G at Australian Seachange Newsletter - Southern Freedivers

awkward for breathing. After six hours of teams working extremely hard in conditions that were
deteriorating throughout the day all divers returned and the task of retrieving boats began once
again. Earlier in the competition, one of the observer’s boats returned early as they had a disastrous
time tyring to get their boat up. After the propellor at high speed, it hit the concrete ramp when the
water sucked away and the boat was bakento heavy, the final repair bill came in at $7000! The
remaining four boats came in unscathed thanks to the assistance of all divers. Everyone was now
talking and sharing stories and experiences that had unfolded during the day.
At the final weigh in, some great fish were once again presented. The spirit and atmosphere around
the caravan park was of laughter, awe for some of the public and in particular the great appreciation
from Foodbank, the agency who gladly accepted all the fish we had wanted to donate to people and
families in need. We later received a letter from Foodbank thanking us for the fish and
acknowledging the great work the Australian Underwater Federation had done in running such a
great event. Since Foodbank’s inception, no other fishing organisation had ever donated fresh fish to
them, so we want to extend thanks to all teams for their efforts.
The
final weigh-in saw Australia present a magnificent catch to dominate Day 2 and convincingly win the
competition. Tahiti and New Zealand were neck-a-neck on the last day with Hawaii only just behind.
Many photos were taken that afternoon as we all relaxed with a beer to reflect on a great week. The
spirit, rivalry and friendly nature in which the competition proceeded was a credit to all countries
and the many volunteers who assisted, making the event a huge success.
The following two days saw some divers head out to try and catch a Dhufish before they headed
home to their native country, while others explored the great location and wineries of the
Augusta/Margaret River region. The final presentation night was held at Rivendell Winery, where a
magnificent three course meal was served, stories were exchanged, traditional bantering between
AUF Mission: Bring Sport, Conservation and Awareness to the Underwater World