Diving Weekend with St Mary's & Fin Whales

We had the pleasure of students from St Mary's Presbyterian Collage in Perth with us for a dive weekend. Students who have done a dive course and are lucky enough to be able to travel to Albany. The weather was great our first dive was on the "HMAS Perth". Then out to "The Cheynes III". I am always impressed the way the girls conduct their dives all under the watch full eyes of their teacher Mark Staniforth. Sunday we head out towards the islands for our first dive but as we get close I spot two whales. At first glance they look like big humpbacks They cruise past as if on a mission but i question if they are humpbacks or fin whales. We turn and follow for 10 minutes and I see that their fin is a little different than a humpback. Now I am sure they are fin whales :). We leave these whales and head to the dive site known as "The Seal Colony" They love the dive. The kids and staff are blown away by the large plate corals. The weather is getting better and we head to the "SS Cheynes" as the students will be surveying this dive site. Oh yes must do a little work while on such a school camp. The first dive on this site over we have arranged a bbq lunch. A 2 hour surface interval and the students are back in the water. Conditions have calmed off so much that our anchor rope is floating what a great day. Mark comments that it would be a great night for a night dive. We drop every body off at Camp Quaranup. Before all of the dive gear is taken from the jetty the girls thank Eve and myself for arranging some great diving. My response to this is to thank the girls for being such great guests aboard my boat. I tell them that they are credit to their school, their parents and to them self in the way they behave. To give to an idea these kids are very organised on the boat dive gear stored well, they were more organised that many of the adult groups we have on board. They were polite and well mannered. They were keen to do all the tasks that they had to do even though on school camp. It is great to see such enthusiasm.