Bonfire(work anemones) - 02/06/2016

Sometimes life throws you a few curve balls, above and below the surface. Today was one such day. Myself, The Zookeeper, The Announcer and Jester headed tentatively to the Council Yard for a beach BBQ and dive. I say tentatively because the A82 had been shut for most of the day, but had thankfully reopened by the time we got there. However, as we left the A82 to join the A83 a traffic board said it would be closed for our return journey. In any event, this didn't happen either.

We arrived at the Council Yard and got to work building our fire - I say "we", I really mean the Zookeeper - and a sterling job she did too. By the time Jester arrived the burgers were on and food poisoning was on the cards for all of us! :)

The real challenge of the evening was keeping the fire going. The recent dry spell had meant that the ground was baked and the wood all tinder dry and burning fast. Still, the wood collecting kept us busy.

Underwater it never exactly went to plan as either as a descent at a wrong angle meant that we found ourselves in an area of seabed that none of us had ever explored. It was pretty barren silty stuff, but it was the ideal habitat for firework anemones and langoustines and there were loads. 

However, as we progressed I started to sense that I was losing my sense of direction, so having forgotten my compass I borrowed The Announcers - Auntie is always prepared! 

The ascent threw us into the path of a lovely little catshark and a scorpion fish. So, it all ended well.

Finally, at the surface, Mother Nature threw one last curve ball. On the beach - a site specifically chosen for its westerly wind - the wind and smoke from our fire disappeared unleashing Scotlands's miniature hellhounds - the highland midge. It was time for a quick dekit and drive home.

Sun baked ground

The fire

Firework Anemone

Catshark

Scorpionfish

Pony Trials - 21/02/2015

Jester has been hinting for ages that he quite fancies having a pony - not the equine variety. I have a pony that I only tend to take with me when I'm doing deeper dives or I'm diving with pretty inexperienced divers. To salve his disappointment about missing out at diving the Council Yard on Thursday I offered to go diving with him on Sunday and let him ride my pony.

We were joined by the Frigophobe, who is just learning about diving in coldwater.

I won't lie, it was cold from the off and without too much life. We worked our way down to around 30m before heading back.The way back saw Jester spot a couple of nudibranchs (all too small for decent photographs) and me a fine sunstar.

On the surface we voted 2 to 1 to can a second dive due to the cold. Instead we went to the pub for lunch. A dive and a lunch in the heat sounds like a win/win to me.

As for the pony, apart from the initial weight of putting it on I think Jester was quite comfortable in it. I can see him buying one soon.

Sunstar

Limacia Clavigera

Jester warms the Frigophobe

When Life Gives You Sea Lemons... - 18/02/2016

So, as the old saying goes, when life gives you sea lemons make sea lemonade! Or something like that. 

Tonights diving adventure was held at the Council Yard, Loch Fyne. This site is actually a little bereft of life, but every time I've dived it it has thrown up a couple of nice things. This time, with the Zookeeper, was no different.

The dive started badly with the zookeeper, switching undersuits and was hopelessly buoyant. We decided discretion was the better part of valor and she headed back to the car for some extra weight. Eventually after about 10-15 minutes in the cold surface water we went down. 

We followed the edge of the reef out into the middle of the loch, where at about 30m it ends. At this point I shone my torch a little deeper and spotted the firework anemone. It was the first point in the dive when I thought , 'yeah, I'll take a picture of that'.

As I said, the reef is a little lifeless, but I always seem to get decent visibility here and I quite enjoy some navigational challenges. 

At 31m and a couple of minutes from deco we turned and headed back up to the shallows. It was on route here when I spotted my first ever Sea Lemon. I've seen them before, but always spotted by someone else. My first solo spot for the sea slug win!

When we got to the surface Jester was there, but Neither the Zookeeper or I could face a second dive in the cold. I offered my apologies and we went to the pub where, by way of apology, I bought the chips.

Firework Anemone

Sea lemon

Cushion star

The End of an Era? - 14/10/2015

The Zookeeper and I had decided to dive the wall at the Council Yard, Loch Fyne. We kitted up enjoying the excellent conditions and headed in.

The dive was going well, if a little light on life. Visibility was good. We were enjoying ourselves. Then towards the end of the dive my exhaust valve on my drysuit stopped exhausting. Worse was to come when I finally got to the shore and I discovered the cuff on my drysuit had also ripped. A bad day for my drysuit. 

My Northern Diver Divemaster drysuit cost me about £400 4 years ago and I've done over 200 dives in it. That's £2 a dive. A fair return. I've wanted something different for a while, but this was the excuse I needed.

We headed back to Aquatron, the local dive shop, and I tried on an O'Three  Ri 2-100 it didn't fit so I've ordered in a larger size. We'll see how that goes. Fingers crossed.

Face sucker

Urchin

I first met TDFKAMF on a boat at the Farne Islands. He was a scub-noob suffering from seasickness. I offered him some 'stoogs' He also supported Partick Thistle - as do I. I remembered being at a similar stage a year or so before so I offered to take him to few sites after that day.

It was an inglorious start, as I foolishly took him to a place that was probably a little beyond what he was ready for, but he got through that night and we did a few more dives. I christened him Mr Fallsoveralot because he stumbled a fair bit in the early days under the weight of the kit, but in fairness to him he found his feet on land and underwater. So I renamed him The Diver Formerly Known As Mr Fallsoveralot (TDFKAMF).

Tonight, a coincidental year after that night at Glen Douglas Road End, we headed to the Council Yard, Loch Fyne. TFKAMF had never dived the site and was keen to try something new, Moreover, after a false start earlier in the week tonight was to be his 100th dive.

We kitted up and plopped into the water  - the visibility was great. We headed down to the reef where we took some pictures of:

• Nudis
• Scorpion fish
• Prawns
• Squaties

We returned up the reef to the training area before heading out after 57 minutes. I think he enjoyed it.

Highland dancer

Dead man's finger

Short squad squat lobster

Shrimp

Prawn

The $100 man

Starry Starry Night - 14/11/2014

In my final installment before I head to Egypt myself, the Announcer and Fast Ed headed up to Loch Fyne and the Council Yard. 

As regular readers will know I had been here once before with the Zookeeper as part of an exploratory dive back in August. However, a chance encounter with Lobsterman in Aquatron a couple of weeks ago meant that I had a conversation about the site. He explained about the main boulder reef and a wall to the right. My own experience had taken us down, but in the opposite direction to a shallower smaller reef. My resolve was set I was going to find this reef and wall. Moreover, Aquatron's very own Ace, suggested that there was some fun rubble and a table to be found also. Sadly for Ed and the Announcer they were my virgin site buddies.

We kitted up in some pretty miserable rain and headed in veering slightly to the right. Hitting the table just as Ace had said. We pottered about looking at various edible crabs and dabs then headed down deeper. The visibility incidentally was excellent (6m).

Following a rope we stumbled across the lobster creel and tail of the small reef I'd encountered on a previous dive. Then trusting Lobsterman's advice we went along, staying at 20m I led our band out into the nothingness of the seabed hoping for the boulder reef. Then just when it I was getting a little forlorn I saw it. It was actually quite impressive - far bigger then I expected. We pottered about it until one of his hit 100 bar and then we worked our way back to the shore.

Saw some nice stuff too, Brittle stars, scorpionfish, mackerel, cod, scallops etc. Worth some more exploration. I've made a crap map of what I now think the site looks like.

However, the real highlight came at the end/ As we finally emerged, the clouds had cleared and we enjoyed an unspoilt view of the Milky Way and numerous shooting stars. It was spectacular affair.

Kitting up

The Ace Table of Sacrifice

Edible Crab

Toilet Dabs

Encrusted Cone

Creel

"Dude, get that light outta my eyes!"