Summer is in the air
Hello Ocean Warriors.
The summer sea breeze is awakening from its slumber. The water is warming. Our boats are serviced and ready to go. Restrictions are easing. The ocean is calling. Lets do this!
Photo by @rosslong
Summer Itinerary
From the 1st of December its all systems go and all hands on deck. We will be running Snorkelling and Freediving Expeditions to the giant Sea Caves and Grey Nurse Shark hang out spots every weekend. The caves are as old as the Dreamtime and have a wild energy about them. The Wandi Wandian Traditional Owners speak of spirits that inhabit each cave, making it essential that we enter with a sense of reverence and respect. When we first started exploring the coastline over a decade ago, we would look for cracks in the cliffs, drop anchor and explore. Some of these caves would make the hairs on my neck stand up, as if we were being watched by an invisibile force. The rock itself is millions of years old, but the caves most likely formed around 20 000 years ago when the ice age came to an end, sea levels rose 100metres and large slabs of rock crumbled into the sea. I often ponder on the caves and the things they would have seen, whichmakes me feel so small but in a comforting way. Like being a part of something bigger. The caves we visit are open air, however, there are literally hundreds that can only be accessed underwater and some that need proper cave diving equipment with tanks.
Photo by @adamfreediver
The warmer water signals the return of the Grey Nurse Shark. These guys look the part! Their menacing appearance and tendency to frequent shallow water led to a cull that resulted in their near extinction and subsequently their protection status in the 1960’s. The truth is, they are timid, gentle, mostly shy but sometimes inquisitive (if you know how to read their behaviour). Jervis Bay has a healthy population of these beautiful creatures and we know their favourite hang out spots! Part of our mission is to help people overcome their fear of the ocean. Fear of sharks is one of the most common. It’s a fear that has been fed and perpetuated by films such as Jaws and sensationalist media stories when something goes horribly wrong. This is the perfect opportunity to unravel such conditioning and witness an apex predator in its natural environment. Remember, we are not on the menu!
Photo by @brodiewmedia
On our boat expeditons we will be sharing as much information as we can on the art of Freediving (that’s right, it is an art form). Packing our float and line for those that would like to try and dive a bit deeper or simply giving pointers to improve snorkelling technique.
I would like to add that when most people hear the word ‘Freediving’ they immediately think of a dangerous or extreme sport. That is NOT the case. Those of you with more experience know that Freediving is actually very relaxing. Glorified snorkelling I like to call it! We are not thrill seekers. We are professional relaxers. Relaxation is the ultimate goal in Freediving. Before a deep dive, I aim to be so relaxed that I could fall asleep (that hasn’t happened yet lol).
You don’t need any experience, or to be an adrenaline junky to join our expeditions. We will teach you everything you need to know. All we ask is you come with an open mind and a sense of adventure. Get ready to embrace the elements and truly be alive. As a wise person once told me… YOLO!
Our December boat expedition dates are - 4th, 5th, 12th, 18th, 19th, 26th.
Our beach tours are the perfect place to improve your snorkelling skills and learn the basics behind the breathing and meditation techniques that we use for Freediving. We treat each snorkel as an opportunity to practise present moment awareness and mindfulness. Snorkelling is the antidote to the stresses of modern life. This is one reason we chose this lifestyle– for its inherent health benefits. We believe in its therapeutic qualities so strongly that we want to share it with as many people as possible. If you are not confident in the ocean, this is a great way to introduce yourself. If you are already a confident in the water than this is the perfect way to take your skills to the next level.
We will be running a bunch of Freediving courses for complete beginners and intermediate divers as well as introduction days for those wanting to dip their toes into the world of Freediving. Freediving is a powerful meditation practise at its core and the perfect way to explore the last great wilderness that is our blue planet. The course is run over two days, covering all of the basics. In order to pass the course and receive the certification there are certain criteria that need to be met, however, it doesn’t matter whether you pass or not. Our aim is to share a decade of knowledge with you over a two day period. There is a lot to learn and the learning never stops. So essentially, its not about passing the course, but instead learning and applying the skills to improve your confidence in open water. For those of you who are curious but not ready to commit to the full weekend, there is an option to do the online theory and join us for day one at the pool. Advanced courses for certified divers will be run over three days and covers the training aspects of Freediving to get you to the 30 metre mark. We will be run training sessions and line diving every week to keep improving your skills, so if you haven’t already, join our Facebook Group – Jervis Bay Freedivers to keep up to date on our training schedule.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/jervisbayfreedivers
Freediver Course dates for are: 27th and 28th of November (Shoalhaven LGA), 11th and 12th December, 15th and 16th January.
If you would like to make a booking or would like any more information you can shoot us a message on our socials or email info@woebegone.com.au
Check out our website with more information about our tours here:
https://www.woebegone.com.au/tours
What we have been seeing
There has been a huge amount of marine activity in and around the bay over the last month. Bubbling schools of fish have bought large Tuna close to the cliffs as well as mega pods of Dolphins numbering in the hundreds.
We took Seascape out to blow off the cobwebs and were ecstatic to be greeted by a Humpback mum with her calf inside the bay. We shut down the engines and drifted while they put on a spectacular show. The calf was learning how to frolic while being instructed by mum.
On the way up the coast we drove into some of the bigger caves and immediately felt right at home. We haven’t spent so much time away from this area in ages. The seals looked very happy to see our boat and eager to get in the water. The population had increased dramatically since our last visit. There were seals everywhere you looked!
We also noticed an increase in the water temperature to a balmy 18 degrees so thought we would check out some Grey Nurse Shark spots. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find any. They usually turn up unannounced in big numbers over night so we will just have to wait and see what the coming weeks bring.
Travel Expeditions
We have two incredible expeditions planned for 2022. If you know us, we don’t like to do what everyone else is doing. When we travel, we travel to have authentic experiences, to learn and grow as people on planet earth. Our expeditions are not for the lazy or faint hearted. We are going off the beaten track and invite you to join us for a life changing experience.
In May we are heading west. Driving over 6000kms from Perth to Karijini (and back) to snorkel with Sea Lions, Whale Sharks and Manta Rays while camping in some of Australia’s most incredible National Parks along the way.
In December we are heading to a remote island in the Solomon’s, completely off grid and new to tourism. Living simply like the locals and diving pristine coral reefs in crystal clear water.
These expeditions haven’t been advertised publicly and will have very limited availability.
If you would like more information please send us an email*
info@woebegone.com.au
*Credit from our Lady Elliot Trip can be used for all our expeditions.
Photo by @wilderness.productions
Ocean School
We are starting up Ocean School from the first of November. The aim of Ocean School is to share knowledge about the ocean that we learnt growing up on the South Coast, as well as the professional training we have received as dive instructors. I learnt many lessons through close calls, near drownings and injuries. Hopefully I can help the generation avoid learning lessons the hard way! We also believe in letting the kids learn through play, so we provide a structure and the information but at the same time let them go for it while ensuring a safe environment.
Upcycled Merchandise – The screw New Collection
We have some seriously cool and unique merchandise for sale this summer. Knowing today’s fast-fashion consumption contributes to 10% of global emissions, consumes a ridiculous amount of water, and pollutes the ocean with micro plastics, we decided to take specially selected, high-quality vintage clothes, stamp them with the Woebegone insignia (using water based dyes) and prepare them … ready to be worn another day. Every Screw New piece is unique. A one-of-a-kind disruption to the fast-fashion business model.Wearing Screw New, you’re joining a movement towards rethinking the future of our planet (and consumption).
Check out our wild range of vintage hawaiin shirts, hoody towels and the likes here:
https://www.woebegone.com.au/screw-new1
https://www.woebegone.com.au/store-krJX3
Finally, we both just want to say a sincere and humble thank you to all our supporters out there. Thank you for buying our merch, booking on tours, buying gidst vouchers, sharing our social post and even just talking about us to your friends and family. We are on a mission to change the world, thinking global but starting local and its thanks to you guys we get to do what we do.