The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men - 04/07/2014

TDFKAMF and The Beast

TDFKAMF and I had decided we'd go look for Thornback Rays in Loch Fyne. However, the moment we jumped into the car we heard on the wireless (yip, that's what I call a radio) that the road from Loch Long to Loch Fyne was shut because of an accident. Instead we headed for The Caves, Loch Long, followed by a second dive at the A-Frames.

I knew from the night before that the vis was going to be at best 2-4m. Moreover, we could hear fisherman down the banks. So we went and had a chat. They were decent guys prepared to look out for our bubbles. In addition, I offered some free fintell (fish intelligence) about the sea bed and why they snagged their lines. Ebony and Ivory living in perfect harmony.

The Caves has been missing its guide rope through the tunnel for sometime, so after a careful descent we headed down to around 25m. It was TDFKAMF's first time at the site. I think he enjoyed it.

Amongst the usual life were a myriad of moon jellyfish, horseman anemone, bloody henry and the amazing starfish and its shadow. :)

While at the deep end of the dive I spotted a 20m length of rope. It was attached to a weight which TDFKAMF promptly cut as I gathered it up for the return journey. 

Once back at the surface three divers were staggering down through the site to begin their dive. Without my glasses it took me a while to recognise the faces - but the voices and the hair of Gentle Ben alerted me to their identities. Two member for of the Aquatron team and a third mystery lady named Jenny. Presumably, she had been tricked into diving with Gentle Ben by her husband, Polite Mark. :) Some banter and the promise of a rope for their return exit meant we had a laugh as we squeezed past on the rock face. Polite Mark remarked the next day in shop that he thought it strange that I had taken 20m of climbing rope with me on my dive. How was he to know I'd found it underwater?

TDFKAMF and I set to work - still fully kitted - to re-assemble the safety line. Polite Mark remarked that he found very useful on his way back up. Mission accomplished I'd say.

Dekitting quickly in the midgie infested lay-by we headed to the A-Frames for a pretty routine dive during which nothing particularly interesting or remarkable happened. Although I did bump into a piece of wreckage that I found on my first ever dive at the site more than two years ago. I got a little nostalgic.

Moon Jellyfish

Moon jellyfish

The Amazing Starfish and its Shadow

Horseman Anemone

The Gathered Rope

Bloody Henry

The A Team

Re-roping the tunnel

Re-roping the tunnel

Edible Crab

Camo'd Spider Crab

Shore Crab

At last look back