I can now see why my mate Andy fell in love with this area. It wasn't immediately obvious for me; mainly because it takes me 2 trains and an expensive taxi to get here, and then another hour wandering around trying to find somewhere to stay. At least i get to meet nearly everyone in the village (are you local?). It's the weekend, and it's a popular place to have a break - i guess that's why they close public transport at lunchtime.
Jervis Bay is an area about 2 hours south of Sydney (if you drive), the beaches are allegedly the whitest in the world, the water is apparently beautifully clear, there are nature parks and reserves and there's a sort of small seaside town feel to the place. The weather is awful and being the weekend a lot of places close early. However I've got a little apartment (I'm being kind to it - more like shack), it's more than my daily budget, but I'm out of choices and the thought of my own space is enough to make me not care. I've got my own bathroom, a little kitchen, a lounge and a TV, good music, a bottle shop across the road and I've organised diving for tomorrow. Fantastic!
The diving turns out to be not fantastic. My buddy is a guy who speaks English, but doesn't seem to want to use it. I struggle to find out he's done all his diving in the Red Sea...he's in for a shock...we both are. The water is a very cold 18C, i swallow half the bay because i can't close my mouth. i can't close my mouth because i can't stop swearing. My buddy is also a guy who forgets to tell you important things, like the fact he has problems equalising and he's a complete air pig. The water is choppy, the current fairly strong and we don't hang around on the surface. A quick OK to each other and then we descend. At 25m i wait at the bottom, visibility is fairly bad but i can see him descending. I wait with most of the group, who are waiting for a divemaster to 'show' them around. 8 minutes later and my buddy finally descends...and then ignores or doesn't see me. 20 minutes after this and he's low on air! I've been waiting around at 25m and I've still got over half a tank left...incredible (him not me). During that 8 minutes i witnessed divers who were apparently on speed, 1 lose his weight belt for the second time and shoot up like a cork from 25m, and a leafy sea dragon. I wouldn't have noticed it except the weight belt nearly landed on it. I then couldn't go near it because of too many divers with too little control, and these are all experienced divers?! I saw very little on the short dive, and the water was so cold i started to get hypothermia. Perhaps it was a blessing my buddy greedily used all his air. The only saving grace was that a family of humpback whales decided to breach in the bay. That will save me $40 for a trip. Another 'highlight' was a guy being ill over the side of the boat. His girlfriend pats him on the back and asks him if he wants some water. He turns around to answer her, and at that exact moment a huge wave comes over the side of the boat and soaks him...very funny. Aren't i cruel :)
Apart from the diving which was really frustrating, i really enjoyed my few days. It was good to be away from the usual backpacker haunts.
