Another Dive on the Wall - 27/03/2017

Whenever I do certain dives I have certain tunes going round in my head. Tonight diving at Anchor Point with Jester and Kingmaker was one such time. 

I've dived here a few times, and only once would I say I'd really enjoyed the dive and that was last year. Even then I'd never really done so well in terms of exploring the wall, always tending to head too far north to catch the wall at depth.

When I suggested it as a location I wasn't sure Kingmaker was convinced of my assertion that it was only 15-20 minutes by St Catherines - he actually tested me on the way home and it was pretty much 20 minutes.

Anyway, after my alleged poor navigation last Monday this week the pressure was on Kingmaker to deliver. I could sense he was feeling it too. Why not Jester for lead diver I hear you ask. Good question, I suspect it's because he's a lazy wee bandit!

We went in and headed down hitting around 25m  at low tide. Still in a silt bed, Kingmaker was floundering then, by luck, he found it. He whirled in celebration. I offered a congratulatory high five.

The wall was covered in life, but unfortunately many of the anemones were closed, but we managed to spot some nice bloody Henry starfish, devonshire cup corals and an excellent little nudibranch which when I first saw I almost mistook for a sea squirt.

All in all it was just another dive on the wall. 

Despite the pleasant surface weather the water remained cold at just 4.4c.

All photos care of Jester,

Devonshire Cup Coral

Greater Spotted Frewbowski

Nudibranch

Bloody Henry

The Dark Side - 20/02/2017

I've often heard of CCR divers as having converted to the Dark Side. I've always assumed this to be a reference to the the Rebreather's likeness to Darth Vader's breathing apparatus. This is slightly ironic because as all true Star Wars fans know in the movies they used a Dacor (now Mares) regulator to simulate that breathing noise.

Anyway, I only say this because tonight I joined the Kingmaker and the Gandalf of the Internet. In relation to the Gandalf of the Internet we don't really know what or who he is. Only that he is an international man of mystery and his exploits have somehow made the global interweb possible. He also likes to dive on a rebreather.

This meant that the Kingmaker was essentially my buddy for the evening as GotI was effectively a self sufficient solo diver. The Kingmaker had chosen Seal Reef, St Catherines as our dive spot which suited me. The earlier than normal departure meant that I was home by 9.30pm!

We descended through a little murk into what was ultimately pretty decent visibility and enjoyed a very calm dive. Until something disturbing happened. 

I pointed out a nudibranch and then a devonshire cup coral to GotI and he spoke to me. "What manner of underwater devilry is this?" I wondered. Then I remembered the dark side. On the dark side they have all manner of Sith skills. Including talking through their rebreathers. How very, very disturbing.

We ended the night sharing stories in the car on the way home and laughing at the Kingmaker. As I've always said, "Everyone takes there turn at being the bitch." Tonight it was his.

Happy New Year - 31/12/2015

Our plan had been to do two dives, with our second straddling what we call 'the bells' here in Scotland. Myself and Jester were buddying up while the Mermaid and friend George teamed up. We were diving the A-Frames in Loch Long.

A recent break in at my house meant that I was diving on a borrowed torch. I prefer to dive at night with at least two torches, but in such circumstances this is not always possible.  The result was few photographs were taken.

We headed in for our first dive and went down for a bimble around the frames. There really wasn't too much life, but Jester did spot a nice cup coral that I spectacularly failed to photograph.

We split as a larger group underwater and I wondered where the Mermaid and her buddy were, but we continued on, having a nice but cold time.

Back on the surface we discovered the Mermaid wasn't feeling well, but had started 'cooking' up rolls and sausage. We all bit into tepid sausages before deciding that too many factors were working against us and we didn't want to go back in for a second dive.

Still, Hogmanay, comes round like clockwork every year. There's always this year.

The Bleak Mid Winter - 06/12/2015

At the time of year the UK is festooned with images of wintry snowscapes and robin red breasts bobbing about looking for berries. However, for those of us who live here life is actually quite different. Snow, except on higher ground, is rare. It rains a lot. It's cold just above 0c, but the dampness and the wind make it feel a lot colder. 

Sunday's weather lured Jester and I into a false sense of security. We decided at the last minute to make a dash for the lochs. By the time we got there it was dark and, intermittently, a little drizzly. 

We had chosen to dive Conger Alley knowing that the visibility would be hit or miss and more likely miss after three weeks of almost continuous rain. Undeterred, we kitted up and headed in. 

The water was cold and murky at the surface but we thought it would improve with depth. To some extent we were right. The visibility opened up to around 3-4m. However, the temperature, even at 30m, never rose above 7c. By the end of our 66 minutes I was really feeling it.

The obvious highlight was a sighting of the Smurfs.

Despite being the author of a relatively dull diving blog, I challenged Grant to summarise his Go Pro footage into 60 seconds of footage. This is his attempt.

Sea lemon

Smurfs

Smurf

Bloody Henry

Sleeping Wrasse

Devonshire Cup Coral

Scorpionfish

Tea & Tiffin - 16/08/2015

With the weather forecast to be a bit miserable, myself, the Mermaid and Jester headed over to the Tea Rooms, Loch Fyne for a dive, shelter and tea! 

Described by Jester as the diving equivalent of 'glamping', the Tea Rooms is a small spit and lagoon popular with fishermen and divers. It is also the site of a small garden centre and tearoom called the Quarry View Garden Centre. Now, if you want to dive or fish here do phone ahead and don't bring your own picnic! The owner, quite rightly, does not take too well to misbehaving divers or fishermen. 

Anyway, back to diving. As it turned out the weather was bright and sunny and without the need for shelter. The day started well with a bacon roll before we kitted up and headed for the outside of the spit. We plopped into dark, but clear, water and made our way down to 19m.

We encountered a nice selection of fish - saith, wrasse, cod and a nervous catshark. There were some pretty critters too including:

• Devonshire Cup Corals
• Northern Sunstars
• Bloody Henrys
• Common Sunstars

As we came round the point and started to make for shallower waters we had a great encounter with a very curious Ballan Wrasse.

It was a nice dive that more than whiled away an hour.

Then it was time for lunch - toasties all round - before we headed along the road to Drishaig for some firework anemone action. It has to be said, the Mermaid was coming to grips with her new equipment, but we didn't expect her to also demonstrate a new form of site entry technique that effectively involved sliding down the small hill uncontrollably into the thorns and nettles at the bottom. Myself and Jester offered the appropriate level of faux sympathy before helping her to her feet.

The second dive was alright, but after a great first dive it was never going to be that spectacular.

Common sunstar

Devonshire cup coral

Northern sunstar

Ballan wrasse

Creepy statue

Northern sunstar

Firework anemone

Scorpion fish

Mermaid's purse