PICANNINIE PONDS: In the South East of South Australia
From the boardwalk it looks like any other wetland in the southeast. But as we suit-up, Phil Argie's introduction to this sinkhole near Port MacDonnell gets the heart thumping.
"In the chasm it gets dark the deeper you go".
"That's why cave divers use a minimum of three lights and most often they carry five lights with them, because if you lose contact with the surface, lose contact with the light frame, you could have major problems trying to find your way out".
Soon we are ready. For me, this is a first time experience, but with Phil Argie at the helm along with a couple of guides from Earth Adventures, you know you are in good hands.
"So any idea how many times you've dived here?"
"Yer, probably about thirty or forty times I've dived, actually dived"
Today we're going snorkelling. You can't dive with tanks at Picanninie Ponds unless you're properly accredited. But even with mask and goggles this promises to be a very special experience.
"A beautiful spot Phil."
"Yer it's absolutely gorgeous, on a day like today - absolutely fantastic."
"So how did they find this place?"
"I think a couple of local divers discovered it and for some reason they were prompted to go for a dive and once they got underneath, the word got out that it was a fantastic dive site and then divers from all over the world came to view the Picanninie Ponds, it's a world famous cave site".
From the surface, you have no idea what awaits below, but believe me the initial experience of snorkelling can be a little difficult because the views underwater literally take your breath away.
"Whew, that's amazing."
"Yer, it is isn't it!"
"What's so surprising is that you look around the reeds here and you have no sense of how deep this is".
" That's right, it's very impressive, especially going over that veil that I pointed out to you. It has that enormous oblivion feel to it".
"Yes surreal, you drop over that amazing chasm and then the depth must be, well how deep is it there?"
"Uhmm, it's in excess, well believed to be in excess of a hundred metres, or three hundred and thirty feet in the old language".
"Rod, what's the reaction from people who are novices to a spot like this, when you bring them out on one of your tours?"
"Well, absolute surprise. Absolute, absolute. From what it looks like out here, another wetland, you jump in the translucent blues, the whole bit, they absolutely love it, they wax lyrical."
As Rod says, people experience a full range of emotions when they venture down here. Fear is definitely one of them and so it should be. While it's safe to snorkel here, scuba diving can be a different matter altogether. People have died here, prompting the establishment of rigorous guidelines about who can and can't venture into this underwater labyrinth. But for Phil Argie, cave diving is like a drug. And extremely addictive as the Getaway crew discovered last year when they followed him down into places where you feel you just shouldn't be.
This is known as the chasm. It drops well over a hundred metres and takes in massive chambers like the Cathedral. Even though he's dived here many times, Phil says each dive is a humbling experience. You can't help but feel small in a place like this. And it's a place to e treated with infinite respect. He remembers well the day he pushed himself a little too far and suffered nitrogen narcosis, or what they call rapture of the deep. Trapped below a ledge he was overcome by feelings of euphoria mixed with terror, as he struggled to find his way to the light and eventual safety.
"I think three people did die here in the late sixties, early seventies and that then became, I guess, the platform to establish the Cave Divers' Association which then regulated diving in here so that people were properly trained".
At the nearby Ewen Ponds, the depth is only ten metres. Here you can snorkel without a permit, but for novices and experienced divers alike, the mysteries of the southeast sinkholes will have you spinning. Like Picanninie, these crystal clear waters eventually make their way to the sea, which explains the presence of some of its amazing marine life.
Down here, it's easy to forget which is up and which is down, as the surreal beauty of this place, and the tide, push you on through a series of connected ponds and eventually to the sea. It's all part of a fascinating experience, which you can enjoy safely under the guidance of experts from Earth Adventures. They run regular tours to the southeast incorporating adventure caving and trips to the Picanninie and Ewen Ponds. For more information email info@postcards-sa.com.au
