Not many dive trips start in the sunshine and end with a snowball fight! But our latest trip did!
Devan – Tertiary Student
Well where to start the trip on the way up on the Thursday morning was a bit slow but we all made it fun with the grade A banter. Once we arrived we chilled out at the mansion of a house it was incredible we set up our gear and went for a dive at Acacia bay it was amazing we had a jump in entry and dropped to 10m+ straight away, the water was beautiful and clear until somebody kicked up the silt (not naming anyone (myself) ) After our dives we went back to the house and had chef Claire cook up some sausages they were divine.. Later that night more people arrived and just crashed out. In the morning it was meet and greet and Ii met loads of new people I wouldn’t normally socialise with but I’m glad I did and I would love to do it again. Everyone opened up and I got to know them as a person not just another diver.
As the trip progressed more people showed up and it just got more exciting the banter just got better and the diving was more fun in total there was 11 of us staying at the house and everyone was talking about their diving stories and playing card games, it was hilarious. On the last day of diving we all went off in our groups, me and my group took a bottle of fanta to 28m and all had a drink it tasted the same and the colour didn’t fade it was incredible…Thanks for taking the time to read my most enjoyable parts of my trip I hope more of you decide to come next time.
Gee – Tertiary Student
Finally the day had arrived!! Off to Taupo we go for some deep dives, night dives and to drift dive the Waikato River! The weather prior wasn’t a good sign but after a long trip from Wellington we made it safe and sound to beautiful sunny Taupo. The house we were staying at was picture perfect with a view to die for. Anyways off to our first dives of the trip. We went to Acacia Bay as the Lake itself wasn’t playing the game. Major swells from all the wind. Acacia Bay was amazing!! Straight off the point straight to a 10 metre drop, move to the slopes and down down down we went to 28metres. Crystal clear water but very ashy silty bottom. Lots of Koura to see and just an amazing different experience from diving in the Wellington Ocean. Finished our 2 dives for the night and some more of our crew arrived. Duncan and Ronel (Momma Bear) and off back home to warm up and EAT!!
Finished the night off with the tribe playing Uno and just enjoying each other’s company. During the night some more of the crew arrived. Shane and his son Arron. Yes!! More people to hang with and enjoy this experience.
Move on to Friday. Up bright and early and enjoyed a massive breakfast cooked by Claire and the crew…Yuuuummmm!! All meat provided by Big Pete from Harringtons. Sooo good. Quick clean up then off for a morning dive as our snorkel dive was postponed due to the River flowing too fast (300 Cumecs) as the dam was opened up to clear the Lake due to all the rain prior. Apparently 180 – 220 cumecs (cubic square metres per second) is good. Anything higher…no no!!! A question was asked as to how fast is 300 cumecs? Its equivalent to pushing 6 Blue whales over the Huka Falls as Alan explained with this analogy….well Dang!! A big pass to that activity for sure!!! Another day of diving. Morning Dive, home for lunch and a quick snooze. Then more crew turned up. Big Pete and Simon (Pitch). Total Laurell and Hardy duo. Sooo funny. Finished the day off with 2 more dives, with one of them being a night dive. Again it was sooo clear and just amazing. Not really that cold at all to be honest. Saw lots of Trout and Catfish. Shayne even managed to pick up a boat engine as part of picking up any rubbish seen along the way. Well Dang!! Good work Shayne. Our last tribe member Andrew turned up to enjoy in the activities planned for the next day. Back home to stuff our faces again and just enjoy the comradery and stories floating around the table. Just sitting back and listening to everyone laughing and enjoying the night was just sooo relaxing. Finally around midnight we all went to bed to rest up for the next day.
Move on to Saturday. So it was confirmed that the Drift Dive couldn’t happen as the water was still 300 cumecs. Ohwell, maybe next time. Off to Acacia Bay we go to do our last dives for our trip where we caught up with another diver Fiona. A beautiful sunny day but cold wind. The last 2 dives were just about mixing it up and cruising and enjoying the scenery. Again, Acacia Bay didn’t disappoint. Koura for days and lots of open space but also (unfortunately) lots of ashy silt. Buoyancy Buoyancy Buoyancy!!!! We even took a bottle of fanta down below deep to test out the colour theory and pressure. Also got to drink it under water. Still tasted good!! A beautiful fun day of diving done and dusted. Off home to eat again…as usual…. Then we all planned our last night. Majority of us went to the Thermal Pools. OMG sooooo relaxing but the water was hotter than I thought. Now I know what Pork Bones feel like when you put them in a pot for Boil Up…something equivalent to that anyway. Sooo refreshing and relaxing. Even met this tiny Asian lady who asked me “Are you a Maorian?” I think she meant Maori hahahahaaa….why yes, yes I am. “Can I take photo with you?” she asked. Hahahaaaa sure. She only came up to my hips!!! She was the cutest thing and sooo excited to meet the Maoris!!! Hahahaaaa. After a looong hot soak we all rushed home to get changed and have dinner in the City…well…as much as a city that Taupo is. Dinner was at the Lake House. The Best Meals for sure!!! A couple of hours there stuffing our faces and people watching and judging if couples were on their first date, Boyfriend & Girlfriend or Married. Body Language lessons by Big Pete and Simon (Pitch). Finally off home for the night whilst a few of them went to the movies to watch some manly film of a sort. Soooo tired but totally sated and refreshed. My eyes closed as soon as my head hit the pillow.
Woke up the next day and cleaned up the house and headed home. Group photos, hugs goodbyes, and promises to meet up again soon. This trip was an excellent getaway, made even better by the company and laughter and the diving. I wouldn’t change a thing!! My favourite quote which was repeated over and over, especially at meal times…”Aaahhh, This is the Life” and it definitely is!!! A massive 2 thumbs up to Claire for organising this trip!! Can’t wait for the next one!!
