St Abbs / Farne Islands

[Ant P]

Just come back from a weekend trip in the Farne Islands with Urbanfish and YD's own Dave Archer. It was a great warm up weekend for the YD great whippet chase next weekend. I had an excellent time. It was my first time in Farnes and I was well impressed by the viz. We did a whole weekend of scenic dives, which i think is a first for me in the UK, and it was great. I took a few shots which turned out ok. All of them are taken with a Canon A620 and using the internal strobe, so the lighting is a tad pachy in places. We dived with Billy in St Abbs and did West Hurkur and Anenome Gully. In the Farnes we dived with Sovereign so had the obligatory nights out in the Lodge. First day we did the Pinnacles and the Hopper and the second we did the Bradda and Blue Caps. The Bradda was a full on seal dive, but unfortunately non of my seal shots were that good. the surge really played havoc with the viz at 5m. Blue Caps was an interesting dive which involved follwing a long canyon around an island.

Anyway some shots

Hermit crab minding its own businesses


Shrimp preening itself


Extremely friendly wrasse


Hermit crab army assembling


One of st abbs many gorgeous Dahlia Anemones

Anyway roll on the YD Northen trip.

Cheers, Ant

[ericdv]

Excellent photos with onboard flash. Did you try any of the seal shots without flash ?

[triplefin]

Some lovely shots Ant, particularly liked the the first crab pic.

When I visited the Farnes a couple of years ago I didnt have a camera then but I do clearly remember a gulley where the floor was absolutley covered with large and small hermit crabs charging about and doing what ever it is that hermit crabs do. I spent ages just watching this and called it hermit crab city it was so fascinating..........god i need to get out more!

[Ant P]

Originally Posted by triplefin

When I visited the Farnes a couple of years ago I didnt have a camera then but I do clearly remember a gulley where the floor was absolutley covered with large and small hermit crabs charging about and doing what ever it is that hermit crabs do. I spent ages just watching this and called it hermit crab city it was so fascinating..........god i need to get out more!

I think that's where its taken! It says the Hopper in my dive log, but who know for sure. It was a dive site that had two enormous gullies that were more like canyons. One of them led up to the lagoon where the seals were and the first one was covered in hermit crabs. The whole floor was crawling with them - once you got your eye in it was an amazing sight.

Cheers, Ant

[Woz]

Originally Posted by Ant P

I think that's where its taken! It says the Hopper in my dive log, but who know for sure. It was a dive site that had two enormous gullies that were more like canyons. One of them led up to the lagoon where the seals were and the first one was covered in hermit crabs. The whole floor was crawling with them - once you got your eye in it was an amazing sight.

Cheers, Ant

That sounds like the Hopper. One of the gullies has 20m vertical walls and is really cool. It's the bit on the seaward side of the Longstone (the island with the red and white lighthouse).

[Fiona]

Originally Posted by Woz

That sounds like the Hopper. One of the gullies has 20m vertical walls and is really cool. It's the bit on the seaward side of the Longstone (the island with the red and white lighthouse).

It does, the Hopper is my nemesis.

Please can we five the Hopper a miss next week.

[Ant P]

Originally Posted by Woz

That sounds like the Hopper. One of the gullies has 20m vertical walls and is really cool. It's the bit on the seaward side of the Longstone (the island with the red and white lighthouse).

It was an outstanding dive Come now Fiona - I just have to check on the progress of the Hermit crab army

Cheers, Ant

[dave archer]

Nice shots Ant

So what's with the Hopper then Fiona? I've had a few good dives there with the seals wedging themselves into the end of one of the canyons, hanging upside down having a rest...

Dave

[Fiona]

Originally Posted by Ant P

Come now Fiona - I just have to check on the progress of the Hermit crab army

Cheers, Ant

I may have to sit that one out then

[SCUBA Chick]

Great shots Ant and thanks for posting...

Can't wait until next week now that you have reminded me of the fabbo things I'm going to see

Cheers

Kathy