Sea Serpent Livaboard May 2005

[Neil M]

I suppose I’d better get off my backside, and try to write a trip report about my last holiday! (Please don’t get the red pens out and start correcting!!)

Well here goes……I’ve just got back from a week on the “Sea Serpent” doing a Elphinstone/Daedalus/Rocky/Fury Shoal itinerary. This was the first time that the group I was in did not have the whole boat.. so I was a little unsure about the other members of the group to start with. As the week progressed, we all got on very well…

Day 1:
Check Dive and Elphinstone

Usual kind of check dive, sandy bottom, some nice corals, loads of room to check buoyancy. Not really much to report.

Elphinstone:
This is one of my favourite reef sites. We had 2 rather pleasant dives on Elphinstone, firstly we dived the East wall (I think) with loads of small life, and corals, not much by way of pelagics tough… And for the second dive, the South Plateau. The light levels were dropping for the last dive and it was really a stunning dive…. In the blue off the plateau there was a huge shoal of small to medium barracuda.

Days 2 & 3:
Right then…… time for the “You B@$&@£$s” bit….

Daedalus Reef
WOW. Last year this knocked Elphinstone from my #1 reef spot… this year, it did not disappoint either… Out of the 6 dives, we had 5 with hammerheads some of our group spotted a shoal of 20-30 of them (and yes I asked to see the video as proof!!) I spent most of my time in the blue looking for hammerheads but when I ventured back to the reef for a look, I was as last time, well impressed.

Did I mention 5/6 dives

How can you top that eh??
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.
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Day 4.
Rocky Island

3 dives here… each dive had Dolphins

1st dive we had a pod do an awesome swim past on the surface… we were at 20ish meters and it looked sooooo cool… 20 minutes later, they swam past again, this time at our depth and no more that 10m away We finished off the dive in a rather nice inlet near the boat mooring lines… loads of rays and other bits&bobs

Now we thought we had had our run of dolphins…….

2nd dive, we had a single dolphin bow running a RIB on the surface… we were at 20m again, but was still cool….

Dive 3 was a whole new ball game… we spent 50 mins swimming around, and thought it was time to go, then we heard the usual clicks and whistles… they were tormenting us now!

We swam into the blue a little and waited, then in the distance we saw a single dolphin. We swam across towards it nice and slowly, but it moved further away. We swam further out, and so did the dolphin. This isn’t funny at this point.

So we headed further out (SMB Deployed) and to our surprise, there was a pod of 30 or so swimming about They stayed near us for about 10 mins…. That’s the first time I’ve done a safety stop singing!!

Dusk Dive Further North.
We did a dusk/night dive north of Rocky, Nothing too special, but was defiantly a pleasant bimble. Loads to see if you go nice and slowly.

Day 5.
Fury Shoal

Dives 1 and 2.
Verrrry nice dives. Main points that I can remember were free swimming Morays and a stunning cave system (well almost.. there were some small holes in the roof). The last 2 days we had seen some awesome marine life, today was over to the u/w vistas.

Dive 3 – oops, cant remember too much about that one… will ask my buddy….

Night Dive (way north of Fury)
Hmm was pleasant, but the Lion fish kept on harassing us so much we decided to cut and run a little early. They like to follow the torch lights (I was told that they are used to divers pointing out snacks for then!). It is a little unnerving when a big lion fish is 5in under your belly!

Day 6.
Elphinstone.
We were there nice and early, ready to go….. along with 10+ other boats. Throughout the dive all we could hear was RIBs zipping around . Group Decision – Move on for the last dive…..

Bay near Marsa Port (Something Shona )
We went in all hopeful to see a Dugong (Sea Cow) but alas it didn’t want to play. So back to the boat to break the kit down. Nice end to the week………

THEN……

The last RIB full of our divers came back shouting and whooping….. they had seen it. (Neil is not jealous at all!!)

Oh well!!

All in all a very pleasent trip

[SCUBA Chick]

Great trip report there Neil. Lucky bar steward for those delphins!!!

I need a drink............................................. ........................

Scubachick

[Fiona]

Originally Posted by Neil M

some of our group spotted a shoal of 20-30 of them (and yes I asked to see the video as proof!!) I spent most of my time in the blue looking for hammerheads but when I ventured back to the reef for a look, I was as last time, well impressed.

Probably the same group of Hammerheads we saw last year and SteveW does have the proof, it was probably about the same time of year to.

[Clare Gledhill]

Great report

Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait, can't wait....

Just over four months to go

[Gizmo]

And you really expect me to praise you for that............... Not a chance!

[thru gritted teeth]Top Report Neil-not at all jealous, didn't once make me want to be there[/gritted teeth]

Consider yourself green'd

Welcome back!

[Neil M]

Originally Posted by Fiona

Probably the same group of Hammerheads we saw last year and SteveW does have the proof, it was probably about the same time of year to.

I was having a chat with a guide last year, who told me that now was the best time of year for the south, and the summer is the best time of year for the north....

The big stuff keeps to the cooler water apperently....

Will find out in a few months

[Neil M]

Originally Posted by Gizmo

And you really expect me to praise you for that............... Not a chance!

[thru gritted teeth]Top Report Neil-not at all jealous, didn't once make me want to be there[/gritted teeth]

Consider yourself green'd

Welcome back!

"Green" with envy eh Mark??

Runs for cover!

[Diving Dude]

Neil, whilst you were away enjoying youself the cost of the boats for the YD3 gig tripled so you've got to send me more dosh, unless you admit that all the above, is lies.

[Neil M]

Originally Posted by Diving Dude

Neil, whilst you were away enjoying youself the cost of the boats for the YD3 gig tripled so you've got to send me more dosh, unless you admit that all the above, is lies.

errrr ok then!!! (Fingers Crossed!!)

Hey Howard.... please can I book the dolphins and whale sharks for YD3??

[Diving Dude]

Originally Posted by Neil M

Hey Howard.... please can I book the dolphins and whale sharks for YD3??

No, they're reserved for the boat l'm on.