Words & Photographs by Marlon Quinn
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In the very cool and murky 15c Bass Strait waters, it is the willingness of wild Fur Seals to approach a freediver that fascinates me. The seals that have never seen a human underwater before.
An unusually good weather window with light winds, sunny sky and super calm seas hinted at a good four or five days available to get out and roam on the Zodiac RIB, the Nautilus, for coastal Bass Strait freediving adventures in mid-Spring.
Getting one day, maybe two in a row to enjoy glassy seas, calm conditions, and warm easy days on the boat in Bass Strait are pretty much unheard of. So, to be looking at the forecast with five of them forecast in a row, there was some magic in the ether.
The trek out into Bass Strait on the 6-metre Nautilus rigid inflatable boat is made abundantly easier by these capable rally cars for the sea. Agile, powerful, light, and go anywhere attitude make them my favourite ocean vessel for freediving adventures.
Zooming out 5 kilometres from the ocean facing boat ramp with my buddy Kristen, it already feels like a secret mission just getting the boat safely launched. In easy seas, it feels like you've joined the crack squad set to defend the borders and look out for wayward fishing vessels.
Smooth seas equal a smooth ride, and in no time we had cruised to the reefy outcrop that provides a haul-out for a small population of Australian Fur Seals.
Looking into the water though, it became apparent that we'd be repeating the old phrase, "two out of three ain't bad" for the rest of the day. The water was dark. Deeply dark, as in, you couldn't even see beyond the first 30cm beneath the surface.
Eerie was an understatement. Downright ugly and frightening was more appropriate.
But when you're motivated, and the seas are so calm, and the sun is shining on your back warming the electrical impulses of your soul's depths, well, there's fun to be had, and it's going to be an even bigger adventure!
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