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!"

Wrasse Never Sleeps - 07/08/2014

The Zookeeper and I had heard of a 20m vis report at the Caves, Loch Long. Even if it wasn't going to be that good there was still the potential for an excellent dive. So, after work, we headed up for an evening dip. At the site we encountered a couple of friendly fisherman visiting from Royston Vasey.

Test driving a new Mares Matrix computer, we kitted up headed down to 24m. The visibility was good, and getting better the deeper we went. Perhaps not 20m, but certainly around 15m.

As we swam along we encountered a load of lobsters and edible crabs in the cracks and nooks of the rock faces. At one point a lion's mane jellyfish flubbed by.

On the turn we found more lobsters, some even posed for photos.Then came the large ballan and cuckoo wrasse - quite a lot of them.

The final twist on the dive was an edible crab trapped in fishing line. Naturally, the Zookeeper took pity on it and began cutting it free. However, unlike some others which are quite happy to be freed, this one took quite a liking to nipping her fingers. I won't lie, it was moderately amusing to watch.

In short, extraordinary vis and a fun evening. Although, photos were limited after both the Zookeeper and I developed camera issues.

Lobster by the Zookeeper

Me midwater by the Zookeeper

Sea squirts

Plumose anemones

Adventures in Biff - 10/06/2014

Biff  - Adj used to describe someone with little intelligence or something that requires little intelligience. E.g. Sam got a biff job at a warehouse yesterday.

The site was a midgie infested, but beautifully calm Furnace Quarry, Loch Fyne. While the runners and riders included The Zookeeper and The Announcer. It was a bit of a biff affair. Between the Zookeeper and myself we had a lot going on/wrong. I was test driving some new gloves - flashy expensive 4th Element 7mm mittens. which seemed reassuringly lobster like and epic. 

We kitted up and made our way through the midgie clouds to the entry. By the time I entered the water I was roasting but the mittens were so thick so as not to let any cool water circulate (I'll be glad of this come winter).

Until we got a bit of depth where the neoprene was compressed, I also noticed that it had hampered my dexterity. Not because of the mitten but because of the thickness of the glove. 

We swam along enjoying the deeplet anemones, wrasse and young cod reaching a maximum depth of around 26m - the girls went a bit deeper.

Me by the Zookeeper

My real problem was that my mask strap was too loose and as such my mask kept flooding. Hampered by the fancy mitts, I was unable to fix the problem. As a result, after 18 minutes I was already willing this dive to be over. Sadly, it had another 34 minutes still to run. On the way back, Laura papped me underwater and as well as my hoses looking like they've been dragged through a bush backwards you can clearly see my mask 1/3 filled with water.

We stopped numerous times to help entangled crabs. Last time at this site this was a source of great personal satisfaction. This time it was just another thing stopping the dive from being over. 

Having fists for fingers meant I never took that many photographs. I mainly took deeplet anemone shots.

Four learning points arose from the metaphorical ashes of this dive:

1. The midgies now mean that I don't want to dive in the evening again until September unless there is a strong wind.
2. I had a little bit of mask trouble on my last dive. Why didn't I remember to tighten it? It's done now.
3. The mitts will be good come the winter, but even then not for photography dives.
4. The rush to avoid midgies at kit up meant I didn't take time to properly arrange my hoses how I like them.

Nature likes beer

Pink Deeplet Anemone

Pink Deeplet Anemone

Deeplet Anemone

Plumose Anemone

Plumose Anemone & Seaweed

The Long Walk to Freedom - 29/05/2014

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” ― Nelson Mandela

Tonight The Zookeeper, K-Pep and myself dived Furnace Quarry, Loch Fyne. I'd never dived it before, but I had dived the neighbouring site Dogfish Reef. The Quarry has a similar underwater topography - essentially a steep giant boulder slope dropping down into the abyss well beyond 40m.

We entered the water after battling though a cloud of midgies, so diving into the water was a considerable relief! Before entering I had realised I'd left my computer at home, fortunately K-Pep carries a spare Aladdin 3G which he let me use.

K-Pep, a veteran of over 1,500 dives when he stopped logging, led us down to 25m where we encountered the usual variety of Loch Fyne life. As we began working our way back up the reef we started to encounter some stunning deeplet anemones which I identified thanks to this handy ScotSAC guide.

Moving back into shallower waters the Zookeeper spotted a number of large edible crabs dangerously entangled in discarded fishing line. I think it would be great to take fisherman under the water to show them the damage their pastime has on the environment. Regardless, we drew our knives and set to work. I cut the long lines, in part to ensure that neither of my buddies became entangled leaving them to touch the crabs. I'm not a huge fan of anything with that many legs, so the role of documentary film-maker suited me fine.

At one point, Laura let the largest crab go and it fell lifelessly to a rock. I feared the worst, but then it slowly came too realising it was free and proceeded to do what edible crabs do best - find a hole to sit in. In my head, I had the chorus of "Born Free" buzzing away. I think this has been the first time that I've felt like an environmental/animal rights activist.

Continuing on we started to encounter some large ballan wrasse - the probable targets of the fishermen. However, if you think they are hard to catch on a line, try catching them on camera. They led me a very merry dance indeed!

Then, after 67, minutes it was time to get out the water and head home. En route home I stopped in, to my eternal regret, at Mr Pia's Fish 'n' Chips in Inverary for a bag of chips. *BOAKS*

Deeplet anemone

Lobster

Deeplet anemone

Battling to save crabs

Ballan wrasse

The Zookeeper