Porthkerris - Seal of Approval!

[Kirstie]

Turbanator and I have just spent a fantastic weekend at Porthkerris, organised by Greekbird, which you might enjoy hearing about. Loads of thanks to Christina for sorting it all out, we had a great time.

The weather was stunning all weekend, which is always a help! Saturday morning's plan was to dive the Mohegan from a rib, which was fine, except that we had to transfer all the kit from the beach to the rib with waves crashing over our heads and pebbles slipping out from under our feet. In retrospect it was quite good fun, but at the time it was hellish! Good trip out to the Mohegan, where I did my first 30m dive, at long last. Yippee! I know one shouldn't depth-chase, but I have been trying to get to 30 for a while now (it's been a bit of a psychological barrier), so it's nice to get that out of the way. A lovely dive, lots to see, but I found it a little creepy, especially knowing the history. I was seasick just before the dive and just after. Which was nice.

Back to the ruddy beach to go through the whole process in reverse. A quick lunchbreak, then back to the rib to wade out again with all our stuff for a dive on a reef (whose name nobody can seem to remember). Very pretty garden-type dive, loads of wrasse. The fish in Cornwall don't shift their backsides when you approach, they leave it until the very last minute to get out of the way, lazy buggers!

We had a lovely evening of barbeque-ing and boozing, although everyone was tired and we were all asleep in our tents by about 11pm.

The next morning, Paul and I decided to do a shore dive from the little beach in front of our campsite, around Drawna Rock. Paul took his camera and, about five mins into the dive, decided to switch off the flash. He stopped to do this, and I turned round to see what he was doing. Suddenly, I saw this shape behind him, and for a second or two, I couldn't work out what I was looking at. It was a grey seal, right behind him! I squawked and pointed, just as the seal twisted away and swam off. He circled us and came back under a rock overhang covered with seaweed, so we stayed perfectly still. He poked his head through the kelp and watched us watching him. It was a very strange feeling, being scrutinised by another mammal underwater (it was the first time I've seen a seal whilst diving). The best comparison I can make was that it was like being face to face with a dog. Anyway, the seal followed us for the whole dive - swimming off and coming back around behind Paul to nibble his fins and show off his superb acrobatic and buoyancy skills. Paul managed to get one picture, which he'll post later, but said he didn't take any more because he wanted to enjoy the experience for real, and not through a lens. Plus, of course, he didn't want to startle the seal.

Christina, Paul and the guy diving with them entered the water shortly after us and got to play with the seal as well, so everyone was happy!

It was the best dive I've ever had, and I'll never forget it. I was so excited when I spotted the seal, my breathing rate went through the roof! Paul, who'd only got in with about 120 bar as it was a short, shallow dive (8m max), had to calm down rather quickly too!

Oh, and I saw my first John Dory!

[divegyrl]

Sounds like you all had a great weekend! That little reef at Portkerris was one of my first sea dives in the UK, it is rather pretty.
Mr & Mrs Greekbird are great fun, we spent an very enjoyable & drunken Saturday in Plymouth with them last BH!

[turbanator]

As promised, here are the pics. Not superb quality, but you get the idea, I hope





r
Paul

[SoggyFox]

Kirstie
Did the Mohegan at Easter and really enjoyed it, found the boilers right at the end of the dive and that really bought it home how big the wreck is and history of it.
As for seeing seals, i'm gritting my teeth with envy. sounds like you had a fantastic weekend.

turbs, so you can use a camera, though from the look on the seals face he doesn't seem to think so.

[Lou]

Cracker! I love it down there, I really do, but getting a seal off Drawna - jammy gits! They are amazing underwater, aren't they? You are so right about the closest thing being meeting a dog down there. I had a big'un say in my lap in the Farnes and I almost felt like throwing a stick for it (whilst being healthily nervous of a wild animal with big, sharp teeth leaning on me!).

Have you seen Simon's (sch's) trip that we are planning for Oct dowm there - off the cat so no loading through the waves..

Lou

[greekbird]

Yep it was a looooovely wkend away... a much needed break...
The dive with the seal is now my best dive of the year....maybe ever! I gulped through my air as i spent most time giggling away with exitement!

We also saw quite a few nudies on the Mohegan or rather the backbone of Raglan reef (great 2 dives in 1!!) as we drifted or the wreck towards the end of the dive. Very nice vis on all the dives inspite of the plankton that has attracted basking sharks. They were spotted on Friday on the reef we did our second dive on...the one that no-one seems to remember what it was called. This was a very pretty reef, covered in the usual dead mans fingers, plumose anemones, hydroids and the like.

The new toilet and shower block down on the beach is definatelly a very welcome improvement to the facilities and the staff were as usual very helpful and friendly....Next time i 'll try and remember to pack my sleeping bag though, as I now have a full on cold which almost cost me the dive yesterday and i would have been gutted if i hadn't got in the water and missed that seal. (sneezes and sniffs nose)

[J.D.]

Excellent stuff! Hope the seals still around when I'm there on the weekend

[turbanator]

Originally Posted by SoggyFox

turbs, so you can use a camera, though from the look on the seals face he doesn't seem to think so.

I was trying to get her to sign a model release form !

[Scubanut]

grumble, grumble,

Seals, must've been on holiday when we were there last month. Just the same as the baskers. We travel hours to see'em and they can't even be bothered to be in

Great report, we tried the Mohegan too, note the tried bit, t'was last seen as we drifted over it on the safety stop

Personally I prefer the reef life, conger, wrasse, anemones all with marvellous bright colours (even if a conger is grey)

Glad to see that you enjoyed the shore diving, it certainly is worth the crawling about
See the trip report from YD does Porthkerris from last month for full details

At least we had the dolphins after the last dive

[Martin Burnard]

HI all
Great weekend cheers ma dears!!!
Turbinator was pink Paul by the end of the weekend (sun and wind) as was the other Paul.
These guys camp in style.... chairs and lights.

Greekbird what was wrong with the sleeping bag we hand delivered from Plymouth!!!!
Did it not keep you warm and did your Paul (as opposed to Turbinator) not keep you warm?

I think the reef was called Chysalis (or a good approximation).

Thanks to all for a cracking giggle.

Roll on next year.