James Eagan Layne

Arriving at Mountbatten early (to be ready for 9:30) it was raining steadily, but by the time we launched the boat it'd stopped. Winds were light SW and the ride to the JEL and back was smooth. Later on the Sun came out. As well as towing and organinsing Brian and Hilary boathandled. On the first wave were Nick and Julie, Phil and Dave, Hilary and me.

Hilary and I splashed first. There was some current and we pulled ourselves longways down the shot. At about 15m the last bit of the shot and stern wreckage loomed into view and Hilary ever so casually landed upright on the bottom and saluted!:)

Vis was about 4m, though a little gloomy, and out came the torches. Off we went to poke about the wreckage. We saw lots of fish: bib, pollack, wrasse (cuckoo, ballan), usual gobies etc,. and several John Dory. An attraction of the stern is the abundance of pink and white plumose anemones, there were some dahlia and plenty of ghost anemones too- all very nice. We did a circuit of stern and found the gun mount (the big wheel thing) and boat davits. Too soon it was time to go and I sent a blob up - I took it for granted it'd be easy as ever with the DSMBi (bottle inflated) - and the line snagged round the reel handle; I let it go before it started to pull me up, and we used Hilarys.

A very nice relaxed dive. It was great to be back in the water!

Brixham

Another weekend of moderate/strong SW winds, so choice down to somewhere sheltered (like Babbacombe) again. On the way Derek suggested Brixham; and we got there and put in east of the Breakwater, off the lido (just west of Shoalstone Point). Despite a gloomy warning of 3-4m vis (!) and a "don't" from local dive operator who was there having a look; we had an excellent dive. Vis was good 2-3 metres, and there was an abundance of small life. We spent just over an hour (6m average, 9m max) going along NW and back, below the kelp; where it's interesting and turfy if a bit 'dusty'.

Spiny, long-legged spider-crabs, harbour, velvet swimmer and some small edible crabs, hermit crabs in top, cone, and whelk shells; lots of anemones, sponges, various sea-squirts, small fish, etc,..

Access was easy, it felt especially so after Anstey's the other day; and entry and exit not too bad, just a little rocky. Tides were close to neap and not a problem (otherwise, since there's nowhere good to land to the east - arrange to be with the tide back to exit).

Anstey's Cove

A shallow pootle with Tony W, out of Anstey's cove. With winds >20mph and a bit gusty, and no other diving looking likely, Babbacombe looked the spot for the weekend (either day). I felt like a change, and though I'd snorkelled at at Anstey's a few times had never dived there, so was keen to see what it might be like. Checked the weather/tides and arranged to meet Tony there for a dawn raid. Parking was free (meter broken), and walk down not too bad - with a 12l, you even have a choice: steep tarmac slope or steps. Coming back up was a bit more effort but do-able for anyone reasonably strong/fit,.. or with trolley or kit-wallah.

Vis wasn't great (2-3m) and it was very kelpy around the boulders about Long Quary Point, where I hoped the scenery would be better. Simple route - straight out from Anstey's cove, down (6m) then clipped the rocks at the side of the cove and carried on NW along Redgate beach. Worms (casts and holes), hermit crabs, pollack here.

Sand marks, depth and compass used to navigate and arrived at rocks (checked position). Some larger boulders with kelp on top, with turfy bits and colour. Edible crab, dead mens fingers, beneath an overhang.

We had a look along rocks to the north (vis worse round here) and below the kelp line it was stony and, so it seemed, lifeless (9m). Surfaced with 70 bar (Tony had more) and we surface swam back.

Admittedly not the greatest dive, but all went very smoothly, it was good practise and was nice to try a new (for me) place.