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 

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

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

Your One-Stop Shop For All Things Adventure

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  

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 

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

WIN Australian Adventures Every Month

Click Here To WIN

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. 

Read More About Saving Sharks Here.

Below I’ve listed 7 Charities that are supporting the cause and where you too can donate or get involved.

Australian Marine Conservation Society

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. 

Project Aware

Project AWARE Foundation are calling all supporters and PADI members to support underwater conservation. Why? 100,000 marine mammals including dolphins, whales, seals and sea turtles choke or get tangled in debris every year. And 86 percent of all sea turtles are affected by marine debris. 

Western Australians For Shark Conservation

Western Australians for Shark Conservation (WASC) is a Perth based Shark Conservation group formed in 2011 to promote the conservation of endangered shark species, an education, research and prevention approach to shark attacks, and to bring about the rescinding of the Western Australian State Governments recent Shark Mitigation strategy, the Imminent Threat Policy and the W.A Shark Cull.

Conservation Council of Western Australia

The Conservation Council of Western Australia (CCWA) is the States foremost non-profit, non-government conservation organisation. We are WAs peak environment and sustainability group with over 90 member groups and have been an outspoken advocate for conservation and a sustainable WA for over 45 years

Sea Life Conservation

SLCF is dedicated to conserving the marine environment by funding research and educational projects that will help protect and restore threatened species and habitats.

Shark Savers

Shark Savers is dedicated to saving sharks and mantas through building awareness, education, and action.

World Wildlife Fund

WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.

Save Us Here

Daniel Hardie - Nothing But Adventure

Help Save Our Sharks - Click Here 

37,449 Deaths By Man-Made Killers Compared To 5 Deaths Caused By Sharks

Sharks - Many are afraid of them and yes they are built with all the bells and whistles of an effective predator... but are they the mindless killers that Hollywood directors and the Western Australian governments make them out to be.

The answer is NO! They are not mindless killers, just predators that rule Earth's oceans (not the human's ocean's).

I found these stats on social media - I can't confirm the exact numbers listed here but the stats will shock you...

-- You May Even Be Safer In The Water -- 

On Average;

• 5 People Are Killed By Sharks
• 6 People Are Killed By Roller-Coasters
• 13 People Are Killed By Vending Machines 
• 20 People Are Killed By Football 
• 30 People Are Killed By Ants 
• 30 People Are Killed By Dogs in USA Alone
• 40 People Are Killed By Jellyfish - especially in Australia
• 60 People Are Killed By Tornadoes
• 70 ChildrenAre Killed By Hot Dogs
• 100 People Are Killed By Icicles in Russia Alone
• 130 People Are Killed By Deer - Yes you read correctly! 
• 340 People Are Killed By Bathtubs 
• 450 People Are Killed By Falling Out Of Bed
• 550 People Are Killed By Shopping On Black Friday
• 845 People Are Killed By Volcanoes 
• 2,900 People Are Killed By Hippos
• 6,000 People Are Killed By Texting
• 10,000 People Are Killed By Lightning
• 30,000 People Are Killed By Obesity

So there you have it. Sharks aren't so bad after all! 

Instead of culling sharks for the few attacks per year maybe we should be looking at man-made killers first. 

Let's Cull The Following;

• Junk Food 
• Text Message Capability On Mobile Phones 
• Shopping Deals On Black Friday 
• Beds That Are Too High 
• Bathtubs
• Hot Dogs 
• Football 
• Vending Machines 
• Roller Coasters

That alone works out to 37,449 deaths annually by Man-Made Killers compared to the 5 deaths annually by Sharks...  

That would mean that it would take sharks 7,490 years to catch up to just one year of man-made objects causing fatalities.

So next time you look at vending machine, be afraid... be very afraid.

Safe and Sound

What You Can Do To Help

1. Join one or more of the protest/shark friendly pages on Facebook like 'Friends of Sharks', 'Shark Debate WA'. Then share/like the protests posts and photos. 

Even follow the protests from Richard Branson and Ricky Gervais who are strongly opposed to the cull. 

2. Post your disgust at the WA government and your love for sharks on your social media accounts. You can make a difference. 

3. Book yourself into a shark dive. Once you've seen these amazing creatures up close you'll soon realise how hyped up the media's propaganda is. Book A Shark Dive Here 

4. Keep an eye out for even more protests - as the WA doesn't seem to care about the Australian people. Keep it peaceful but make your voice heard. 

Daniel Hardie
Nothing But Adventure 

Shark Diving With Galapagos Sharks In Hawaii

This week there has been a serious focus on sharks in the environment as the recent slaughtering of large sharks in Western Australia continues to take place.

Protest around Australia and New Zealand erupted which was fantastic to see and even celebrities like Ricky Gervais and Richard Branson have spoken out about the WA shark cull.

To read my rant about the cull - Click Here.

In the spirit of sharks I wanted to revisit a video I took in Honolulu, Hawaii a few years back. Here we took a tour out to the islands North Shore for a shark dive adventure with a school of Galapagos Sharks.

These sharks are mid-depth sharks that follow fishing boats in the area looking for a free feed.

Watch how they frenzy around the cage in this short video. 

Shark Diving with Galapagos Sharks was an awesome experience. Shark diving with these mid depth was a completely different experience to swimming with Great Whites in South Africa.

Think you're brave enough for your own Shark Diving Adventure? Nothing But Adventure is your one stop shop for all things adventure. Click Here to secure your spot today.

Daniel Hardie
Nothing But Adventure

Cull The Politicians and Shark-Fishermen - NOT The Sharks

Leave These Guys Alone

The Western Australian government has decided that a shark culling program is necessary in their state regardless of what the Australian public say.

The policy was brought in by Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett - now nicknamed to 'Cullin' Barnett which allows 'professional' fishermen (I call them mercenaries/assassins/mindless killers) to capture and kill any sharks over 3 metres found 1km within Perth Beaches.

This includes the threatened species - The Great White.

The shark culling decision has divided society with the majority of Australian tax payers being against this horrific and brutal slaying of sharks - NOT that the government cares about the people.

The first shark was captured and killed on Australia Day which makes me sick to the bone. This is not the wildlife loving Australia I was brought up in.

The government promised that sharks over 3 metres  would be killed and any smaller in size the shark would be released. That didn't last long as the first 2 metre Tiger Shark has since been killed.

Protesters in blue and white colours packed beaches all around Australia with the biggest protest being held at Cottesloe Beach in Perth attracting around 6,000 people.

Manly Beach in Sydney gathered around 2,000 strong protesting the cull including shark victims themselves protesting the kills. A shark victim can forgive them why can't the governments - unless it has everything to do about money (from tourism). Greed seems to always win.

Let me go on record that if I was ever to be killed or attacked by a shark I would not condone the slaughter of the animal and that goes for any animals. I would haunt those assassins for the rest of their lives.

What the pro-culling supporters don't seem to realise is that we (humans) are part of the eco-system whether we think we're civilised and above all other wildlife or not.

If you decide to climb Mt Everest and die on your trek is the government going to cut the mountain down? 

If you go in the wild you should accept the risk you're taking and be responsible for your own actions. Most surfers, scuba divers and snorkelling know this already.

I've been shark diving a number of times and have never had a shark nibble or attack us or the cage. They want their normal diet not humans... unless they're desperate or find easy prey then they may not be that picky.

But it was us who have and still are over-fishing which has seriously diminished their natural diet. 

They need to eat... just like us. What if cows and chickens decided to cull humans? Unrealistic but no different to the WA governments approach.

I think the Western Australian government is no better and no less ruthless than the Japanese Whalers. How can the Australian government support the anti-whaling laws and then become hypocrites by culling sharks.

For this reason I think the politicians and shark-fishermen should be the ones culled not the innocent sharks.

Please Leave These Guys Alone

What You Should Do

1. Join one or more of the protest/shark friendly pages on Facebook like 'Friends of Sharks', 'Shark Debate WA'. Then share/like the protests posts and photos. 

Even follow the protests from Richard Branson and Ricky Gervais who are strongly opposed to the cull. 

2. Post your disgust at the WA government and your love for sharks on your social media accounts. You can make a difference. 

3. Book yourself into a shark dive. Once you've seen these amazing creatures up close you'll soon realise how hyped up the media's propaganda is. Book A Shark Dive Here 

4. Keep an eye out for even more protests - as the WA doesn't seem to care about the Australian people. Keep it peaceful but make your voice heard. 

I'll also be blogging about sharks and other wildlife injustices for the next little while. 

Daniel Hardie

www.NothingButAdventure.com.au
Your One Stop Shop For All Things Adventure

Abseiling The Cascade Waterfalls In Port Vila

The last adventure tour I want to share with you that I took up on my honeymoon with Carnival Cruises is the abseiling tour I completed in Port Vila.

Abseiling in general is a fun and thrilling adventure which does take some guts and nerves of steal. I have been abseiling only once before this trip which was in the Blue Mountains which was roughly a 10 metre cliff face.

You can see all the Blue Mountain Abseiling Adventures here.

However on this trip with Carnival Cruises to the beautiful South Pacific, my wife and I took it a step further. This time we were going to abseil down 50 metres, that's 5 times the height I've tried before.

Not only was there the height to deal with, but the rushing waters of the famous Cascade Waterfalls. Yikes.

Meeting area for Cascade Waterfalls

I must admit before we got on the cruise my wife and I were most excited about this adventures above all the others mentioned throughout these recent blog posts.

On the morning of the tour however I was started to feel anxious and nervous. I'm not overly comfortable with open heights and 50 metres, with rushing water and sharp edged rocks below was not making this easy for me.

But I managed to break past this anxiety and headed to the tour. On my last visit to Port Vila (when I actually proposed) we went to visit and swim under the beautiful Cascade Waterfalls. The scenery and the waters were so amazing that we just had to go back. But we wanted to step up our game.

We arrived at the family meeting point and kiosk and headed over to the gear already set up. Word of warning... you DO want to wear shorts that at least almost touch your knees. I had to laugh at the few people who had short-shorts on and the harnesses would uncomfortably catch their skin.

As the Cascades were high up the mountainside we had a bit of hike to reach the top through thick rain forest. The climb is doable and the tour operators will allow you a break so it is achievable, it just isn't overly easy.

The sites from on top of the mountain give you panoramic views of Port Vila and the islands that are found just off the shorelines and in the distance. One of these islands includes Hideaway Island which is amazing for scuba diving.

Once we reached the top we had a quick safety briefing explain the ropes and how to use both your hands and feet on the wall.

The first abseil was down an 8 metres practice cliff and into the pool below. As it is the first abseil of the day (there are 2) most of us were nervous even thoguh the height was next to nothing when compared with the cascades.

We all went down one by one with the instructors shouting out the techniques we should be using. My downfall was not leaning back far enough and I wouldn't let my grip go on the supporting rope.

Once the instructors knew we were all ready for the big drop we started over to the Cascade Waterfall.

Thankfully the initial drop off wasn't as steep as I thought it would be and it made it hard to look all the way down the 50 metres. It was more of a slow step backwards until eventually you were vertical.

As nervous as I was I decided to head down... I didn't really want to climb back down the steep mountainside we just came up so this was pretty much the only way down now.

There were 3 stopping places were more staff were waiting and would tie you up to the next set of ropes. The first third was actually not so bad. The water wasn't as strong here and the climb was pretty much straight down.

On the second one however the water was on our path, at least around our feet and ankles. It was here that I decided I must be at least half way down and decided to look behind me for the first time.... we were no where near the bottom so that wasn't the best idea and just added to the nerves.

On the next and last tier of our abseil the path took us right under the flow of water covering us head to toe in the fast moving falls. As scary as I thought this would be it was actually the funnest part of the adventure.

This last tier was also the biggest, probably around 25 metres to reach the water hole below were everyone else who finished the abseil cheer the remaining groups on.

Although the experience made me nervous and anxious, reaching the bottom in one piece made it one fo the most rewarding adventures of my life time. I had so much adrenalin pumping through my veins that I was keen on going up again.

I'll definitely be looking at other abseiling adventures that I could do in Australia so that I can work on my skills and to build up those nerves.

Daniel Hardie
Rock Climbing and Abseiling Adventures

Zego Sea Safari and The Blue Hole - Santo

Next our the list of islands to visit on our Carnival cruise trip to the South Pacific was Santos Espiritu, or simply Santo.

I was so excited to finally visit this part of Vanuatu it is the next biggest and most populated part of Vanuatu apart from Port Vila so it is much lively than some of the other islands we had visited.

What makes Santo so special though is the famous shipwreck found here. The SS President Coolidge's grave is found here and was sunken by a friendly mine.

On this trip however I didn't take a wreck dive to the ship. I was on my honeymoon after all and my wife didn't have her dive licence.

But instead of doing nothing at Santo we decided to take a Zego Sea Safari not far from where the Coolidge lies. A zego is pretty much a tiny speed boat, almost like a jet ski. They have plenty of power and was something that looked like a lot of fun.

This tour was run from the beach front resort and they own around 4 of the zegos. We were definitely excited to hit up some speed boats and take a break from the snorkelling that we did on all the other islands.

Unfortunately for us 2 of the zegos weren't working, so we were unable to get on. We were obviously dissapointed but the owner basically told us he will give us a refund and while the two other couples were able to have a go we were able to get in his speed boat while he gave us a tour and the history of Santo itself.

After about 10 minutes we saw another zego heading our way... the hotel staff were able to fix one of the zego and we were finally able to have our turn. Awesome. We got to speed past the Carnival Spirit and around other ship wrecks past the villages.

Although it was a short tour it was a nice break from snorkelling and extensive physical exercise. I love the speed of these zegos and it was well worth the trip out there.

On our way back to the ship we ran into a group of people we meet on the Carnival Spirit and took a cab with them. We had no idea where we going exactly but we ended up at nice little river end. The water was nice here and was surrounded by rainforest.

The above picture is where we got on our canoes and this spot was beautiful in itself... but this was nothing to where we were headed. The Blue Hole.

This place had the most surreal looking water I don't think I could do it any justice in words. Even the photos below probably don't give the colour the justice it truly deserves.

The canoe dropped us all off at this spot and we were able to swim in the blue waters as well as use the rope swing already set up.

In the next post I'll be taking through the next adventure I took. This next adventures was one of the most extreme things I have ever tried and I was able to take this adventure in Port Vila.

I hope you enjoyed these images of Santo. I do recommend that if you ever take a cruise to the South Pacific to ensure it includes this island. This was just 2 different tours and adventures I took but who knows how many wonders are left for discovery. Like the SS President Coolidge wreck dive for example.

I'll definitely be heading back to Santo, perhaps this time for a week or so.

Daniel Hardie

Nothing But Adventure

Join Us & WIN Australian Adventures Every Month - WIN HERE

Snorkelling Vanuatu and Isle of Pines

In the previous post I mentioned my honeymoon on Carnival Cruises - Carnival Spirit to be specific. On this 11 night cruise we were privileged enough to visit 5 very beautiful islands in the South Pacific.

Each and every one of these destinations had fantastic snorkelling - a particular favorite past time of mine. The waters were completely clear, clean (something us Sydney folk aren't used to) as well as abundant with fish.

Our first island was the Isle of Pines - an island belonging to French Polynesia in New Caledonia.

What I loved about this place was that it forms just a small part of the New Caledonia Barrier Reef - the second biggest barrier reef in the world. Second only to Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

When arriving onto the Isle of Pines you can walk just a short way up from the wharf to a lagoon just opposite. This here has plenty of fish itself particularly around the sacred rock.

P.S sacred means don't touch and definitely don't climb - the local people may throw rocks at you or even attack you. The sacred rock has significant meaning to the lives of the locals so please follow this one rule.

This spot here isn't the best spot for snorkelling the Isle of Pines however. You'll want to head on a bus tour (can be organised by the Cruise) to a placed named 'The Natural Aquarium'.

The Natural Aquarium is a protected area which mean the fish are far more abundant and the variety of fish is wide and varied.

The Natural Aquarium - Isle of Pines

Next on the list was Mystery Island a small (tiny in fact) and flat island that no one actually lives on. The water here matches pictures of paradise or perhaps even heaven. The water was also incredibly warm.

Here the beaches were taken up by the 2,500 guests on the Carnival Cruise so unfortunately the amount of people in the water scared off some of the fish. I didn't think I would actually see any.

That was until I found a lone mass of coral which had tonnes of fish hiding inside. None of the other snorkelers knew it was there and so the fish were quite active having only me around.

Mystery Island

Santos and Port Vila unfortunately I missed out on snorkelling however Ih ave snorkeled and scuba dived Port Vila on a previous trip. If you want the best of the best diving and snorkelling here you will want to head to Hideaway Island about 20 minutes from the towns centre.

Lastly we had Wala another small island however this time a village of around 300 people lived there. Basically it was just a long stretch of beach with jungle just beyond the sand.

As this was the last island on the trip I was admittingly exhausted however I wanted to see what the snorkelling was like here... and I wasn't dissapointed.

Here there hundreds, maybe thousands of different fish and many different species too. One of the highlights here though was the vibrant colours of the reef as well as the large colonies of clown fish (you may know these fish as Nemo).

Clown Fish - Wala

Wala was probably my favourite snorkelling due to the large number of fish and the vareity of species however each and every place had its own merits.

If you are ever heading to the South Pacific then I suggest you go snorkelling. You never know where and when will be the best spot.

In future posts I'll go through what we got up to in both Santo and Port Vila. These adventures were more active and extreme adventures.

Want to try a Snorkelling Adventure yourself? Click Here.

Daniel Hardie
www.nothingbutadventure.com.au

Honeymoon On Carnival Cruise

As mentioned in a previous blog post 2013 was a huge year for me personally. The biggest event being my own wedding in mid November.

For our honeymoon we tossed up so many different ideas for a trip that we would hopefully remember for a life time.

We looked at Route 66 in the US, Maui in Hawaii, Thailand - specifically Phuket as well as some destinations back home in Australia - Margaret River WA and Hamilton Island QLD.

In the end we wanted to do something that was low cost but also fun and exciting - something we've never really tried before. So we booked a Carnival Cruise to 5 different islands in the South Pacific - Isle of Pines, Wala, Mystery Island, Port Vila and Santo.

I'm definitely glad that we ended up choosing this cruise for our honeymoon, I couldn't of been more impressed. I had previously done a cruise with P and O almost exactly 10 years earlier but my wife had never been on a ship.

That's Me - Waiting to get on-board

The cruise line itself is magnificent and everything was easy to book in which included our shore tours, day spa and the famous Noveau restaurant located on the Carnival Spirit (just one of 22 ships in their fleet).

We decided to upgrade our room from a mini suite to something called the Vista Suite. Basically once you open the door you enter the hallway and into a lounge room with lounge, side table and chairs, fridge etc and to the right was a separate vanity and bathroom and then another door into the room.

As you can probably tell already this room was absolutely amazing... virtually a 1 bedroom apartment, less the kitchen.

But it gets better. One of the features of the room that we were not aware about was the bath had spa jets! That came in handy after our full day of abseiling the Cascade Waterfalls. (I'll write about these shore tours in future posts).

Another great thing about this room was the fact that we were located at the very back of the ship where the balcony is massive and slightly wrap around the ship meaning we had unobstructed views at the back and the side of the ship.

All cruise liners certainly have their benefits and features as well as attractive sales and deals throughout the year, but Carnival is right up there - both for price, facilities and service.

To find out more information regarding Carnival Read This Article: First Time Cruising With Carnival Spirit

In coming posts I'll be adding some of the shore tours and adventures that my wife and I took up during this cruise on the 5 islands visited.

Until then, happy adventures.

Daniel Hardie
www.nothingbutadventure.com.au

WIN An Extreme 4x4 Monster Hot Lap - Sydney or Melbourne

Attention Adrenalin Junkies – Enter and Win an extreme adventure that will make your friends green with envy….

If you’re the adventurous, fun type of person looking for thrills and excitement then come and join us. Nothing But Adventure is giving you the chance to WIN Australian Adventures each and every month.

This month we are giving away an Extreme 4-Wheel Drive Experience in either Sydney or Melbourne. Imagine the look on your friends faces when they see you tearing up the track, bouncing uncontrollably over rocks, drop-offs and ledges with an absolute BEAST of an automobile.

It’s Simple To Enter

1.       First visit http://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 an entire year 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 Nothing But Adventure - Competitions.... If you’re adventurous enough.

What A Year 2013 Was - What's 2014 Going To Bring

Daniel Hardie for Nothing But Adventure here again, hope you're all well. 

As we are just starting this new Blogspot I wanted to ensure that you got to know me a little more. You may have already connected with me via Facebook, Twitter, Email or through Ezine Articles. Now with this blog I am able to share a lot more.

2013 was a HUGE year for me I tied the knot in November, getting married and heading on to Carnival Cruise lines for our honeymoon.

If you haven't been on Carnival Cruises or any cruise actually I can assure you it is one hell of an adventure. 

The ship itself is amazing complimented by great food, never ending drinks and entertainment as well as the social side of the entire ship.

On each of the islands my wife and I did some sort of adventure tour on each and every port (5 all up) with plenty of snorkeling. Next week I plan to share more of this story so please keep your eye out for this. 

Back to Nothing But Adventure we have some seriously exciting plans. We've already added a hot deals page for each of Australia's states so that it is now easier for you to find a bargain deal near you. 

We have also added tonnes more content, articles and adventure tours to the Nothing But Adventure website. If you haven't had a chance I suggest you check it out here. 

But the most exciting new is yet to come... here is a hint - You could WIN one of the most extreme adventures found in Australia. 

... more details in the next post

.Until then have a great weekend. 

Daniel Hardie

Nothing But Adventure 

This is me - Daniel Hardie

 

   

Nothing But Adventure Is On Blogspot

Welcome to my first blog post for Nothing But Adventure.

My name is Daniel Hardie, the creator and author of all the content found on Nothing But Adventure's website, travel and adventure eBooks and ezine articles. I'm an adventure enthusiast and I love to travel, explore, get outdoors and simply just try new things.

On the site you will find tonnes of information, tips and tours for all types of adventure including; extreme sports, outdoors and recreation, water sports, leisurely activities, ideas for the weekend and of course travel.

To find out more visit www.nothingbutadventure.com.au

Until then all the best...

Daniel Hardie
Nothing But Adventure