Moving to Oz
- Thread starter Far_X
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Having experienced New York diving at its best, and worst, it seems that I am being transferred to Oz most probably March next year. It will almost for sure be Sydney as one of my work colleagues already lives in Malabar.
So, the question is, what can I expect in the way of diving? I am advanced nitrox and deco certified and would be looking for both beach and wreck diving. Is access to the beach pretty easy and do you need a drysuit over winter (I do have one)?
Obviously I'll be shipping my gear over and have both yoke and DIN tanks - are both of these used in Oz? Or would it be better to buy secondhand tanks and sell my doubles and singles over here?
What can I expect to see in the way of wildlife?
I think I am more excited about it than when I moved to the USA from England!!!
Sydney has nearly has all genre of diving.
Even if you live in the suburbs as opposed to Malabar which is coastal, you can be at a dive site within the hour.
There is shore diving and boat diving all within the recreational limits. If you are inclined to do some deep diving, Sydney has wrecks averaging between 50 to 60m.
Your qualifications will recognised especially if it is TDI/PADI/SSI/NAUI.
I would recommend selling your tanks and buying new/second hand ones when you arrive. This is mainly because your tanks may NOT be stamped with markings from the Australian Standards Association, and it will take a vigilante LDS owner to spot it and refuse to fill your tanks.
We use both DIN and Yoke, no problem, and I recommend DIN, so that you get a full tank rather the customary/legislative 210 Bar when you use Yoke.
As for Wildlife
Welcome to the almity1 domain...........
Our "standard" ali tanks are 95cuft - we also have smaller 80s. That's pretty standard for dive shops, at least on the west coast 
You can still dive on PSI...my two buddies do and they are Australian
You can still dive on PSI...my two buddies do and they are Australian
almitywife
Vegemite Mod
by standards - almity1 was refering to the stamp markings on the tank because from experience of other ex pat divers, they will not have the aussie ASA stamps, which means usually when they are noticed, they will fail hydro and for only that reason
sydney diving sucks - you dont want to come down here!
the thing about sydney is you dive where you want to see things:
ie, malabar (aka long bay) is very close the Magic Point (marubra boat dive) where you dive the grey nurse shark cave
kurnell (shore dive) is where you go to see weedie sea dragons
manly, balmoral and clifton garden nets (shore dives) is where you go for sea horses
bare island (shore dive) is where you go for pretty much anything plus a bit of depth
then you have the boat dives which i dont have alot of experience with but they are around and scubaroos, frogdive & prodive run montly boat schedules
now - until next year (fingers crossed) most of our recreational wreck dives are really bits of metal and not too much else (i say until next year as terrigal, 1hr nth of sydney, is due to scuttle hmas adelaide in rec diving depths :multi
otherwise, outside recreational dive limits; peter at Plunge Diving and Bazza at Southern Cross Diving are your men for technical diving although a indepedant dive club call South Pacific Dive Club are on the techie side, run independant boat dives and the current crop of divers there like deep, rust and very deep rust (i can get you the presidents email address next week if you want it as its on my work computer)
ive been hearing for the past week here that sydney water is ****** cold right now so bring your drysuit is my vote! i dive a drysuit in winter and hubby sticks to his 5mm semi dry but he's starting to feel it more these days
as far as wildlife, we have alot of it from pygmie pipehorses to big bull rays but the fun part is getting to different sites to see different things. did i mention the baby whaler dusky sharks at shelley beach/manly? a easy shore dive/family friendly beach
and then - 2hrs north is nelson bay and 2hrs south is shellharbour!!
and then - 4hrs by plane you are in vanuatu not to forget the solomons, niue, png... the south pacific is on our doorstep!!
cheers
Having experienced New York diving at its best, and worst, it seems that I am being transferred to Oz most probably March next year. It will almost for sure be Sydney as one of my work colleagues already lives in Malabar.
So, the question is, what can I expect in the way of diving? I am advanced nitrox and deco certified and would be looking for both beach and wreck diving. Is access to the beach pretty easy and do you need a drysuit over winter (I do have one)?
Obviously I'll be shipping my gear over and have both yoke and DIN tanks - are both of these used in Oz? Or would it be better to buy secondhand tanks and sell my doubles and singles over here?
What can I expect to see in the way of wildlife?
I think I am more excited about it than when I moved to the USA from England!!!
sydney diving sucks - you dont want to come down here!
the thing about sydney is you dive where you want to see things:
ie, malabar (aka long bay) is very close the Magic Point (marubra boat dive) where you dive the grey nurse shark cave
kurnell (shore dive) is where you go to see weedie sea dragons
manly, balmoral and clifton garden nets (shore dives) is where you go for sea horses
bare island (shore dive) is where you go for pretty much anything plus a bit of depth
then you have the boat dives which i dont have alot of experience with but they are around and scubaroos, frogdive & prodive run montly boat schedules
now - until next year (fingers crossed) most of our recreational wreck dives are really bits of metal and not too much else (i say until next year as terrigal, 1hr nth of sydney, is due to scuttle hmas adelaide in rec diving depths :multi
otherwise, outside recreational dive limits; peter at Plunge Diving and Bazza at Southern Cross Diving are your men for technical diving although a indepedant dive club call South Pacific Dive Club are on the techie side, run independant boat dives and the current crop of divers there like deep, rust and very deep rust (i can get you the presidents email address next week if you want it as its on my work computer)
ive been hearing for the past week here that sydney water is ****** cold right now so bring your drysuit is my vote! i dive a drysuit in winter and hubby sticks to his 5mm semi dry but he's starting to feel it more these days
as far as wildlife, we have alot of it from pygmie pipehorses to big bull rays but the fun part is getting to different sites to see different things. did i mention the baby whaler dusky sharks at shelley beach/manly? a easy shore dive/family friendly beach
and then - 2hrs north is nelson bay and 2hrs south is shellharbour!!
and then - 4hrs by plane you are in vanuatu not to forget the solomons, niue, png... the south pacific is on our doorstep!!
cheers
OP
Far_X
Contributor
It all sounds too good to be true. Thanks for your replies.
Need to find out if it is going to be cheaper bringing over my tanks and getting them hydroed. I have nine tanks and it'll cost a small fortune to replace them all.
Just wondering about the local regulations. Can you legally dive anywhere that is publicly accessible and do you always need a dive flag?
Almity1 - nice site!!
Thanks for your replies. Need to find out if it is going to be cheaper bringing over my tanks and getting them hydroed. I have nine tanks and it'll cost a small fortune to replace them all.
Just wondering about the local regulations. Can you legally dive anywhere that is publicly accessible and do you always need a dive flag?
Almity1 - nice site!!
It all sounds too good to be true.
Need to find out if it is going to be cheaper bringing over my tanks and getting them hydroed. I have nine tanks and it'll cost a small fortune to replace them all.
Just wondering about the local regulations. Can you legally dive anywhere that is publicly accessible and do you always need a dive flag?
Almity1 - nice site!!
Frog Dive also do the deep dives as well as the recreational on their boat, an inflatable
It is recommended that you use a Flag, but in 95% of cases you do not use it.
There are places you do not dive.
Kirribilli House where the prime ministers residence in Sydney opposite the Opera House, but you wouldn't do it even if you were allowed to, Sydney Airport Foreshore and the Kurnell Refinery Pier which is opposite.
almitywife
Vegemite Mod
edit: bugger - hubby and i posting at the same time 
i wouldnt even know where to start to get your tanks with the correct markings/stamps. its not just a matter of getting them hydro'd - its the actual australian standard markings they need but thats all i know about the subject sorry. of course, if you have your own compressor then it wont be an issue
im guessing sydney dive academy will become your lds (peter i think is his name & ive heard good things about him) so maybe contact him direct for some tank advice.
local regulatations here. you must have a c card to get fills - not that ive been asked for a c card in the past 10yrs as once the dive op remembers youre face they dont ask. Currently fills cost about $9 i think but a fill card should make it a bit cheaper
yes you can dive anywhere that is publically accessable - EXCEPT gordons bay ocean pool during daylight saving/summer/daylight because years ago a diver got a bit hands on with some girls so we all suffer now but although a interesting dive, youre not missing out on much as in winter it can be done anytime and in summer it can be dived after sundown. at clifton gardens (muck dive) there is a area that is military but i havent heard of any issues for a while (hubby once had the seals with plastic rubber guns shoo him away out of the area)
and you dont need a dive flag - it might be advisable in some places where there is alot of boat traffic (ie, camp cove at christmas.early jan) but most weekend warriors of the sea dont know what it means and only 3 weeks ago i saw a boat drive right over a dive flag in a no boat zone so there are idiots everywhere. hubby and i have never with a dive flag.
seriously, sydney diving is easy - put stuff in car, a small drive, park, gear up and hop in. the hardest bit is some of the parking costs at some sites. we're lucky as we have dozens of shore dives with a bit of something for everyone without high costs of boat dives.
and remember, we do have a winter and it does get cold so dont think its sunny & hot all the time - right now i its 10C or about 50F
any questions - ask away
cheers
i wouldnt even know where to start to get your tanks with the correct markings/stamps. its not just a matter of getting them hydro'd - its the actual australian standard markings they need but thats all i know about the subject sorry. of course, if you have your own compressor then it wont be an issue
im guessing sydney dive academy will become your lds (peter i think is his name & ive heard good things about him) so maybe contact him direct for some tank advice.
local regulatations here. you must have a c card to get fills - not that ive been asked for a c card in the past 10yrs as once the dive op remembers youre face they dont ask. Currently fills cost about $9 i think but a fill card should make it a bit cheaper
yes you can dive anywhere that is publically accessable - EXCEPT gordons bay ocean pool during daylight saving/summer/daylight because years ago a diver got a bit hands on with some girls so we all suffer now but although a interesting dive, youre not missing out on much as in winter it can be done anytime and in summer it can be dived after sundown. at clifton gardens (muck dive) there is a area that is military but i havent heard of any issues for a while (hubby once had the seals with plastic rubber guns shoo him away out of the area)
and you dont need a dive flag - it might be advisable in some places where there is alot of boat traffic (ie, camp cove at christmas.early jan) but most weekend warriors of the sea dont know what it means and only 3 weeks ago i saw a boat drive right over a dive flag in a no boat zone so there are idiots everywhere. hubby and i have never with a dive flag.
seriously, sydney diving is easy - put stuff in car, a small drive, park, gear up and hop in. the hardest bit is some of the parking costs at some sites. we're lucky as we have dozens of shore dives with a bit of something for everyone without high costs of boat dives.
and remember, we do have a winter and it does get cold so dont think its sunny & hot all the time - right now i its 10C or about 50F
any questions - ask away
cheers
Good move, Sydney diving is great all year around.
-Malabar is not far (5mn by car) from La Perouse (Bare Island) top site in Sydney.
-“both beach and wreck diving”
What about diving a reck from the shore 
-I am almost certain your tank will be useless here. Unless they have an OZ stamp shops will not fill them.
yoke and DIN both are OK
-“What can I expect to see in the way of wildlife?”
YES, small and big Alain's Site - Photos
Have a look at this site.
Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving Web Site
PS: you will need to pass a new PADI specialty and learn to dive upside-down and on the left side.
-Malabar is not far (5mn by car) from La Perouse (Bare Island) top site in Sydney.
-“both beach and wreck diving”
What about diving a reck from the shore 
-I am almost certain your tank will be useless here. Unless they have an OZ stamp shops will not fill them.
yoke and DIN both are OK
-“What can I expect to see in the way of wildlife?”
YES, small and big Alain's Site - Photos
Have a look at this site.
Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving Web Site
PS: you will need to pass a new PADI specialty and learn to dive upside-down and on the left side.
aMc10
Contributor
Hi Far_x, I just moved down here myself a few months back. As Saspotato said, buying scuba gear here is hideously expensive, so if there are any new toys you've had your eye on, it'd be worth picking them up before you move.
If you can't bring the tanks, there's a place in Perth that sells them for very reasonable prices and will ship them free to Sydney. As for the capacities, the 232 bar steel tanks that you get here are roughly equivalent to HP tanks in the US. I don't believe we have an equivalent to the LP tanks. We also have 300 bar tanks which I don't think you can get in the US. Standard 232 bar tanks sizes (at least in the Fabers, which are pretty common here):
7l~=75cuft
10.5l ~= 85cuft
12.2l ~= 100cuft
15l ~=125cuft
18l ~=150cuft
If you can't bring the tanks, there's a place in Perth that sells them for very reasonable prices and will ship them free to Sydney. As for the capacities, the 232 bar steel tanks that you get here are roughly equivalent to HP tanks in the US. I don't believe we have an equivalent to the LP tanks. We also have 300 bar tanks which I don't think you can get in the US. Standard 232 bar tanks sizes (at least in the Fabers, which are pretty common here):
7l~=75cuft
10.5l ~= 85cuft
12.2l ~= 100cuft
15l ~=125cuft
18l ~=150cuft
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