Galicia

Unfortunately it was too choppy with the tide, to get over to the Orestone, so the second wave went to the Galicia. Between waves Geoff did some rescue practise, Kevin instructing and Brian as casualty. Earlier on, Clint, Geoff H, Brian, and Kevin pulled a trailer out of the river that had gone off the end of the slip.

It was quite windy and we had a bumpy ride to the site; the transit marks were clear though and the wreck shotted accurately. The buddy pairs were Clint and Anne, Peter C and me. Kevin and Brian were boathandlers. Clint and Anne went in first, their plan was to deal with some of the gill net and line, then Peter and I for a swim round. I led in something like a circuit or (two) of the lumpier bits of the wreck and took some pictures.

Soon into the dive we found Clint and Anne. Peter was able to help Clint with some of the net and a big crab. Visibility wasn't great, I flicked up a bit of it myself at a few spots. I found a few bits of the wreck I hadn't seen before- where all the cement barrels are scattered about. Vis was up to 4m; not terrible but for pictures still quite bitty and difficult to get good scenic views.

Lots of fish, smallish silver fish and a few larger pollack. A few wrasse, also a few tompot blennies and long-spined scorpion fish. Amongst the now familiar sight of dead and dying animals, we found one of the cormorants; I was looking for its head - when I looked up Peter presented me with the skull.

Near the shot there was a lot of netting and line, and discovering that it was easily rolled up I did so; a dead dogfish tangled in it was a bit fiddly to cut out, but with Peter's help everything was sorted. A bit task-loading at one point, but all very good practise. We did a safety stop at six metres. Surface Air Consumption wasn't too bad in spite of all the faffing about etc,..

A good dive. Though I've been on the Galicia four times now, I find something new each time; I'm sure we'll be back so next time will look round another patch.