Professional Dive Services

A week ago today Julia-Mary Lane set off for a day of hiking in British Columbia and never returned. She was an incredible human being. Anyone who met her were struck by her genuine smile, laugh, indefatigable optimism and spirit of adventure. Her love of nature and family saw her join her father and siblings in learning to dive and they have joined us on numerous trips over the last decade. Liveaboards in Moreton Bay, Lady Elliot and countless day trips. She was always a joy to be around.

The world is truly a darker place without her shining light continuing to touch everyone she met. Asia Haines and the team at Project Manta are currently doing research at Lady Elliot and have spent a few days with this beautiful new addition to the Project Manta database. We hope that manta #1549 Julia-Mary continues to make people smile exactly as her namesake used to for years to come! Our deepest condolences to the Lane family for your profound loss. Our hearts have broken with you.

We are back! With state and international borders opening up again we are able to ensure we are able to offer the full gambit of trips and destinations you have come to expect from us. We have so many exciting things to share with you including new destinations, time honoured favourites and new operators! To start with there is a new charter in town and we are doing a bare bones charter THIS Saturday 29 January 2022!

This is a once off charter to iron out the kinks and ensure weighting etc for future charters. We are running it at BELOW COST! All we are asking for is for you to cover the fuel for the boat ($70 per person) and tanks and weights ($30 per person) if you need them. It will be a very early start but you will be back by midday so your Saturday afternoon is still intact!

What are you waiting for?! Spaces are limited! This bare bones charter is literally costing us money so theis pricing will never be repeated so make sure you don't miss out! Message John on 0457 007 040 or via direct message to lock your spot down!

DIVER DOWN - We received some absolutely awful news yesterday. Paul Conza tragically passed away yesterday morning from cardiac arrest. Paul's departure leaves a phenomenal hole in the dive community. For well over a decade Ozaquatec was the most reliable and experienced service centre in Brisbane. Having departed from servicing in August he had been toying with returning to what he did best. I for one will be thinking of him; as I do with all of my dive buddies that are no longer with us, every time I slip beneath the surface. Our thoughts are with Paul's family and particularly his beautiful children. Vale mate, we love you and will miss you incredibly.

Edithburgh by Night - Our Best of South Australia trip met an unpredictable hiccup this year when a massive low pressure system formed by conditions blown from the Antarctic saw us unable to venture out on the MV Rodney Fox. With conditions forcing us to stay on land we rallied to ensure the divers who joined us were still able to do some world class diving with endemic creatures at iconic dive locations.

By far one of the most well known sites that South Australia has to offer is the jetty at Edithburgh. One of the most iconic critters in South Australian waters and one that Edithburgh is particularly famous for is the pyjama squid (which is actually a cuttlefish! It is one of the few cephalopods that is not only venomous but poisonous as well!). Well known photographer Matt Testoni (who was to join us aboard RFSE on the same trip) also joined us as we braved the winter night time waters in search of Edithburgh's best known residents. Got to love winter diving when the water is 11 degrees and is warmer than the surface!

Edithburgh is truly a cephalopod smorgasboard with octopus, bottletail squid and bobtail squid also seen! With so many critters it was hard to know where to focus next! Edithburgh has reignited our idea for a summer diving jetties tour! With so many incredible jetties to dive in South Australia we are putting together a trip for next February to dive some of the most iconic jetties. A true delight for macro photographers and cephalopod lovers alike! A massive thank you to the efforts of Andrew Hunter from Adelaide SCUBA who drove out to Port Wakefield to meet John late at night so we had tanks and weights for the next day. We couldn't have done it without you mate! Thank you!

Edithburgh by Day - Our Best of South Australia trip met an unpredictable hiccup this year when a massive low pressure system formed by conditions blown from the Antarctic saw us unable to venture out on the MV Rodney Fox. With conditions forcing us to stay on land we rallied to ensure the divers who joined us were still able to do some world class diving with endemic creatures at iconic dive locations.

By far one of the most well known sites that South Australia has to offer is the jetty at Edithburgh. Having been unable to find Leafy Seadragons at Tumby Bay for the first time in 10 years our spirits were buoyed by reports from well known photographer Matt Testoni (who was to join us aboard RFSE on the same trip) of leafies near the jetty. Whilst we didn't find the three as resported Matt did manage to find one that was very accommodating! The jetty itself is spectacular and festooned with sponges and marine life.

Having dived it during the day we were particularly excited at the prospect of diving her again that night when some of the most well known residents come out including the absolutely adorable pyjama squid (which is actually a cuttlefish)! Photos to come! A massive thank you to the efforts of Andrew Hunter from Adelaide SCUBA who drove out to Port Wakefield to meet John late at night so we had tanks and weights for the next day. We couldn't have done it without you mate! Thank you! Here is Edithburgh Jetty by day.

In all of my years of diving this was one of the BEST sights I have ever seen underwater. Divemaster Paul Casey's triumphant return to his favourite dive site, Julian Rocks at Byron Bay. Less than 2 years earlier after "feeling a bit crook" Paul ended up on the operating table and literally died twice during the operation. It took almost two years of determination and subjecting himself to every test required but he is back in action!

So with a group of his favourite dive buddies he made his return to Julian Rocks. Whilst there was a bit of sediment in the water the visibility was great, the surface conditions brilliant and the company even better! Here are some photos from that first momentous dive. Please join me in welcoming Paul back where he belongs!

Few wrecks have been so hotly discussed in the last few years than the HMAS Tobruk! Whilst she may not have come to rest upright on the seabed as intended, she certainly has become an incredible living reef and truly epitomises the life that can be attracted and sustained by a former miliary vessel. We are headed to Hervey Bay next Friday night the 25th of June 2021 for an awesome weekend of diving and you can join us!

The PERFECT location to do your nitrox or wreck specialties (or both!) and includes 4 dives, tanks, weights, Divemaster services, 2 nights at the beautiful Mantra Hervey Bay, return transport from Brisbane to Hervey Bay and nitrox fills for anyone who is certified or doing the nitrox course (nitrox must be organised by Wednesday evening). Full details can be found on our website on the link below:

http://www.professionaldiveservices.com.au/dive-the-ex-hmas-tobruk-australias-newest-wreck-site/

To book on immediately and ensure you don't miss the boat click here : http://www.professionaldiveservices.com.au/product/ex-hmas-tobruk/

As always if you have any questions at all please don't hesitate to call John on 0457 007 040 or 07 3204 5857. Come and join us to explore Australia's newest wreck!

We were privileged to dive with the Giant Australian Cuttlefish aggregation at Whyalla yesterday and are pleased to report the numbers are the greatest they have been in the past decade! PLENTY of mating displays and males tussling for the privilege of passing on their genes! We also saw a seahorse and a New Zealand Fur seal! Angelina Pilarinos managed to get photos so it did happen! Here are a photos to wet your appetite!

Have arrived on location at Black Point just outside Whyalla to dive with the largest aggregation of cephalopods on the planet with the Giant Australian Cuttlefish! New Zealand fur seals have been spotted as we set up. Fingers crossed they are still there when we get it!! Why aren't you here with us?!