UECWA Newsletter
18th December 2024
Upcoming Dives
Mandurah Double Dive - Sat 21/12
Mandurah Double Dive - Sun 22/12
Dive Report - Saturday 14th November
Photo credit - Tracy Hughes
Wow! What a day! Beautiful conditions, just warm enough, the lightest breeze, sunshine and tiny swell made for a grand day out.
Oh.... And the company, of course!
After a 50 minute steam from Mandurah Marina, we came to our first site, Melrose Outer Reef. Beautiful country, LOTS of crayfish (good work Chris McC on getting a bag full on your first dive), and some very pretty swim throughs and holes to explore. Viz was a reasonable 10m and conditions in the water were very pleasant.
Dive number two was a sensation for all, with reports of between 3 and 9 grey nurses calmly and curiously cruising around the 12m mark, right at the anchor. Great navigating Skipper Steve, and thanks to Mike for operating the anchor winch from above. These beautiful sharks didn't scatter, like those we are used to diving with! Viz wasn't as good, but made for a unique experience when a big grey lady cruised silently up to divers that weren't paying attention!
A lovely calm cruise back to Mandurah, and a fabulous day had by all.
Thanks to Chris McCoppin for prepping and babysitting the boat until the canal lights cruise and a big warm welcome to Mitch Helenius on his nomination dive! Thanks also to David Fremantle, who many of us know, and his recently self-published book, for helping us find these fantastic sites.
Happy diving in Mandurah next weekend!
Laura
Dive Report - Sunday 15th November
Photo credit - Wendy Hutchison
The commercial jetty at Mandurah is a very convenient pick-up location with lots of adjacent parking. The weather was a little less cooperative, unfortunately. Wendy suggested the Melrose Shark Cave for the first dive and we set off. The visibility was about 12 meters, but we were unsure of the exact location of the cave. We circled around searching for about two thirds of the dive until a Grey Nurse swam serenely past us and into the distance. Following her, we found the cave and enjoyed being close to all the action. Our solo diver, Tristan, did not find many crayfish on the first dive and, with the wind and chop increasing, our second dive was on Isla’s reef near the marina entrance. Tristan finished with half a dozen nice sized crays.
Thanks to our skipper Chris C., Dive officer Trevor H. and to Wendy for the photos taken under challenging conditions.
Graeme Brown
Important Information for Mandurah Dive & Canal Trips
Photo credit - Kate Dickinson
Another few days of Mandurah dive trips and canal cruises ahead, details below for those that have missed it:
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Dive Trips: Meet at Commercial Wharf, Breakwater Parade for loading at 7:45 AM for an 8:00 AM departure.
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Canal Cruise: Meet at Stingray Point Jetty for loading at 7:15 PM for a 7:30 PM departure. The cruise will return after approximately 1.5 hours.
Please ensure you're on time at the respective locations, parking is close by!
Get Festive, Recycle, and Support Your Dive Club!
Silly season is here, and we’ve got a cracking way for you to help the planet - and your dive club! Did you know the Underwater Explorers Club is registered with Containers for Change? Simply swap your payment method to 'donate' when recycling your cans and bottles, and search for Underwater Explorers Club of Western Australia Inc.
We won’t judge your drinking habits (hey, it’s the holidays!), but we will happily accept your donations. So, recycle those festive empties and support your favourite dive club!
Important Information for Dive Bookings
All members who have paid their fees for the year 2024/2025 should be able to access the dive calendar on the new website and mobile app. Please Contact Us if you are having any issues.
If you would like notice of dive cancellations during our peak periods, then please contact Donna at divebookings@uecwa.com.au with your name and phone number to be added to a WhatsApp group.
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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