Shoalstone, Brixham

A very nice dive staying mainly around the low reefy ledges fairly close in (a bit over the sandy/silty stuff) and taking it very easy. Vis was much better than last time. Lots of interesting wildlife, including nudibranchs, usual crabs and a recently moulted long-legged spider crab, 2-spot gobies - and the trumpet anemones. Also, very many sea hares, sometimes stuck together in a chain.

We went first north from the carpark then west with the current - which felt quite strong but wasn't in fact too bad as we hadn't drifted as far as I thought. Derek towed the blob, so I was able to concentrate more on concentrate a bit more than I would otherwise have, on photography and testing a new camera case - all fine. But undersuit wet and right arm soaked; almost certainly the zip (which kinks and the fabric on which the teeth are set is broken).

Bretagne / Galicia

Met up with Geoff at Exmouth's fish quay, and very soon on the Wave Chieftan (trip organised by Doc and Jurassic Coast Divers), enjoying flat calm sea and sunny skies.

Vis wasn't great, but although it was quite gloomy it wasn't as dark as my previous dive there. We went down the shot and as requested of the last pair in wrapped the chain around one of the anchor hooks (vis was very bad here). Off we went and mainly swam along and around the deck. Short animal turf, lots Dead men's fingers, some pink sea fans. Found a small nudibranch. Some fish - inc. tompot blennies in pipes etc. Just below 100bar I sent the blob up. Geoff liked the lift on the back and somehow maneuvered himself to get on it first! It was good! Richard Tibbs the skipper also provided lots of tea and mars bars!

On the Galicia, the vis was better and the dive overall pleasanter. Didn't see very much line, and no monofilament net. Bib and pollack. Some edible crab. Those nice white anemones. Short trip back to Exmouth to unload, and took a few pictures on the way. I was using the AF35 strobe, I think for the first time since flooding it - and it was fine! [The good thing now is I'm not in the least worried about it knocking about in the bottom of a boat - any use I get out of it is a bonus.] Geoff and Abigail went back out and dived Straight Point (left out of Exmouth) a reefy dive with gullies that's supposed to be quite good.

Charlestown Shipwreck Museum

Excellent museum! Lots of old dive gear and an amazing variety of artefacts: cargo, personal belongings, ammunition, fittings, and shipwreck memorabilia. Also displays about Charleston, the quay and village life (with mannequins etc).

A couple of things from the centre included this 1920s German diving suit. The ballbearing joints seized up at depth and it became completely immobile far before its intended operating depth. Used more as observation bell, than for anything fiddly. The German divers that brought it over to Britain for a job didn't think much of it themselves - and were apparently a bit wary of it! The bulge round the middle is a ballast tank.

And I liked this early dive computer - and the box with the skinny bird (with the weight belt hanging off her). It's didn't look too much bigger than the one Paul L lent me to try when I was learning to dive!

The centre was very good value and we could have spent longer there. Yas was a bit weary, but my ears were quite painful and was unable to appreciate as much as I might have.

The earache was from an ear infection (trapped water and so on). By the time we left Charlestown I really wanted to get something for it, but the very heavy traffic stopped us getting into town (St Austell) so I went to Boots the Chemist in Bodmin. That was a complete waste of time. The lady at the pharmacy counter said there was nothing they would give me and I went away feeling a bit stupid for thinking they would help me - if not for the pain, for the infection; as well as half deaf, in pain, and with a tiring drive ahead of me (after even more paracetamol and ibuprofen I managed a little sleep in a layby).

Back home I made some ear drops from surgical spirit and white vinegar (50/50); these would have to do the weekend until I could get a prescription. [A few days later Yasmin got some Swim Ear too to try - it smells just like tape cassette cleaning fluid and costs £5 a bottle! I think my homemade stuff will be just as good for getting rid of trapped water after a dive/swimming.

Roskilly

A diving couple at Porthkerris told us they'd been at Roskilly, near Newlyn. I decided to take a look, and maybe snorkel there as it would be sheltered etc,.. Would be a nice shore dive - not sure what's further out, but rocky with sandy patches and below kelp lots of life, inc. cushion stars. Sprats, mullet, tompot blenny, and a couple of Cyanea Larmarkii (blue jellyfish).

Took a couple of awful pictures - blaming kelp, inadequate lung capacity,.. and before too long the flooded battery compartment on my AF35 strobe. The flood was my fault for not tightening the nut (the cover can be attached and in place but not sealed). Anyway that made bit of a mess, opening it up to find grey sludge and burnt terminals, I got rid of the batteries and flushed it out with water. Later on flushed with mouthwash (alcoholic see - and all I had!) and cleaned with cotton buds. Still looking horrible and one of the springs broken. Back home I made a new spring out of a top (B or E) guitar string - it had to be springy enough not to prevent a seal from being made. Anyway I dropped that in and the thing actually works!

Vase Rock (Manacles) / Drawna Rock

Slick excursion to Vase Rock. Kitted up went down the beach to walk onto the Celtic Kitten (the front drops down and makes a ramp). Finished getting small bits of kit on, and in nearly no time at all we were over the reef. There was going to be some tide, but sheltered to the N of the rock. Derek and I went in and down the steppy pinnacle. On the way I saw a nice lobster. Flash AF35 not working wonderfully (could have been the deflector or batteries - dunno). Then caught up with Derek at about 25 metres. We went back up, anticlockwise around the pinnacle. Impressive walls of jewel anemones. There were urchins, sea fans etc,. also cuckoo wrasse and the occasional pollack.

At the top of the pinnacle, nice views over the gullies. Saw some of the other divers making their ascent and I did the blob and we followed not long after. They'd gone to 30+ but we'd had a bit longer.

Later on Derek and I did a last dive round Drawna rock. We swam along the inside of the rock to the deep part at the northern end. The plan was to swim round this end and go over to the reefy lump about 15m-20 further north still, where I had promised Derek that there were trumpet anemones. Lots more sea hares 'cuddling' and spiny starfish on the move - busy attacking things. Nice swim back around the seaward side - even though it is a bit weedy, nice and lumpy.

Drawna Rock / Porthkerris Cove

Drawna Rock, Porthkerris

Durgan, Helford River

Drawna Rock, Porthkerris

Went in from the little beach to the north, near the MOD building. 10kg on wetsuit. Snorkelled round the rock. Vis was very good. Busy Sunday with lots of divers but nice atmos and didn't feel overcrowded.

In the water I saw lots of small >3-4cm, transparent bell-shaped jellyfish, they had a frill of 8-12 thin tentacles around the base and a pink convoluted organ within. Also some 'sea-gooseberries' transparent also, rounded with two thin tentacles either side. Fish included Bass, ballan and corkwing wrasse, and shannies. There were common starfish, spiny starfish, sea urchins, and spiny spider crab hiding beneath the kelp (a lot of kelp 3-7m). Pottered around the rocks nice and easy, did a few dives, and took a few pictures.

Good facilities here: kit/spares shop, showers, kit wash, hot food/drinks + tent. And very reasonable parking and fees to shore dive. It was great and I was looking forward to coming back to dive on Tuesday.

Babbacombe

Good dive. Not amazing vis, but not terrible either, and the main thing for me today was to try out my twin-set. Not too bad carrying; got fins on at the bottom of the steps and walked in. Took a minute to get down (with 6kg) and a bit light; still need to weigh all the rocks that Geoff helped me stuff into my pockets (and a bit more because I was a long way off emptying the tanks). Set-up all fine. Hoses all in the right place. Saw some pipefish and took a few pictures.