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Dive the Poor Knights


Fay

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NOT :(

Been away for four days we had booked a dive to the Poor Knights about a month ago.

Excited yes Got up early Saturday meet a with our son at Tutukaka Marina

Got on the nice big boat we had booked a guided tour so this was going to be fun our first dive in NZ.

Got out of the marina into the open sea and the skipper called it off to B.....dy rough :(

So will try again in March.

Then we went out to dinner at the Marina Fay decided on the scallops for starters, didn't get to the mains ended up in Whangarei hospital with full blown allergic reaction to scallops :(

So what did Fay do Sunday, slept all day because of the drugs they had pumped into me.

We stayed at the Pacific Rendezvous at Tutukaku can really recommend that place its FAB with great views.

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Sorry to hear about your weekend Fay, and hope you are fine now.

Had a fair few trips out there myself.. plus the odd few that have been cancelled without warning.. and even when you get out there you can still have a few hairy moments on the trip back.

We had done the Sugar Loaf (my first 150ft dive).. and were up at the Lighthouse when a message came over the radio.

There was a storm approaching, and all skippers were warned to either take cover or head back in.

We headed back.. along with another charter that was close by.

The water was like glass.. and we were all mystified what the panic to get back was all about, as the weather at that time looked fine.

We came around from the Knights Islands, and there in the distance was this black looming cloud.. but still the sea was fairly calm.. then suddenly this huge swell lifted the 70 odd foot boat clean out of the water and the twin screws on the props were screaming as they turned out of the water due to the swell.

The boat came down with a thump, and the sea heaved up with three and four metre swells.

The other boat was around 500 yards from us, but the only time we could see it was when we were high on the crest of the huge swells.

The ride back down these big swells was both exciting and "very" frightening as the boat lurched around trying to keep upright.

At times you could touch the water over the side as the boat rocked in the swells, and at times the waves would crash over the sides drenching everyone and everything.

I had never been sea sick in my life, and had been in some real bad seas.. but I was sick that day.

One guy watched as I pewked over the side and laughed shouting..

"What's up old man.. can't you handle a bit of a swell"

I went below, and an hour later we had hardly moved, and I came topside.

My mate pointed to the guy with the loud mouth.

He was laying in a pool of his own stomach contents (meat pies and Lion Red I think from memory).. on the floor of the boat.

Three hours later and it was almost dark.. but we finally made it in.. but I don't think there was a single person that hadn't said a few prayers that day.. and even the skipper was looking a bit peakish when we landed.

Wonderful place to dive Fay, and one you will never forget.

Bill.

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Having dived in many places around the world, I would have to say that the Poor Knights rate very highly. We hope to dive them again early in 2006. Also its worth diving the Wikato and Tui, wrecks just outside of Tutakaka.

Sorry to hear about all that Fay! Stick at it, when you finally get to dive out there you will realise that it was worth all the heatache.

We have been in Tutukaka for 7 days and not been able to dive once, so don't think its just you, it happens to us all at times.

Regards

Piemania

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