{"id":2825,"date":"2022-02-14T15:58:10","date_gmt":"2022-02-14T02:58:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diveski.co.nz\/blog\/?p=2825"},"modified":"2022-02-14T15:58:12","modified_gmt":"2022-02-14T02:58:12","slug":"tantalising-tamatea-the-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diveski.co.nz\/blog\/2022\/02\/14\/tantalising-tamatea-the-return\/","title":{"rendered":"Tantalising Tamatea: The Return"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Little Harbour, Dusky Sound.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Starring:\nPaddy, Richard, Carole, Brian M, Judy, Geoff, Brian B, Jerry, Darren, Michelle,\nSam<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Twas the\nnight before our planned departure, when Jacinda & Ashleigh called an\nemergency Press Conference to announce a rise in COVID alert levels… deja vu\nanyone, didn\u2019t this happen prior to last year\u2019s trip? Thankfully as we were\nfully vaxed and had a group size of less than 100 people, we could proceed with\nour much anticipated dive trip to Dusky Sound. (Paddy & Dive HQ may have\nreceived some frenzied texts and emails from anxious punters seeking to ensure the\ntrip would continue).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tutuko 2 <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Reconvening\nin Queenstown then Te Anau after some remodelling of the roads by our\nadventurous shuttle driver, first stop was \u2018The Moose\u2019 for drinks and dinner.\nTuesday morning our mounds of luggage and dive gear were weighed and loaded\ninto 3 helicopters for a glorious flight through jurassic mountains and picturesque\npasses. The trusty Tutuko 2 awaited in Supper Cove, crewed by Skipper Dave,\nCrewman Caleb and Super-chef Arturo. A recent refit included an upgraded\npenthouse \u2018suite\u2019, complete with splendid views, rapidly occupied by Judy,\nBrian M & Geoff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fixed Head\nwas the site of our first dive and weighting check, following a scramble to set\nup tanks and equipment. It wasn\u2019t without its dramas. Geoff\u2019s regulator\nshattered into multiple pieces prior to him hitting the water. Lesson learned:\ndon\u2019t hook your hose around a boat fitting when jumping into the water. Our\nesteemed leader Paddy had regs rearranged and the situation fixed in nano-seconds.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For many, this\nwas their first experience of diving in Fiordland\u2019s unique underwater\nenvironment. The steep fjords were carved out by glaciers 20000 years ago. The\nseven metres of rain each year and glacial run-off cause a tannin-stained fresh\nwater layer to float on the seawater below. Light is unable to penetrate the\nfresh water layer, creating a habitat of unique creatures usually only found at\ngreat depths, living in recreational dive depths. The off the grid, untouched,\nisolation adds to the ambience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Black Coral<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The diving\nmet expectations and some. Exquisite black coral trees glistened in the\nsemi-darkness.  Brian M & Paddy\nwitnessed an octopus punch up \u2013 having eight arms allows for many punches to be\nthrown… Those who ventured to greater depths were rewarded with shimmering\nred coral outcrops. Carole was enthralled after landing on an octopus and\nminutes later encountering a carpet shark. Fanworms and brachiopods taunted the\nphotographers, with fanworms swiftly retreating into their tubes and\nbrachiopods clamping closed as we approached. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Day 2 and\ndisaster confronted us with the sight of our hallowed leader debilitated and struggling\nto lift his head from the table. Thankfully (or worryingly?) he was able to be\nresuscitated with vast quantities of caffiene. An inevitable consequence of\nthis involved a desperate scramble after each dive to extract himself from his\ndrysuit for a hasty toilet stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some\ndrysuits lacked vital properties such as water-tightness and Paddy manfully\ncontinued with diving, despite squeezing water out of his drenched undersuit\nafter each drive. Jerry, Geoff and Richard joined the elite \u2018flooded drysuit\u2019\nclub on various occasions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hunter – gatherer\nSam kept us in blue cod, something of a relief given Jerry, Brian and Paddy\nmanaged to capture only 3 crays in abundant Fiordland. Thankfully Dave &\nCaleb took to the water to ensure we were fed. Darren & Michelle behaved as\nany good English people overseas would, and shared a cup of tea with a curious\nblue cod during a drift dive. Darren & Michelle were envied for their other\nrequisite diving essential \u2013 a miniature coffee maker. While our night shark\ndive was shark-free, we were accosted by clouds of swirling krill. Geoff\u2019s\neternal efficiency at gearing up for a dive continued to entertain us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Red Coral<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Judy &\nPaddy completed a deep decompression dive in Bowen Channel, rewarded by\ndramatic topography and numerous corals. Porpoise Point was a favourite site\nfor many with a spectacular wall coated in dazzling corals and teeming schools\nof fish. The black banded wrasse attacking photographers\u2019 lights were less appreciated.\nIn Acheron Passage\u2019s  \u2018china shop\u2019 we\nobserved captivating colonies of red coral, bountiful bryzoans and awesome\nascidians. Nine Fathoms Passage was home to numerous Jason Mirabilis… when\nyou spot 2 nudibranchs and swirls of eggs, you have some rudi nudis.. Brian B was\nleft drifting on his lonesome in the tidal current after the penultimate dive…\nhe was advised not to take it personally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Our\nadventures were not all diving based. The resident Irishman shared his potato\ninsights \u2013 educating us that boiled potatoes taste better when a teatowel is\nadded to the pot. A kayaking adventure in Smallcraft Harbour treated us to the\nsight of a blue clad Papa Smurf Brian M paddling in a blue kayak with a blue\npaddle. It was never definitively confirmed as to why Sam\u2019s clothing was found\nin the penthouse bathroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to\nDive HQ for another tremendous trip and to Paddy for his  perpetual patience and orgaisation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disclaimer: This story\nwas based on fact. Any similarity with fictitious events or characters is\npurely coincidental.<\/p>\n\n\n\n