Volume 1, Issue 10

Dolphin Dive Fremantle News

Inside this issue:

Dive Trip: Sanko Harvest--Australia's Biggest Wreck

When the 174m long bulk carrier Sanko Harvest arrived in the waters near Esperance, WA in 1991, there were winners and losers. En route to Esperance from Tampa in the United States, the Sanko Harvest ran aground in the early hours on February 14, but it took three days before she broke into three sections and sank.
The losers included the owners and crew of the ship (all crew were evacuated safely), and the ecology of the area that had to contend with a huge spill of 700 tonnes of oil and 30,000 tonnes of soluble fertiliser.
The winners are scuba divers around the world. The wreck lies in 16-43m of water, and is regarded as the largest dive-able wreck off the Australian coast--and it's been a marine sanctuary since 1994.
Because of the weather, the wreck can only be dived in certain times of the year, and one of those times is coming up this Easter!
But we won't only be diving the Sanko Harvest--Esperance has dozens of smaller islands that can offer 20-30m visibility, swim-throughs, and lots and lots of marine life.

News:

• Truk Lagoon Dive Holiday--July 2007
  
• HMAS Perth Dive Trip--Feb 24-25
  
• Key Biscayne Dive Trip--Mar 10 and 17
  
• Rottnest Island Underwater Photo Competition Mar 16-17
  
• Sanko Harvest Dive Trip--Easter.
  
• New Dolphin Dive Fremantle Boat starts February
  

The plan is to drive down on Good Friday, dive the next three days, and drive back on Easter Tuesday. We'll do three dives on the Sanko Harvest (weather permitting), and three other dives around Esperance. Dolphin Dive Fremantle will be organising a car pool to cut down petrol costs--just ask at the store.
Numbers are limited to 16, so book in fast!

Rottnest Overnight Trip--One Spot Left!

Rottnest Island overnight trips always sell out fast, and the next one is no exception. We've got only one spot left!
Leaving late afternoon on Friday Feb 23, we'll do one night dive, camp on Vortex overnight, and then do another three dives on Saturday. You'll get breakfast, lunch and two tanks (you'll need to find another two). All this for $165 (dinner on Rottnest Island Friday night not included).
If you don't get in in  time, the next Rottnest Overnight Trip is the Photo Competition in March (more on that inside this issue).

Winter Dive Trip: Truk Lagoon

Mark and Debs are leading the dive trip of a lifetime to Truk Lagoon in July. This has to be the best place on the planet if you like wreck diving--there are over 60 sunken ships, planes and submarines. And all in warm, tropical water with the best visibility you can imagine.
So escape the Perth winter, and book on for this amazing trip!

Dive Trip--HMAS Perth, Albany

Dolphin Dive Fremantle will be heading down to Albany on February 24 and 25 to dive the ex-HMAS Perth. An Australian Navy Guided Missile Destroyer, she was sunk in 1998, and now sits on the bottom near Albany. Cost is $130 for two dives and lunch, and you can also do your Wreck and Nitrox specialities. Contact the shop to join us on this trip!

Newsletter Only Shop Specials

Valid Until 28 February, 2007                                                                             Whilst Stocks Last

Get Ready for Express Diving--Cyclone is Coming in February

We at Dolphin Dive Fremantle are very, very excited--our newest boat starts operating in February.
Replacing Jaws, Cyclone is a 85 foot RiB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) capable of holding 12 divers, and travelling at speeds of up to 40 knots (more than twice as fast as Vortex--that's fast).
Having Cyclone means we can offer more diving options:

• Cyclone can cruise alongside Vortex to Rottnest Island--this lets us take more divers, and also dive two different dive sites at the same time--more advanced divers can go to one site, other divers to a shallower one.
  
• Extreme Eco-Tours--A new options that will be starting up soon. Cyclone will speed to Carnac Island where divers can have one dive, then cruise around looking at dolphins and seals.
  
• Early morning dives--because Cyclone is so fast, we can now offer early bird dives to local areas--6:30am start, back by 8:30am. $55 (tank not included).
  

Because Cyclone is so fast, all passengers sit facing forward for a more comfortable ride. A cover provides shade to cool you down, and there's even an on-board toilet!
Cyclone's specifications are:

• Gemini Waverider 850
  
• Length: 8.5m, Beam: 2.8m
  
• Maximum Speed: 40 knots
  

More details in our next newsletter.

Rottnest Underwater Photo Competition

The Rottnest Underwater Photo Competition will be on again this year. With one night dive on Friday March 16 and 3 day dives on Saturday March 17, this is your opportunity to exercise those photography skills. Cost will be $185 (including one night accommodation on Rottnest Island and lunch on the Saturday) which gives you one night dive,  3 day dives, competition entry and two tanks (you need another 2). Maximum of  20 people.
We'll send out an email with details shortly, so make sure you're on our mailing list!

1 Cantonment St, Fremantle WA 6160
256 Hampton Rd, Sth Fremantle WA 6162

Phone: (08) 9336 6286 (Fremantle Store)
             (08) 9335 9969 (Sth Fremantle Store)
Fax:      (08) 9335 3271
Email:  freodive@dolphindiveshop.com
Web:   www.dolphindiveshop.com

Get Into Diving!

Boat Dives:
Vortex leaves every Friday, Saturday and Sunday for Rottnest Island (weather permitting), and on other days if there's enough people. Book in the shop.

Shore Dives:
We do shore dives every Sunday morning for qualified divers. Leaving the South Fremantle store at 8:30am, you're back by lunchtime. $20 if you have your own gear, $50 with full gear hire. Book in before Sunday.

Editor: David Stephens
PADI OWSI#481265