Ray of Hope - 30/03/2016

Tonight Jester, legendary vintage clothing blogger Frocktasia, Mad Marx and I had raced the spring showers to St Catherines, Loch Fyne for an evening plunge. Our plan as always was to go down find stuff and come back, but Mad Marx was desiring to break his depth record of 31.2m and get a little more experience of being south of 30. Or, to put it in Mad Marx speak, go beyond the Thunderdome. Meanwhile coughing fits had meant that Frocktasia was just planning on providing some shore cover.

Now, I had been here at St Catherines just a couple of days before and the site had been entirely unimpressive, but tonight as we kitted up I had the feeling that it was going to be good. The others will testify to this fact. I had a little ray of hope that I'd see some good, if not unusual. My assumption was that I'd perhaps see some dogfish, cuttlefish or some other more fun regular. What I saw even surprised me even more than Jester's line in witty bants*.

We kitted up, buddy checked and headed in. It was at 10m and about two minutes into the dive when something unusual appeared. I almost passed over the top of it at first - its camouflage was very nearly perfect, but I've seen its cousin, the cuckoo ray, before. So tonight, a glimmer of recognition occurred in me before I realised I was looking at a Thornback Ray.

I've met divers who've seen them here before, but not recently or often. I grabbed my camera and couldn't get it to work. As it swam away I switched to video mode, hoping to grab a few frames. I got it - it happened.

Then we went on to the meat of the dive - a little bounce down to 35m and slow journey back. Success for Mad Marx who broke his own personal depth record.

On the way back up, Jester felt like he was at the Playboy Mansion as we spotted nudi after nudi and...... easter eggs!

My hope was rewarded.

The Sun Sets

Sea cucumber

Whelk

Lounging starfish

Scuba Easter egg

Jester & Egg

Flabellina Lineata

Cadlina Laevis

* Bants  noun

1. 1.

   the playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks, an abbreviation of banter.

Testing Times - 27/03/2015

Not every dive is amazing. It's just a fact. Sometimes being a decent buddy is just about helping your pals get back in the water or being there when they test out new gear. Today was that kind of day. I was diving the Announcer who was making a return to SCUBA after a few hectic months and Cardio Jim who was looking to test a new dive computer. 

We went in, the dive was at best below average and uneventful we came out mission accomplished - everything worked.  I never took any photographs. 

I needn't say more.

Milestones - 21/03/2015

When I first met Jester he'd done just 15 dives. Tonight, he was doing his 200th. Quite an achievement. It would be tough to top the fun of his 199th. We joked about poor vis and seeing nothing - perhaps we should have resisted. 

Entering Seal Reef in daylight at low flood, the viz was about 1m, hoping for better we kept going down expecting to pass through into clearer water. 10m, 15m, 20m, 25m - nothing. Then at 27m it opened up to 2-3m.

We passed lots of sea cucumbers, langostine, but nothing great. On the way back up, the viz was improving. The tidal flood sweeping the particles back up to the head of the loch.

We had fun without seeing muchand celebrated with a sugary overdose at the Malt & Myre. 

Scorpionfish

Sea Cucumber

The Dive That Never Happened - 18/03/2016

As we often say, "if you didn't get photograph it never happened", but there are other proofs.

Jester's 199th dive at Conger Alley was memorable without any photographs. I had left my camera at home and Jester's GoPro decided to shut up shop just when things kicked off.

It started well enough - bloody Henry, catshark, firework anemone - then we weren't alone.

Now Jester keeps a reasonable distance underwater - for sake of argument about two metres. However, after Beryl's first pass I felt like I was diving up the aisle arm and arm with my buddy. Jester was like a limpit. Not surprising, everyone's first date with Beryl the Seal is a little fraught.

Of course, with no photographs, it never happened....

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

Sunsets & Cold Sweats - 10/02/2015

This blog could very well be called 'Cold & Colder' or 'Between a Cold & a Cold Place', but enough of that musing!

A continual procession of winter storms have stifled my willingness to dive of late. In fact, I've watched with glee as friends have headed out only to be put off by the weather - does no one look at the weather forecast these days? However, earlier this week I noticed that the weather, whilst cold, was to be dry and wind free. It was our chance. the Zookeeper , Jester and a new friend as yet un-named joined me.

We drove up through heavy rain, sleet and even snow and snow covered roads as we crossed over the Rest & Be Thankful. Then as we arrived in the twilight gloom the clouds parted and the sun set over calm waters.

We kitted up and headed down. I was armed with my UV torch and was curious to discover what would fluoresce. As such photography was at a minimum.

As we hit the water it was cold. I was glad I'd worn my 2mm Waterproof Ice Hood. I do get a gentle ribbing for this, but seriously, it's freaking cold out there! We passed into warmer waters at around 4m.

The Zookeeper and I bottomed out around 20m before meeting Jester and his buddy on the reef. He signalled that he saw a dogfish at 22m and so we headed down to investigate. We never found it, but what we did find was another thermocline. It was cold down there. We were caught in the sweet spot between two thermoclines.

Now, at this point I was sure I could hear whale noises, but closer investigation revealed it was the Zookeeper moaning with cold into her reg. It was pretty chilly (5c). We headed slowly up, with both of us chilling all the time shivering enough to put ourselves into a cold sweat at the thought of how cold it was! :)

We came out to find the others on the surface dekitting. We chatted about the cold, but at least it was dry and clear and the milky way was resplendent.

So what fluoresced? Well.....

• Nothern sunstar
• Prawns
• Short clawed squat lobsters
• Ballan wrasse

Setting Sun

Setting Sun

Northern sunstar