Countess of Erne

[kuki9591]

Hi,

was wondering if anybody has any drawings/pictures of the Countess. Some friends fairly new to diving will be diving it at the weekend and would like to show them what they will be diving.

Thanks

Mike

[Fiona]

Smallish wreck, raised from seabed, flattish deck some holds / lower deck you can access, some bollards towards the bow. Fish life - Ballan wrasse, cockoo wrasse, tompot blennies, gold sinney wrasse, squat lobsters. We were able to see the wreck from the surface last week and it was my first dive on her, she was a nice little wreck although the 3 of us did have it to ourselves. Probably a bit silty if you kick it up.

[MonkeyPony]

This should help (a bit)

http://www.divedorset.com/index.html?/recdives.htm

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by kuki9591

I was wondering if anybody has any drawings/pictures of the Countess.

The best one I have was from the NAS
http://www.nasportsmouth.org.uk/shop/posters.php
Drawings, photos, history and a big sidescan sonar pass.

I doubt you could get one by the weekend unless you're near Brighton an borrow mine.

[jb2cool]

Not very clear but....

[GaryC]

Nice to see some pictures of the wreck. Our club did it last year and we had no idea what it looked like in about 2ft viz. Did a full run round the wreck hanging on to the gunnel. Went inside etc but could not imagine what it looked like.

Salsette was the same but spookier. (But didnt go round it)

Gary

[McBad]

Originally Posted by Fiona

Smallish wreck, raised from seabed, flattish deck some holds / lower deck you can access, some bollards towards the bow. Fish life - Ballan wrasse, cockoo wrasse, tompot blennies, gold sinney wrasse, squat lobsters. We were able to see the wreck from the surface last week and it was my first dive on her, she was a nice little wreck although the 3 of us did have it to ourselves. Probably a bit silty if you kick it up.

For what it's worth this is the only place where I have ever seen red band fish; they are meant to be a deep water fish and here they are living in about 15m. We found them by swimming away from the bow area, a few metres across the flat bottom in good vis... Look for funnel shaped holes in the sea bed. The red band fish are sort of eel like and will dart down backwards into these holes if they have been out of them... What you are looking for is something like the head of a goldfish watching you from the bottom of the funnel...

This was a few years ago now so I don't know if they are still there; don't see why they shouldn't be.

This is usually a good dive anyway as you find all the stuff people have dropped getting in and out of boats. I've had a very nice search reel, several lead weights and a nice dive knife from here. (Pity they didn't drop the sheath as well!)

Cheers,

M.

[Fiona]

Originally Posted by McBad

For what it's worth this is the only place where I have ever seen red band fish; they are meant to be a deep water fish and here they are living in about 15m.

This was a few years ago now so I don't know if they are still there; don't see why they shouldn't be.

Cheers,

M.

Yep still there, we saw them last week but each time I looked throught the screen on the camera they darn thing skitted off, most anoying. It was Lou who told me what they were, I haven't seen them before.

[BigG]

Originally Posted by jb2cool

Not very clear but....

JB2Cool - where did you get these pic from? They're excellent.

G

[Matty_Nl]

Excelent pictures JB2Cool!!

The countess was one of my first dives after qualifying, and although I enjoyed it, I can honestly say I had no idea what it looked like!!

Seeing these pictures makes me think it's time to revisit!