land, and staring out onto what I would say is the most glorious view in
the world – Osprey Reef. Well, maybe because I know what lies beneath.
There we were, floating slowly and silently, watching as fish and corals came into detail
on the ledge of a 1000m drop-off. I love the feeling on a deep dive where you just jump
off the boat and the next your a skydiver floating through the air, land approaching you
from beneath. But with diving you don’t have to worry about the shoot opening.
Actually, you really don’t have a worry in the world.
With a big breath I pulled myself up just short of a large Gregorian and peered through its
designer fan to watch the array of fusiliers frolicking in the background. My faithful
buddy Shannon was beside me as always and I signaled towards the deep channel
separating what seemed like two giant canyons. We looked back at the rest of our group
huddled over the edge looking down into the abyss and beyond. I looked at my gauge –
35 meters – and an ample amount of air. My eyes adjusted to the channel’s sandy bottom
below and I could see the outlines of White Tip ReefSharks parked like fighter jets on a
war carrier.
Then it came; at first it was just a big fish coming from the deep blue, or maybe just
another Reefie coming in to land next to the others, but as it muscled its way through the
current, its head took shape and its body grew. I looked up at Shannon above me who
hadn’t missed a thing, then straight to where it was still moving in on us. Closer it came; I
stopped mid-water like a spider on his string and watched. From 10 meters out I was
waiting for it to turn and shy away and still it came on.
Within five meters he had finally seen enough of this bubble blowing creature and turned
to his profile so I could see the big googly eye of this beautiful hammerhead. I wanted to
follow it on his blue water journey, but I wasn’t worthy of its presence and partly because
I just wasn’t fast enough.
The rest of the dive went by in a blur. Even a rare pink anemone couldn’t impress me
after my close encounter with my first hammerhead. Raging Horn at Osprey, I will
remember you.
Our main reason for coming on this adventure with Undersea was for its renowned shark
encounters and the research it does on learning about the species older than the dinosaurs.
Our Shark Man onboard was Dr DeanMiller – an intelligent and passionate biologist
dedicated to the research of protecting and learning more about these amazing creatures
and making sure we as the general public know about it, too. Undersea is quite unique in
the way they operate. Yes, it is a tourist vessel, but, I get the impression we are more the
lucky bystanders that get to look-on as the marine biologists on board conduct their
research. And it just so happens to be at some of the best dive sites in Australia, maybe
even the world.
An interesting point – within the Great Barrier Reef, you are not allowed to attract sharks.
Let me re-phrase that – you are not allowed to attract sharks simply to view for pleasure.
But, you are allowed to attract sharks to kill. But get this; the Queensland Government
has also proposed a dedicated shark fin fishery within the GBR heritage area. Maybe
Sharkwater may sway their opinions.
Well, luckily for us, Osprey is located out of the GBR in the Coral Sea, and out there you
can attract sharks for viewing purposes and that’s exactly what we did. North Horn is
situated on the tip of Osprey Reef, where currents surge past creating the ultimate
playground for all things large. Here, like it was created by God himself, is the perfect
amphitheatre to stage a shark feed. As we all sat around on a curved rock ledge staring
down onto a large bommie shaped like a dinner plate, the crew brought down a crate full
of tuna heads to be dined on. Already sharks circled so close you could touch them and
potato cod bullied their way around like a big brother at the dinner table. Before long the
table was set and the food was there for the taking. Silver Tips, White Reefies and Grey
Reef Sharks mingled into one to tear strips from the crate, at one stage I was so close that
flesh was floating past my face, soon to be gobbled up by a passing predator. Yet I was
perfectly safe – not once did I see a shark look my way and lick his lips. Here I was, a
mere meter from a pack of sharp-toothed killing machines, and feeling safe as if I was
watching it from the discovery channel.
Another amazing sight for me was a Nautilus. Have you ever seen a Nautilus?I have, and
it wasn’t from diving to 300m. All it takes is a crab pot, some chicken or beef and a little
bit of local knowledge, and presto up comes 15 crazy looking critters. Believe it or not,
four of these were re-captures from the research the Undersea have been taking. A little at
a time more and more is being known about these odd little fossils but I must say they do
look like they would have brilliant foreplay with ninety tentacles a piece.
Change of plans – moored at Admiralty anchor of Osprey Reef we have just had news
from the skipper that our Marine Biologist on board has suffered the bends. We have one
option, turn around and head back for Lizard Island and hopefully are back out at Osprey
within 24 hours. As for Chris, our Biologist, he will have to wait until they can get a
fixed wing aircraft from Townsville to take him back to the Chamber. So how did all this
come about?
It all started yesterday, Sunday June 1st, and our first day on the Undersea Explorer. Our
first dive was a relaxed coral garden called Pixie Reef. A mix of swim throughs, coral
aquariums and a bed of garden eels. It took me 5 minutes to get within a foot of these
little guys, but as they swayed back and forth with the current I finally saw the detail of
their minute heads. I was transfixed with their tiny mouths opening and closing. Next up
was Pixie pinnacle – a 30 meter bommie that you would wind yourself around, watching
all the marine life that was magnetized to its sheer walls.
By this stage, we had all settled into dive mode, and thank god, because the next dive was
really going to test our nerves and affect some, too. Vertical gardens, or as we nicknamed
it, Rollercoaster Reef, was a drift that really shook us up – literally.
It started as casually as any live boat – jump of the duckboard, swim over to the reef, and
watch as it passes you by. It wasn’t until we turned the bend that our dive took on a new
course. A raging current picked me up and threw me; the wall was racing by so fast that
stopping to look was only a very brief thought. I streamlined myself to ride out the next
30 minutes while my buddy Shannon was doing the same. Then it hit, like a hand pushing
you down into the deep. I inflated my BCD kicked up hard but still Isunk, then I was
pushed back up from underneath, I quickly deflated my BCD and tried to kick back down
though to no avail. I checked my gauge, I was once again sitting at 15 m and still flying
past the reef. I looked around for Shannon who was about 5 meters below me and gave
me the “ what the hell was that look”– I had no reply. Then it hit again, throwing us up
and down back and forth, what ever it was I wasn’t in control, and that’s not a good
thing. I grabbed a hold of Shannon so we didn’t get separated and rode it out like the
rollercoaster it was. After 24 minutes it just stopped. By this time everyone had come
together in the same place – something wasn’t right. I signaled for a safety stop as I
watched everyone gather themselves together again. Just then, the current was switched
back on but coming from the other direction we all grabbed on to a part of the wall and
held on. Some of the guys weren’t so lucky and found themselves on the surface.
By the time we had come up we realized that we were caught in a whirlpool and just
spinning around in circles. 20 divers were now separated into three groups on the surface
and trying to hold on to eachother while kicking away from the reef so the boat could
pick us up.
By the time we were safely on the boat a few of us jumped on the oxygen, mainly from
splitting headaches, and the others just in case. We were all jabbering about the dive and
all of us combined had never experienced such a dramatic force of na ture underwater.
It wasn’t until the next day, after motoring from Lizard Island to Osprey, that we found
out our biologist was struck down by the bloody bends while helping divers stick
together.
So, 24 hours of motoring awaited us with no diving in between, we could have sat around
moping, whining, or just been bastards but it’s not the Kirra Dive style. What we did do
was raid the bar and have us a good old shindig!
After we dropped Chris off at Lizard Island and headed back to Osprey we had turned
into hounds on a strong scent, horses biting at the bit, kids in a candy shop with no
money, like a group of divers out at one of the best reefs in Australia looking at the
bottom at 30 meters, my god just let me in the water!
Time was quickly coming to an end for our party of 18 divers from Kirra Dive. We had
all enjoyed a marvelous week aboard the Undersea Explorer and had learnt much and
seen even more. There a few quick things I should mention. The couch on the upper deck
had more people fighting over it than in the battle forTroy. Our brilliant chef Emily
dished up the greatest meals I have ever eaten. The cougars on Friday night – you know
who youare, and most of all, the crew onboard Undersea – a brilliantly run operation.
But mainly the divers I enjoyed my time with:
Shannon (The Godson – for being adopted by all on board)
Gary M. (Just do it – to the man who never misses a dive)
Laurie (Lawrence of Lennox – You just had to be there)
Aaron Lindsay & Barry Duffill ( David Attenborough’s side-kicks)
Jannah (Cougar- I will hunt you down)
Maree (Queen of the couch- for her undefeated couch time)
Mary (Cracked the 100 and was proposed to) she said yes!
Gary G (Proposed to Mary) can’t believe she said yes.
Carl (Give the man some meat)
Russell (Mr. Anemone head- oh, how his hair sways in the current)
Bruce (Is there anything else dear)
Lou (Actually there is one more thing)
Kaye (If in doubt get another one-for alternate buddy use)
Kath (The newcomer- but welcome anytime)
Alex (Our newest “Do it right” Divemaster)
Paul (The black ballerina- for doing the shark-suit injustice)
Tim (The greatest diver in the world. What? It’s my story)
Above all you know what I love about live-a-boards, other than the easy diving and a
plethora of sites to choose from? It’s the comradeship onboard. 18 divers, seven crew,
and one week on a 24 meter vessel could spell disaster, but somehow it doesn’t. I love
watching new friendships form, new buddies diving together, and people helping each
other out. I love how crew mingles in with passengers and passengers find ways to help
crew. And after it’s all over and the boat docks, we still ask where and when are we
meeting for dinner.
