Nothing But Adventure

Wednesday 19 February 2014

Scuba Diving The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World thanks to its incredible size and scale. It is in fact the largest coral reef system known in the world, followed by the New Caledonia Barrier Reef.

This large coral reef systems support a wide and varied expanse of wildlife. The abundance of wildlife found here in and around the reef may be permanent residents or travel great distances to reach this Great Barrier Reef.

Marine species include thirty different species of whales, dolphins and porpoises which include the dwarf minke, humpback whales and the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. Many tours to either see these creatures from the boat or to snorkel close by to them are available in season around the reef.

Humpback Whale

6 species of turtle are also found in and around the islands of the reef which include specific species like the loggerhead, leatherback, flatback, Olive Ridley and the green sea turtle. Further north in the hottest most humid parts of Australia also has salt water crocodiles living in the marsh and mangrove forests.

Throughout the entire reef over 125 species of sharks and rays are found, plus even 9 species of the sea horse family.

As you can see there is plenty of marine life here at the Great Barrier Reef and it’s for this reason that is a mecca for Scuba Divers. Diving the Barrier Reef is available from both Cairns and Port Douglas on the mainland as well as from many of the island resorts which includes Daydream and Hamilton Island.

-- Dive The Great BarrierReef --

Over 2 million tourists descend upon the Great Barrier Reef for scuba diving, snorkelling and taking leisurely cruise in and around the reef’s reach. Keep in mind however you can scuba dive within 24 hours of flying so when you’re booking your tour for a scuba dive ensure you make it somewhere in the middle of your trip.

Snorkelling the reef is a great alternative for those who don’t want to scuba dive or are only there for a short time. Some of the reefs are fairly shallow allowing plenty of access to the reefs and fish below. The Outer Reef is probably the most well known snorkelling areas of the reef.

The Great Barrier Reef contains over 2,900 reefs and 900 islands so there is plenty to see on a scuba diving expedition. The hardest part is choosing where to dive.

Look for a group tour that takes you out of the main areas to get a unique experience but ensure that the company is reputable – you can find tours of the Great Barrier Reef here.

For a truly unique experience there is a new popular form of diving where even uncertified divers can take up. This phenomenon is Helmet Diving. Basically you put on a scuba suit with a helmet that looks kinda like something an astronaut would where in space then you literally walk around the reef. I tried this out in Hawaii’s Sea Life Park and must admit it was one amazing adventure underwater we played Frisbee, fed the eagle ray and ripped up lettuce above our helmets and watched as the fish would frenzy all around.

Whether you scuba dive or snorkel or even helmet dive the reef you are guarantee of abundance in wildlife and they will never be dull moment under water.

-- Dive The Great Barrier Reef –

Daniel Hardie

Nothing But Adventure

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Swim With Great Whites In Their Natural Environment

Great White are the largest predatory sharks found in our planets oceans. They are large, powerful and very efficient hunters that can be found almost right around the world’s oceans.

And although they are powerful creatures and effective hunters the Great White is actually a threatened species that are meant to be protected in Australian Waters. If you are following the story about the WA Shark Cull then you know they aren’t as protected as the world would like.

Great Whites are widely feared by the human population and this is mostly due to Hollywood and propaganda that these creatures are nothing more than mindless killers.

To witness how untrue this is for yourself you need to visit the Great White in their natural habitat. Getting into a shark cage and seeing these sharks up close truly is a fulfilling experience and will most likely be an eye opener as to how these Great Whites act around humans and fish in general.

It certainly was for me when I headed over to Cape Town, South Africa for my own Shark Diving Experience. On my trip I was lucky enough to swim right next to 4 different great whites ranging from sizes starting a 2.5 metres to just over 4 metres. Let me tell you – a shark over 4 metres is absolutely incredible to see just an arm’s length away underwater.

One thing that was obvious that day was the fact that these sharks were ONLY interested in the fish – not the humans in the cage. The only interaction made with any of these great whites was the largest, more aggressive shark, but he didn’t bite on the cage… Nope he just gave the cage a little tail flick as if saying ‘get away from my tuna’. Nothing more than that.

But you don’t have to visit South Africa to experience a swim with Great Whites in their natural habitat, here in Australia we also have these tours. The shark diving experience is found in Port Lincoln, South Australia taking a short cruise through the Thorny Passage where you will see a tonne of sea-birds and may even spot some dolphins swimming around the boat.

The shark dive is a full day trip and full of excitement, adventure and picturesque scenery. I can guarantee you will have an awesome day out when the sharks turn up to play and you get the opportunity to swim with these endangered species.

Don’t be afraid, become aware… Swim With Great Whites Here

Daniel Hardie

Nothing But Adventure

Click Here For Shark Diving Adventres

Monday 17 February 2014

Win A Bungee Experience In Cairns

Attention Adrenalin Junkies – Enter and Win A Bungee Jumping Experience that will make your friends green with envy….

If you’re the adventurous, thrill-seeking type then come and join Nothing But Adventure – Each and every month were giving away Australian Adventures.

This Month: WIN Bungee Jumping in Cairns. Imagine the look on your friends faces when they see your bravery, jumping off the ledge in an adventure that you will never forget.

It’s Simple To Enter

1. First visit www.nothingbutadventure.com.au/win.html

2. Enter your details into the fields provided

3. Confirm that it is you who wants this adventure of a lifetime

Winners of the competition will be notified via email and will have 7 days to confirm their winnings. A voucher will then be supplied which gives you 12 months to use.

… And better yet, if you don’t want this particular adventure you can exchange the value for credit to book whatever it is you want.

Enter now at www.nothingbutadventure.com.au/win.html.... If you’re brave enough that is.

Attention Adrenalin Junkies - Enter and WIN a Bungee Jumping Experience In Cairns. Voucher valid for 12 months and can be exchanged for credit.

Plus every month you are with Nothing But Adventure you automatically go in the draw for each months prize.

Enter now at www.nothingbutadventure.com.au/win.html

Daniel Hardie

Nothing But Adventure

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Thursday 13 February 2014

Swim With Whale Sharks - The Gentle Giants Of The Sea

Whale Sharks are known as the gentle giants of the sea

They are the largest, yet friendliest of all the shark species, growing up to incredible lengths of around 10 to 12 metres (33-40 foot. ) however in some cases they have been known to get to sizes of 18 metres (60 foot).

They swim at slow speeds in warm coastal waters travelling the world’s oceans. Their diet is more like whales as they are filter feeders eating plankton unlike their shark relatives.

And although Whale Sharks are mostly nomadic, during a certain time of year these gigantic sharks head to Australia’s western coastlines and can often been seen congregating in groups, feeding on the plankton during this season.

-- Swim With Whale Sharks At Ningaloo Reef –

Each year between April and July the Whale Sharks enter the coastlines and into the Ningaloo Reef which is located close by to Exmouth, 1200 kilometres north of Perth. It is also one of the few places around the world that you can actually experience this swim, getting right up to the gentles giants as they feed on plankton.

Apart from being able to enjoy the swim with the Whale Sharks, the reef itself offers abundant marine life which includes large manta rays, sea turtles, dugongs, dolphins and depending on the time of year the possibility of seeing humpback, minke and southern right whales. About 500 species of fish and 300 varieties of coral makes it a vibrant and bustling underwater city that needs to be seen up close.

The tours out to the Whale Sharks each year between April and July fill up very quickly, due to the limited season of their visit. So now is the best time to organise your trip to Ningaloo if you want to secure your spot for this year.

It’s a unique and rare experience that may not be available in years to come. So don’t delay and visit Western Australia’s most famous reef at Ningaloo and Swim With The Whale Sharks.

-- Book Now – Whale Shark Swim –

If you are unable to get over to the Australia’s West Coast there are many more wildlife viewing tours all around Australia. Some of my picks are below;

Crocasaurus Cove –‘Cage of Death’ – Darwin, Northern Territory

If you are daring enough you can now get the opportunity to swim with the world’s most effective predators… the Saltwater Crocodile. You are in a glass cage of course but this gets you in the croc tank and you will come face to face with these killer crocs.

Swim With Great Whites – Port Lincoln, South Australia

Another effective predator that frequents Australia are the Great White Sharks and here in Port Lincoln you can get in the shark cage and see these magnificent hunters up close and in their natural environment.

Dive The GreatBarrier Reef – Tropical North Queensland

The great Barrier Reef is one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World and is so because of its abundant wildlife and amazing eco-system that support both marine life and aquatic plantlife. The area also includes protected bird areas including many nesting sea birds that visit throughout the year. The area is vast and covers many reefs and outer islands so no matter how many times you visit the reef there will always be something new and exciting to experience.

Witness The HumpbackWhale Migration – NSW

Each year humpback whales travel down the Australian east coast either heading too the cooler waters of Antarctica or headed back up north to the tropical waters. These whales are playful and love to make splash with the crowds that gather to witness their migration. There are plenty of places to view the whales which includes Sydney and the Gold Coast. But they asre best seen around Jervis bay, Hervey Bay and Byron Bay on the mid to north coast of NSW.

Swim With Dolphinsand Seals – Melbourne, Victoria

Dolphins and seals are always the main attraction for visitors to all sorts of sea-life parks. Here in Melbourne however you can swim with a pod of wild dolphins and get up close to seals getting to see how they interact with each other, how they hunt and how they also interact with us humans. Booking a dolphin swim at a sea-life park is also worth the visit and these available in the Gold Coast but for a real adventure there is nothing better than a swim with dolphins and seals in the wild.

For all Wildlife Tours In Australia – Click Here

Daniel Hardie

WIN Aussie Adventures – Every Month

www.NothingButAdventure.com.au

Wednesday 12 February 2014

The Deep World Of Scuba Diving

Delve into the depth of the oceans – An almost alien world and the last place on Earth to be fully explored.

Scuba diving is fun and exciting hobby taken up hundreds of thousands all over the world. It’s a versatile sport, hobby and adventure that can be tailored to fit your needs.

For fishermen scuba diving provides the perfect hunting grounds and advantages by diving deep, seeing and/or chasing your catch with your spear gun in hand. For explorers scuba diving provides never before explored areas especially in underwater cave systems as well as its ever changing seascape.

For marine and wildlife lovers the world of oceans is by far the most abundant and varied. There are so many different species that us humans already know and so many more that have not yet been discovered.

There is no exact figure on the species however it is estimated that over 40,000 different species are found in the waters of the world… and that’s just fish species. For all marine life it is believed that there are over 230,000 species.

There are also many other reasons why people go scuba diving and it could be even more simple than the reasons above. Perhaps they enjoy the skill – navigation, search and rescue, etc, or maybe the fitness that comes with the active adventure. Others may also just enjoy the feeling of weightlessness – I must admit it wasn’t on my mind the first time I went but once your deep enough the weightlessness feeling is incredible.

-- Book Your Scuba Diving Adventure Today --

Mystery Island - Vanuatu

Scuba Diving is especially popular on tropical islands as there are many more fish in the one spot than say under the ice in Greenland. The South Pacific, Hawaii, Maldives and other islands of Africa and even South America offer some of the best dive sites in the world.

On top of my list would have to include the Great Barrier Reef in Australia – It is a Seventh Wonder after all. Next on my scuba diving bucket list would also include the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador which has some of the world’s most unique and rare marine life.

To start scuba diving yourself you need to obtain Scuba Diving Certification known as the Open Water Licence. This is done over a few days where you learn the theory, the safety precautions and all the need to know information about the equipment you’ll be using. Once this has been complete the rest of the course are practice dives – firstly in a pool and then moving on to the ocean.

From here Advanced Open Water certifications can be obtains as well as a whole range of other dive course which includes underwater photography, navigation, search and rescue, dry suit diving, underwater naturalists and some of the other more popular recreational dive courses, listed below;

Wreck Diving

Wreck diving allows you to circle and enter certain wrecks including ships and planes. This adds to the skills of the scuba diving as well as provides an interesting story within history, yet another reason to scuba dive.

Sunken Aircraft - Honolulu - Hawaii

Cave Diving

The world is full of underwater cave systems that are being explored by daring scuba divers. This dive course requires some very serious skills training which includes navigation, dealing with difficult situations – like getting your gear caught on rocks within the cave and finding your way through the cave in the dark.

Ice Diving

Ice diving is something that is becoming more and more popular due to its exclusivity. Tours are found in Canada, Baffin Island, Greenland and other Arctic based destinations. While on the surface it may appear that nothing could live the ice and even when you first enter the water. It doesn’t take long though that you will begin to see some of the rarest and most beautiful creatures that live within these harsh waters.

Ice Diving

You could of course add a whole arsenal of scuba diving certification to your name and perhaps become a dive master or scuba dive instructor once you’ve clocked up the hours. At the very least it’s one of the most fun, adventure filled jobs you get.

No matter what your reasons are and your interests – scuba diving has plenty to offer you. So I suggest you at least try out your open water certification.

Daniel Hardie

Nothing But Adventure

Tuesday 11 February 2014

Doing Our Bit For Shark Conservation - Save Our Sharks With Shark Diving Holidays

I’m here and willing to help support and save our sharks and the environment they live in.

If you have been following the news and social media posts then you know that the world of sharks is in some serious trouble thanks to the WA Shark Cull which continues to catch and kill any shark larger than 3 metres. This includes the threatened species of Great Whites.

There are plenty of supporters rallying against the WA government and are desperately trying to help as much as they can. There are plenty of Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and charities that all aim to get this message across and to make a difference.

With your help we can make a difference. And here is just one simple way to show your support for our beloved shark populations.

A couple of months back I wrote an eBook – ‘Shark Diving Holidays’ and eBook describing the adventures I've had shark diving around the world which includes South Africa, Hawaii and in Australia plus provides information on shark species in general.

For every eBook sold I will be donating $1 to the Australian Marine Conservation Society, one of the biggest protesters against the WA governments cull..

Who Are AMCS?

The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) is the voice for Australia's oceans. We work on behalf of the community to protect our ocean wildlife, make our fisheries sustainable and create places in the sea where our precious ocean animals are safe from harm.

AMCS is an independent charity. We are a committed group of professional and passionate scientists, educators and advocates who have defended Australia's oceans for over forty years.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society is Australia's only national charity dedicated exclusively to protecting ocean wildlife and their homes

How Can You Participate?

Shark Diving Holidays is sold on www.ebooksabouttravel.com as well as all the major retailers; Barnes & Noble, Diesel eBooks, Amazon Kindle, iBooks, iTunes and more.

Simply purchase the eBook at any of these retailers and I’ll add a $1 per book to the AMCS at the end of each month.

The AMSC also takes donations online at their website http://www.marineconservation.org.au/ or if you prefer to do a one-off donation then I recommend using www.givenow.com.au.

There are also plenty of charities out there that help and support sharks and I will provide a list of these charities in an upcoming post. I’ve chosen AMCS because they currently have the loudest voice for our world’s oceans which strongly supports our sharks.

-- > Purchase Shark Diving Holidays Here < --

Daniel Hardie - Nothing But Adventure

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Support and Save Our Sharks - 7 Shark Saving Heroes

The support for our Sharks, Marine Environments and their protection is huge and there are many places where you too can participate.

Not only are there plenty of Facebook and other social media pages that you could follow, share and comment on to voice your opinion but there are also many charities where you can donate or even get involved with to show your support.

Earlier today Nothing But Adventure also made a commitment to donate a dollar to the Australian Marine Conservation Society for every ‘Shark Diving Holidays’ eBook sold.