The long-awaited Kilsby sinkhole trip was not only a deeply satisfying freediving experience in a uncanny natural wonder, it was also an opportunity for old and new members to finally get together to meet, feast, laugh, explore, feast, share tips and stories, lose socks and…(you guessed it) feast*.
A convoy of about 7 cars delivered about 17 of us to Port Mcdonnel where the club had organised a comfy lodge for us all to stay, a stone’s throw from the beach. Some came a little early to make the most of spectacular ocean conditions to hunt for the famous local lobster (did I mention the feasts?) or camp along the way and witness the holy moly storm that swifly swept through western Vic to sit soggily over Melbourne all weekend whist we were in sunny SA.
We split into two groups at Kilsby so we could all enjoy plenty of time, space and attention in the water. The club got a chance to put newly purchased gear into use with floats, anchors, lanyards all ready to go and in perfect shape for a safe and smooth dive. The water is crystal clear and flat as the farmland that surrounds it, and when you’re breathing up and relaxing before your dive, you get to see the sparrows darting about above the honeycomb cliff faces dotted with droopy ferns…hummena hummena.
Once we were each well and truly satisfied with our time ‘on the line’, we’d set off exploring the rest of the sinkhole, search out the mysterious lone turtle that lives there and, of course, get the cameras out.
Outside our time at Kilsby, we piled into cars and sought adventure; jumping off cliffs into Little Blue Lake (I…urgh.…supervised), swimming through the chain of ponds to the sea at Ewens, finding the best hot chocolate at Mt Gambier, hunting for more lobbies and (here it comes…) feasts of epic proportions in the evenings.
After a couple of years of most of us not having as much access to depth diving, Kilsby was an absolute dream. Do we wish it was a little closer to home? Maybe sometimes. But spending time with the growing gaggle of unbelievably awesome and eclectic people who make up the club, makes you feel glad it’s far enough to make a weekend of.
Huge thanks to Jarrod and Brenton and all involved in organising a hugely successful first (of many) trips to Kilsby.
*Seriously though, picture some medieval king’s banquet table laid with freshest lobster, delicate curries, springy salads, abalone served thin and soft as an eyelash…
Written by Afsaneh Torabi, MFC member since 2019
Photo credit – Rob Turney and Scott Walker
