Scuba Doo and the Mysteries of the Deep (Halloween Special) - 30/10/2014

The following is based on true events*. Caution, contains paragraphs of extended peril.

As part of our preparation for our pending trip to Egypt the Zookeeper and I have decided to do a few deep dives to build up our depth resistance. When I say 'deep' I mean over 30m - not 18m-30m  which PADI defines as a deep dive. To us, that's just a dive. However, tonight was the night before All Hallows Eve when everything in this land of ancient lochs, mountains and glens is creepier and the veil between this world and the other is at its thinnest.

The devil tank

Meeting at Aquatron there were some strange happenings. Noises in the attic of the shop, unexplained bumps. AVL was spooked, Gentle Ben was spooky (let's be honest he's always a little creepy) and Bret had a very sensible explanation. 

After considering a few options the Zookeeper and I headed off into the night. Recent weather had caused landslips on a number of key roads to some of our favourite sites, it seemed that fate was pointing us to Loch Long and the A-Frames. The drive was lengthened by thick fog banks and mysterious military vehicles.

Old Man Creeperson's House

When we got to the site, it was dark and fog was hanging menacingly over the loch. I had built my kit up previously and as I got my own kit out of the car I looked round to sea the Zookeepers scuba set hissing and glowing a devilish red. Meanwhile two workers at Old Man Creeperson's house emerged, boarded a clattering boat and steamed out into the fog and gloom. We never saw them again.

While buddy checking, we discovered that only I had a backup light (which wasn't ideal). It didn't change our pre-dive plan though. Dive to the big frame, head down past the deep frame then keep going to a maximum depth of 35m. Once we were in the water the dive was going to plan until we hit 30m when my my primary torch failed - for a moment I was engulfed in darkness. This meant switching to my backup. Now, with no backup lights left between us we took the sensible decision to turn back.

Having encountered our old friend Davey Jones the Cuttlefish and what the Zookeeper told me was a school of whiting on the way down. The mysteries of the deep began to attack!

First the shrimp swarmed to our dive lights, attempting to penetrate our masks and regulators. Then a firework anemone exploded before us. Then came the the attack of the killer catshark. Fighting them off with just our cameras we escaped to the shallows. Butj ust as we thought we had reached safety the ebbing tide and down current attempted to haul us to a watery hell, but we fought against it, finning for our lives. The deep would not take us.

Dekitting and packing the car we drove off. As we sped to safety all I could here was the rattle of something outside the car. I had heard the story of The Hook before. I knew how this could go down. I stopped ina parking bay, walked round the car and then.......

Fear not readers, I still got home in plenty of time to write this so clearly nothing bad actually happened....to me. Anyway, back to  account....

....I saw the Zookeepers mobile phone charger hanging from the door. What a klutz!

As it's Halloween, if you genuinely want a scuba scare, I thoroughly recommend this little vimeo. One Last Dive.

*All events have been exaggerated.  

Davey Jones the Cuttlefish

Firework Anemone

Catshark

Slate-Ed - 17/10/2014

With both of us off work Fast Ed and I decided we'd north to the Slates, Loch Leven. This was Ed's first trip to the Slates since the fateful day in 2013 when we first met. Our plan was to dive the point in dive 1 and the bay in dive 2 at night. This was also Ed's first dive since being mounted and sexually assaulted by a seal the week before - he still bore the scars.

Diving round the point we saw lot's of fish. They included:

• Female cuckoo wrasse
• Ballan wrasse
• Rock cooks
• Mackerel
• Cod
• Bib
• Pollack

I even caught a glimpse of the male cuckoo wrasse, but it was towards the end of the dive and I couldn't chase it for a photo.  :(

The second dive (in the dark) saw a more varied selection of life, but it also saw me fill up my memory card (I'd forgotten to remove video from a previous dive). Fortunately Ed was able to photograph an excellent nudibranch, a scorpion fish and some other life too. I've not seen his snaps yet.

Seal stains

Lady cuckoo wrasse

Dead mans fingers

Feather star

Northern sunstar

Common sunstar

Cuttlefish

Feeding The Beast - 15/10/2014

After an evening that any gourmand would jump at L'Enclume, Cartmel the night before, Gill.I.Am and myself became providers when we hopped over the M6 to Capernwray Quarry for a post breakfast dive. 

Regular readers will know I've been here before, but prior to today I had never fed the beasts, and by beasts I'm referring to the large sturgeon, trout and perch that like to familiarise themselves with divers.

We kitted up, buddy checked and in the shallows Gill videoed me feeding the fish (it costs £1 in the shop for a small bag). It was fun, but not quite as dramatic as I hoped. 

We then headed down to the Gypsy Moth plane where Gill did her first ever swim through. Thereafter that we just swam about from attraction to attraction. 

It's quite fun, but not really much to write about. :) I'll let my wee video do the talking.

Podsnap wreck

Perch

Gill

Hunt for Red October - 12/10/2014

Today's trip to the Caves, Loch Long was a tale of two dives with one setting up the fun for the other.

As member of my local ScotSAC I occasionally dive with my local branch. Today I was with two new buddies who I'll nickname the Hook and Starfish. Hook's an experienced seadog with over a thousand dives while Starfish is newly qualified youngster. In the dive my job was to swim at the back and help keep an on Starfish.

We kitted up and headed down. I was glad to see that someone had added to the rope that TDFKAMF and I set up couple of months ago. Although weathering and use has taken its toll. It probably needs retied. Anyway, as I've said before, the entry to the Caves is tricky and, with her parents looking on, Starfish coped admirably.

We plopped in, got settled and then dropped down to 10m before going all the way down to 27m+. Fortunately, the vis was good (6-8m). We made our way through the dive finding some nice anemones and ballan wrasse. Towards the end of the dive I noticed a massive lobster under a rock, but Hook and Starfish had already gone by so I thought I'd revisit it on out 2nd dive.

On the surface we chatted about the dive and I mentioned the Lobster. It was at this point Hook got his name as he produced his lobster hook. I commented about the size and Hook explained that if they are too big there not fit for consumption as the meat is too tough. On this dive the hook was merely for luring out the lobster and seeing just how bog it was - not for catching.

So began the Hunt for Red October - a lobster the size of a submarine!

We dived a pretty similar profile and on the return we began our search. Taking account the of the incoming tide, we adjusted  the depth that I spotted the monster. As I was using a 10l tank I was starting to run pretty low on air when I finally found it again. It was as big as I remembered. I took video footage of Hook trying to lure it out, but you don't get to be a lobster that big without being a bit cannie.

At the surface Hook confirmed that he was way to big for consumption, but we still have no idea just how big he actually is.

Deeplet anemone

Ascending

The view when surfacing

Conger eel

Bloody henry

Beadlet anemone

Here Comes the Night - 07/10/2014

Today, in Glasgow, the sun set at 18:37. That meant one thing - tonight was my first night dive of the coming winter.

I've you've never dived at night you are missing out on the one of the best diving experiences. As long as you're armed with a decent torch, a backup torch and, if both you and your buddy agree, a strobe* then you're pretty much ready to go .

For night diving in Scotland I currently use:

• Mares 10R (primary)
• Subgear SP30 (back-up)
• Tektite Strobe

My first night dive was on the 10th January, 2013 at Finnart. Since then I've probably done about 50 night dives. Meaning that night dives account for a little less than a third of my dives.  However, as I've said this was my first of the new night diving season. :) For the benefit of those readers not from Scotland, Scotland has very long days in the summer meaning that between May and September night diving is a little impractical. Although, in the winter you get just 8 hours of daylight, making it a cold water night diving paradise for seven months of the year!

Tonight we (the Mermaid, Fast Ed and I  headed for Seal Reef, St Catherine's, Loch Fyne. 

The drive down to the loch was spectacular as the sun set over loch. Arriving at the site a little later than planned the Mermaid and I apologised to Fast Ed and blamed everyone else except ourselves.

Entering the water in the dark it became clear that, in the shallows at least, the visibility was poor - less than 2m.   However, as we descended down the slope it opened up to a beautiful 5-6m or as far as your torch could penetrate.

We went down to the speedboat and then turned to the reef. I had promised the guys that the strip of sand between the boat and the reef was Cuttlefish Central. It didn't disappoint. At least two cuttlefish were spotted and papped along with a docile pipefish.

Now, I'm glad a few weeks ago I began to experiment with macros, because having never been able to spot nudibranchs in the past it is as though the scales have fallen from my eyes. I now see them everywhere. Including in my sleep which can't be normal.

Anyway, I digress! As I was photographing the 2nd nudi you can see below I heard the rattle of the Mermaids shaker. Prior to the dive she had told us she'd only shake for something special or being in danger. She had found a large scorpionfish. 

I went over and began snapping away....."Work it, oh yeah, give me just a little more, yeah that's it, uh huh, you're a monkey, you're a tree, yeah baby!"

Then just as I was getting the money shot, something swam from beneath my belly that none of us had noticed - a second scorpionfish. Well, I'm man enough to admit I yelped with fright much to the delight of Fast Ed and the Mermaid. 

We then headed back to shore,but not before I noticed a weird purple plankton bloom from 3m up. I tried to take a picture of it but it came out totally rubbish.

54 minutes, 21 metres and a whole lot of fun in the dark.

The sun sets

Cuttlefish

Pipefish

Nudibranch

Nudibranch & sea squirt

Scorpionfish

Spider crab (sea toad)

* Not everyone likes using a strobe and some think it can be detrimental to your night diving experience, particularly in tropical waters. The one thing I would say is that here in Scotland I have on occasion lost sight of my buddy and her torch in dark, poor visibility, but I've still been able to hear and see the strobe.