My Word is my Bond - 14/06/2017

When I offered to take Captain Al to Drishaig Reef I promised him three things:

1. a steep descent from the car to the shore
2. firework anemones
3. the potential of some thornback rays.

Captain Al had never dived this site, as many people haven't, it is not a desperately interesting place. In the main, it is a large silt bed, requiring good buoyancy and finning. I purposely under sold it as a place to dive and oversold the treachery of the slope - in fairness, it is pretty treacherous.

However, despite the slope, the Captain was pleasantly surprised by the ease of entry in his twinset, and also by the pebble beach as a spot for a BBQ.

We buddy checked and headed in to the amusement of some non-diving muggles up in the lay-by, Once under, we'd be down about 5 minutes when the first Thornback Ray popped up, then, while Captain Al was following it for a picture, another appeared. I felt vindicated knowing full well that firework anemones were a certainty.

No sooner had the excitement of the rays dissipated when we encountered the first firework anemone. An attempt to steady himself meant that Captain Al accidentally disturbed the anemone and it closed it up. However, at this site it isn't a problem - a short swim and we had a few more.

We turned back, both of us slowly leaking in the neck. Just as we were about to safety stop a third ray appeared.

As we ascended the slope to the car I felt like a man who's word is his bond.

Ray number 2

Anemone