UECWA Newsletter
22nd January 2025
Upcoming Dives
Night Dive Report - Friday 17th January
Photo credit - Filip Welna
Realising that the conditions didn’t look good for diving over the weekend John suggested we do a night dive on Friday night before the worst of the conditions came in, so at short notice, we offered a dinner and dive to Hall Bank. We left the Marina with 8 divers. Tom kindly offered to stay on the boat as DO while I had a dive, the first one in several months. We went to Cicerello’s for dinner, which was a lovely way to begin the journey. We left for Hall Bank at about 7pm and arrived about 20 minutes later.
While the wind blew up a little, the swell stayed pretty good and didn’t start to get bigger until we were well into our dive. Upon arrival at the surface after the dive, we saw the wind and the swell was somewhat stronger than when we entered. The dive, however, was worth the difficulty getting back on the boat, it was such a very different seascape than we usually see around Rottnest and other parts of Stragglers and it is so close to home (great for a night dive). Heaps of hard coral packed in tightly, rays and many octopuses, one seemed very interested in the light from my dive computer and had several attempts at grabbing it and hanging onto my arm, it was very inquisitive. I never tire of watching these amazing creatures. Considering the conditions, the vis was really good. Everyone reported a great dive and loved doing something a little different. Thanks to John for skippering and suggesting this trip. Thanks again to Tom for filling in for me while I was underwater. Thanks to Stuart who was a great dive buddy for someone not very experienced at night dives from the boat (me), and to everyone else for the great company at dinner. Keep an eye out for more of these trips, perhaps in the evening during the week in good conditions, if we can get crew.
Donna
Australia Day Sky Show This Weekend!
Celebrate Australia Day in style aboard Cape Cruiser! Join us for an unforgettable evening on the water, with front-row views of the spectacular Skyshow fireworks display.
- Departure: 6:00 PM from Fremantle
- Enjoy drinks and light snacks on board (BYO)
- Prime viewing spot for the fireworks
Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to experience the Australia Day Skyshow like never before. Bring your friends and family for a fun-filled evening on the water!
Limited spots available – book now!
2025 Dive Trips Announced!
We have three exciting trips planned for 2025, with club members receiving priority booking. Details and booking info below and on the website, please contact Donna at divebookings@uecwa.com.au if you have any questions.
22nd - 29th March: Rottnest - $1190 AUD
ONLY TWO SPOTS LEFT
2 dives per day, 7 nights accommodation, and tank fills are included. Meals are not included, and only 2 spots are left available. Bookings open now. A $250 deposit is due by 20th Jan, refundable if the trip doesn’t go ahead. Final payment is due on 1st Feb.
9th - 16th July: Halmahera Liveaboard - $4160 AUD (subject to exchange rates)
An 8-day liveaboard to Halmahera, Indonesia, with only 13 spots available. The boat is newly commissioned, and no breakdowns are expected. Bookings open now. Please email Donna.
19th - 25th August: Derawan Island - $2470 AUD (subject to exchange rates)
7 days with 3 dives per day, all meals and accommodation included. There are only 15 spots available. Bookings open now. A $340 deposit is due by 30th April. Priority bookings for club members until 28th Feb. Final payment is due on 30th May.
Important Information for Dive Bookings
All members should have access to the dive calendar on the website and mobile app. If you're experiencing any issues, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us for assistance.
Please do not book dives for other divers. If we receive double bookings from one diver, the second booking will be automatically cancelled.
If you would like to receive notifications about dive cancellations during peak periods, please email Donna at divebookings@uecwa.com.au with your name and phone number to be added to the WhatsApp group.
Guests on the Boat
A reminder: For all boat trips (including Christmas lights), UEC members must be on the boat with any guests booked under their membership.
Cancelling a Dive Ahead of Time
Important to note that you cannot cancel dives using the dive calendar. Cancellation needs to be by email directly to Donna at divebookings@uecwa.com.au
Please note our cancellation policy below as per the club bylaws:
Cancellations between 07:45 and 16:00 the day before: 50% cancellation fee.
Cancellations after 16:00 the day before: 100% cancellation fee.
No-shows: Full event fee.
Appeals for waivers due to medical reasons or family emergencies can be submitted in writing to the committee.
If you have any questions please check out our FAQ's, Contact Us or chat to your Committee members when you see us on the boat!
Newsletter Editor
Mel Daws - Public Relations
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