So now I understand....

[Clare Gledhill]

I wasn't going to post a trip report for my diving yesterday... it was only a case of popping to the coast with a mate for a dive... last chance before the election means I have to go back to work

Having been introduced to british sea diving in Pembroke which left me with the impression that 1 - 2 meters of vis was luxurious, I have been told that it needn't be like that. This trip was to find out if that was true.

Well the vis on the first dive was better - perhaps 4 meters or so and we saw more life in ten minutes than we saw in Pembrokeshire in four days Wrasse, Tom Pot Blennies, Crabs, Star Fish, Pipe Fish, Lobsters etc. etc. etc.

OK - so this is fun - 50 minutes of scrabbling about in crevises and then out for a sleep during the surface interval (well I still haven't recovered from Pembroke ).

Dive 2 was uneventful for the first five or so minutes although the vis had deteriorated somewhat. Then we found ourselves eye to eye with a large male cuttlefish - perhaps two feet long with its distinctive black and white stripes. Then another loomed in to view. They hovered side by side facing us in the water, perhaps only about 18 inches from where we had lowered ourselves to the bottom to watch.

I was in awe of these beautiful creatures and frankly frightened to breathe out in the fear that my bubbles would scare them off. The two males watched us intently and I then became aware that under each of them were two smaller females and we were watching them mate, with the females periodically placing eggs in the weed in front of us.

Reaching out slowly we were able to touch the males, first their skirts and then their flourescent green under sides whilst they continued to watch us warily but seemingly tolerant of our presence.

A smaller one came by and, after an extremely short encounter with the large males, left ink in the water between us. The two pairs returned to egg laying and after twenty five minutes we reluctantly left them. It was cold to be hanging around doing nothing but worth every shiver.

I felt I saw something really, really special on this dive. I don't know whether I will ever see something like it again but I know I'm going to keep looking

Quarries have suddenly lost their appeal - I'm going back to the sea

[Diving Dude]

Yeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwww............

You're just begining to learn the real joy of diving, well done.

Believe it or not, when the vis is bad you just tend to concentrate on the smaller things which sometimes you miss with good vis.

Where were you Clare

EDIT

In the near future l'll be booking Daves boat Dive Eclipse out of Selsey to dive the far mulbury, this'll be early evening 5/6pm 13/4 mtrs and its covered in life, l'll let you know.

[Clare Gledhill]

Originally Posted by Diving Dude

Believe it or not, when the vis is bad you just tend to concentrate on the smaller things which sometimes you miss with good vis.

Yup - I watched Daz very carefully in Pembroke

[dry suit diver]

Originally Posted by Diving Dude

Yeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwww............

You're just begining to learn the real joy of diving, well done.

Believe it or not, when the vis is bad you just tend to concentrate on the smaller things which sometimes you miss with good vis.

Where were you Clare

EDIT

In the near future l'll be booking Daves boat Dive Eclipse out of Selsey to dive the far mulbury, this'll be early evening 5/6pm 13/4 mtrs and its covered in life, l'll let you know.

Let me know on this one as I would be interested as the mulberry was my first sea dive and loved every minute of it , especially the wildlife on it.


Gledders , glad you enjoyed , fancy a dip at stoney sometime promise to set the alarm myself.

[SCUBA Chick]

Fabbo Clare...it really brings home the pure joy of why we do this 'sport' doesn't it?

Thanks for sharing your story....

Scubachick

[angleseydiver]

The two males watched us intently and I then became aware that under each of them were two smaller females and we were watching them mate,

Have you got this on CD??

[Jim Shaw]

sounds a lovely dive and a rare treat to see such things close up

[Fiona]

Sounds like you really did enjoy your dive Clare, well done I thought Friday might just have put you off.

Cuttle fish are fantastic we saw them while in Oz and have the egg laying on video.

Just wait until September when we get to see all those wonderful sharks.

[Justin Owen]

you jammmy sod.....!

[Odin]

Welcome to the salty zone!!!!
paul