Diving @ Bare Island

Hey everyone ! Thanks for your comments, it is my primary "source of energy" to continue the blog !

After bushwalking and climbing in the blue mountains, the temperature went a bit warmer, it was time to buy a surf and to think about diving... Mission accomplished !

I surfed two times only but already catched a wave... I know I gonna like this !


Some of you will probably think about shark attaks. Half of the world sharks are in australian waters. However it is really unlikely to be attacked, just look at the total number of attacks between 1980-1990 (source australian museum, sydney) :

Activity	Total Deaths	Average/Year
Crocodile Attacks	8	0.7
Shark Attacks	11	1
Lightning Strikes	19	1.7
Bee Stings	20	1.8
Scuba Diving Accidents	88	8
Drownings/Submersions	3367	306
Motor Vehicle Accidents	32772	2979

And over the last 200 year, in new south wales, the state of sydney (source taronga zoo) :

State	Total Attacks	Fatal Attacks	Last Fatal Attack
NSW	256	73	2008 Ballina, Lighthouse Beach

Finaly we have an average of 1.28 attack per year, about 30% are deadly, and diving is more dangerous ! Humans are not shark's prey.

However last week-end I decided to do an ISS diving certification. This consists on 1 day in a pool learning to put out the water of the masks, using equipment, ... and 4 dives in the ocean. So far I've done the pool and two dives. During the first one we repeated the exercise and the second was for leisure already. The diving site is about 10 min by bicycle from my home and it appears that it is a really good spot to snorkel as well ! We saw a lot of fishes, a eel, a groper (also called "bluey"), a sea dragon... I didn't expected to see the later it it was a wonderful surprise.. look at the photos you will understand why ! The photos are not from me, a camera housing is quite expensive.

A bluey

a leafy sea dragon

The diving spot.. somewhere straight away is where captain Cook landed for the first time in Australia. Now the bay is a big industrial harbour and the international airport, but still some parts are beautiful ! It is very amazing to live in such a big city and have so nice shore sand sand beaches...