Yeah OK, I may have made up the name "the thermoclines of fridgia", but it was an interesting component of our dives at Puerto Del Carmen. We left Playa Blanca and headed for a dive entry spot that held a few dives within its range. We dived two: The Shrimp Cave and the Cathedral.
The first dive led by Pepe was probably my favourite. We kitted up, did a stride entry off the pier and then proceeded to swim out at 5m midwater until the sand ebbed away beneath and then we dropped down by the sea cliffs to 35m. We levelled off with the rest of the divers a little above us. Pepe signalled for me to drop and have a look in the cave as I did I went through the 37m thermocline and into the cold. It was freezing. I stayed at 40m briefly and then returned to the warmth enjoying the scenery and the fauna - rays and octopus mostly, but also some nice orange corals and fireworms.
At the surface an Italian girl asked if I'd seen the nudibranchs. I hadn't. Something I'd rectify on the second dive.
After a cup of tea we were ready to go back in. This time the dive was being led by two dive master trainees. They were nervous, but eager to impress. I asked their teacher if he wanted me to be a disaster underwater for them. He laughed, but politely declined.
As we descended, this time straight out from the beach, we hit a current. Not fully understanding the briefing but comfortable with my own ability dive, I think they had planned to replicated Pepe swimming out in the open water at 5m before dropping down to maximise bottom time. The current, however, had other plans and it took them about 5 minutes to realise that they were going nowhere and the golden rule of diving in the current is to get down, closer to bottom and the wall. In fact, I saw Pepe signal from the back. The plan had changed.
It didn't bother me. I still kept my eyes peeled for nudibranchs and at 33m I began to see them - everywhere. Two types, the purple flabellina and the variable seaslug. I took some snaps casually hitting my deco limit as I did and then headed up with crew back onto the shallower flats at 20m where we had another great angel shark encounter.
While doing my safety stop, Pepe signalled how much air I had then when I indicated I had plenty he led me into towards the rock face and into a really nice little cavern.
Two great dives, although I don't know if the DMTs passed their skill. :)
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| Orange Coral |
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| Purple Flabellina |
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| Fireworm |
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| Exiting the cave |
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