James Eagan Layne

A tour of the James Eagan Layne (my first wreck) with Adrian Kelland. We went out on Venture (my first hardboat dive) skippered by Peter Fergus. Possibly the most dived wreck in the UK, everyone knows that the JEL was a WWII American liberty ship. Bound for Ghent in Belgium, JEL was torpedoed in March 1945 by U-1195 and now rests on her keel at 24 metres in Whitsand Bay.

Venture had plenty of room, cabin and heads, a diver lift, and we were well looked after. Also diving were Adrian's buddy for the Rosehill, Tony; a couple of re-breather divers, and a photographer also out for the JEL. After the surface interval following the Rosehill dive, passed with some rod-fishing, we moved over to the JEL. By now I was kitted up, and finally ready the signal to go was a tap on the head.

We went down the shot to the bow, and continued down the port side to the seabed (about 18 metres). The bow was very impressive and gave a very good indication of the scale of the wreck (JEL was over 7000 tons). There was lots to see and although visibility varied, overall it was very good, perhaps 5-7 metres.

Round and about was all kinds of wreckage, wheels (cargo), big sheets of steel fallen from the sides; toward the back - stacked pipes and the propshaft, and further within - engine parts and more debris. Not all of the material was from the JEL apparently, some of it had been dumped here later.

Early in the dive Adrian pulled out an edible crab from some wreckage, and there were common and spiny starfish dotted about. Later on I found a sea cucumber. As well as the dense encrusting turf, sessile life included a cluster of pink sea fans on the seabed about 2/3rd the way along the port side (very vulnerable I thought), lots of dead men's fingers, and also on the port side near the hawse hole were some chubby plumose anemones - these were a sickly mixture of pink and green. There were lots of fish! Gobies, wrasse, pollack, bib were around on the sea bed. Later when we swam between the framing girders, and along the upper sections we stopped to look at some interesting metallic blue fish and a school of bass.

On our return through the middle and our gradual ascent, I found my legs a bit floaty - I'd omitted to dump air. After some pointless and tiring acrobatics I dumped the air and we carried on. After that, I was more careful. Otherwise buoyancy was fine, and my surface air consumption (high still) was slightly improved.

Leaving the bow we made a slow ascent of the remaining 6-8 metres. Back on the surface we made the pre-arranged signal to Venture and very soon I was standing on the lifting apparatus and enjoying the ease it made of boarding. I de-kitted on our way back to Plymouth and inside the breakwater, while the re-breathers Dave and Ash went for scallops, Venture amidst some sort of yacht race.

Back in the marina, Yas met me outside the dive shop - she'd had a nice time around Plymouth's waterfront, and taken 'a few' pictures. It was a great dive and day out; the weather was warm and sunny, visibility good, and the JEL lived up to all I'd heard about her.

Meadfoot

Realising we were in for another day of sunshine, I reckoned it'd be crime not to go snorkelling. Packing the same set-up I used at Lamorna the other day, we set off for Meadfoot Beach. Parked for free along the road and near some steps down to the beach, and set up camp. Though I'd read that the beach was popular for dive training, I hoped that it'd be good for snorkelling too.

Where I got in, halfway along the beach to the right of the rocks the vis was poor, a murky 1 or 2 metres. But as I went along toward Daddyhole Cove it got better. There were a few starfish, sprats, wrasse etc, amongst the kelp. Near Daddyhole I turned back because I didn't like swell, and made for East Shag Rock instead, which in itself - according to my dive book - is a 350 metre swim. [There is also a completely submerged dome-shaped reef towards the the middle of the bay, not far from Shag Rock.]

Around the rock, which has some good underwater scenery, there were various interesting sponges (large boring sponges, a massive irregular purple kind with clusters of tiny holes, a rough yellow globular one about the size of melon, and the smooth orange blobby type with a hole in the top), dead men's fingers, sea squirts, and anenomes. There were fan worms, nudibranch eggs, and hundreds of common starfish. The visibility varied a lot (1-4 metres) and though I had timed my swim for an hour either side of low water, because of the spring tide, there was still a fair bit of current.

Keeping a lookout for boat traffic, I left the rock and followed the reefy bits back to the shore and carried on across the bay over the kelp, where I saw a dogfish. I was very pleased to have found so much - and to have managed a 2 hour swim in April. The water was noticeably warmer than in Cornwall. Back on the beach some people had found an unusual crab - which they kindly brought over for me to see. Looking it up later I learnt this small spider-like crab is sometimes known as a 'decorator crab', and the camouflage is seaweed. Spiny spider crabs do this too, adding a few strands of seaweed to their shell, but this particular crab had disguised itself completely with tiny strands of wrack.

Lamorna, The Bucks

Expecting Lamorna to be very crowded we arrived very early, it was actually very quiet and we all parked easily. The plan was for the experienced Sport Divers and up to go out to the Runnel Stone, with a first wave - Andrew and I - going out to The Bucks, where I’d dived with Debbie on Friday.

Warned to leave the surface quickly, because of the current, we went down diagonally holding onto the shot, finning towards the top of The Bucks. We moved off from where the shot had landed and sent up the blob from a rugged ledge (it had kelp to hold onto if required), and we set off clockwise around the pinnacle. On the north side, we met quite strong current so backtracked and swam up and through a tall gap between rocks, lined below with blue anemones. On the other side, the going was much easier. The scenery was fantastic, we could look up at the steep slopes at kelp-topped cliffs, and there were interesting gullies to investigate. We saw plenty of fish, and another big dogfish. There were old friends – urchins, sponges, spiny starfish, and sea cucumbers which in strong light are a mottled green colour and do look like something out of a pickle jar. We took a few pictures- I had been after a purple starfish to show Yasmin, and remembered to record something of the scenery. We toured leisurely on until – too soon – it was time to go. Another great dive had come to an end.

When the second wave came back from the Runnel Stone (which was fantastic by all accounts), and the boat retrieved, Yasmin and I set off for Marazion and St Michael’s Mount. It was alright – good views from the top, and we watched bunny rabbits in the nature sanctuary behind the coast road. Back to the chalet later for kit wash, clean up, and out once more to meet up with Phil, Chris, Debbie, Alyssa, and Ali at the Turnpike Inn near Hayle. So ended my first ever dive holiday. I was very grateful for my buddies and to everyone who helped me and made it so much fun. It was a brilliant trip and great to have been a part of it.

I haven’t said too much about each day’s weather or conditions [the last four posts], as they were consistently superb. Water: 5-10 metre visibility. Weather: warm and sunny ~20°C. Winds: light (0-5mph) north easterly and variable. Sea state: calm/slight.

Penzance, The Stannock & Low Lee Ledges

Arriving early at Lamorna Cove we met Nik and her Chris just leaving. They told us it was already full there and we were going to base ourselves once more at Penzance. This was very lucky because there was no mobile phone signal at Lamorna.

There were three waves today and I was fortunate enough to be on two of them. Midday I dived with Chris G at The Stannock, a reef to the west of Mousehole. [Thanks Peter for the air]. We made a swift descent to 24m. Looking around there was a lot of fish – the most I’d seen – cuckoo, ballan and corkwing wrasse; and others. Chris with his torch helped me take some of the delicate sea-fans on the bottom, and I managed a blurry sequence of Chris with a very big spider crab. We found brain coral, widely fluted and delicate looking but actually hard and horny. Everywhere there were things to see and wonder at. I thought how easy it would be to loose track down here.

Back on shore for a good surface interval we managed to get some tanks filled at Bill Bowen’s place on the Pier. The previous day there had been a problem with the compressor, and the Hayle dive shop had been inundated.

Now, my second dive was something different. We were going to find Low Lee Ledges and buddied with Andrew, I was to lead. Anne boat-handled and we found the ledges just west of the east cardinal marker. We dropped in and down. A minor tangle with the shot was easily sorted, and we continued the descent. Watching us as it swam over a big rounded boulder, was a huge dogfish - a shark! We sent up the blob, and set off for a look round. The visibility was good in the distance some interesting sticky up bits to swim round, so we made for these. There were plenty of fish, a variety of wrasse, and a rather lonely pollack, and many of the animals we’d seen already. I gave my torch to Andrew and we took some pictures of a big yellow ‘dragon’ sponge [it's actually Cliona celata, a ’boring sponge’] surrounded by masses of tiny blue anemones. Swimming around the rocks the scenery was really good - a crescent of rocky pinnacles rising out of the sand, and around and about were nets and cable, crusty boulders, cuckoo wrasse, starfish and urchins - magic.

[Later Chris asked if we’d seen the cannon at the bottom of the shot – but we'd missed it completely].

When I was down to 80 bar it was time to leave (Andrew had loads of air), so signaling, we left for the surface. On our practice safety stop at 6 metres, we drifted very slowly over the flattish reef summit and looked down at the starfish and urchins. Surfacing into the sun we signaled OK, our mates and the boat gloriously silhouetted; I was elated. I had led my first sea dive.

Penzance, Near Low Lee Ledges

As I was slated to go out on a later wave, Yasmin and I used the morning to visit Mousehole where we enjoyed the scenic harbour and lichen covered cottages, and marveled at the clear water. Two little boys on the beach were making fantasy castles out of the wet sand – just as I used to with my brothers. Again the weather was fantastic. It was already hot, and the narrow shady streets pleasantly cool. As the place started to become busier and the cars arrived to trundle through the narrow roads we took our leave. [Note to self – it’s not possible to do a three-point turn on the harbour wall.]

Yasmin’s strategic navigation got us to Penzance car park without too much ado, and we maneuvered ourselves close as possible to the Albert Pier. After a brief foray into the town (it was heaving) for pasties courtesy of the Penzance Pasty Co., and sun-block, it was nice to get back to the harbour and find a quiet place to relax: the bouldery sea defences where we sat and watched the dolphins in Mounts Bay.

A leisurely loll about the car park chatting, reading (dive guides – there wasn’t time for Dickens), sorting and preparing kit, was followed by a gruelling carry of clobber along the pier. Suited-up, in the hot sun, through the thronging student divers, and down the steep slippery steps, we made it to the RIB; it was a great relief to be on our way. Clear of the harbour we sped past the impressive coastguard ship Anglian Princess, I for my 13th dive.

We couldn’t find the Low Lee Ledges and the Primrose as hoped, but discovered some reefy bits further west. Anne and I explored the reef and we saw lots of fish. There were several types of goby, among them the transparent orange two-spot variety. Small and pretty they hover and dart in small schools near the bottom. Around the boulders there were big sea urchins and starfish; as well as man made articles- a big pile of net, and various bits of litter amongst which I found an old crab-paste jar.

During the dive my buoyancy felt fine and I relaxed as Anne took us round the rocks and we examined the wildlife. Checking my air, she seemed pleased how well it was lasting. Being something of a guzzler I was glad to have a 15l cylinder, and we had a lovely long dive. When we got back to Penzance Brian and Clint were waiting with the trailer and Chris drove the boat right up onto it. Later on we converged on Chris and Debbie’s caravan to relax and confirm the plan for the next day’s dive.

Lamorna Cove, The Bucks

Leaping out of bed at 4am to get down the A38 Friday morning and avoid all the other grockles penetrating darkest Cornwall, we soon arrived at Lamorna Cove. Yasmin's navigation was tip-top round the fiddly stuff - she's very good, getting us to Vobster Quay, as well as operating the iPod, feeding me, watching out for speed cameras, ferreting out sunglasses, and various other tasks that if I attempted myself would almost certainly end in disaster.

We stumped up for parking and had a quick look about, most importantly to see what the water looked like. The visibility was great. I could see submerged divers, and I too was ready for some kind of underwater swimming fix. There was plenty of time before the others arrived for a sneaky snorkel. I put on a few skimpy wetsuits over a thermal rash vest, added plenty of weight, and all the other bits and pieces that would allow me brief glimpses of the underwater scene and its peculiar inhabitants.

Wading into very clear cold water I stuck on my flippers and did a quick weight check, before floating myself off for a swim. Lamorna Cove is a sheltered piece of coast south west of Penzance and Newlyn, with a sandy bottom, rocky and weedy edges, and attractive surroundings. There’s a slipway and according to my dive book on South Cornwall is one of the best sites in the county for diving groups, with amenities to hand. Finning out past the breakwater I took a picture looking back to shore, before turning my attention to the sea bed.

Amongst the thick kelp I saw a few wrasse, a bass and found a spider crab, several spiny starfish, and a large sea urchin; beyond the kelp, clean bright sand stretched into the distance. After about an hour I started to get cold and tired, and my poor ankles had started to ache – I suppose all to be expected this early in the season.

Back on shore, just as I reached the top of the slipway Clint and Anne arrived towing Mir, the club’s RIB.

Over a cup of tea at the café we enjoyed the scenery and the fine weather with the prospect of good diving conditions – especially as several recent club trips had been either aborted completely or disrupted by bad weather. Walking up and around the craggy rocks above the top car park the views got better and better and the clear blue green water was exotic and inviting.

Very soon I was on my first boat dive, we (the buddy pairs: Clint and Anne, Debbie and me, with Chris boat handler) were on our way to The Bucks, a rugged rock pinnacle to the south west. It didn’t take long to get to and it was easily found, the summit exposed by the ebbing tide. Clint and Anne went in first clearing the boat for Debbie and me to kit up. Adjusting straps, connecting hoses, attaching gear I was very glad for the calm sea. After a recap of the plan and the buddy check, and at the very instant Chris ordered us ‘go’ we flopped backward over the tubes. We collected ourselves on the surface and began our descent beside the rock. At about 8 metres we saw Clint and Anne looking very happy; we did some waving and grinning and carried on down. The giant boulders and rugged slopes were heavily encrusted, and teeming with all kinds of weird animal. Everywhere there were colourful sea urchins, and starfish with five arms, with seven arms, from the cute and cushiony to the macho and spiny.

Nearly everything I saw was new to me; black sock-like sea-cucumbers, and on the vertical walls delicate flower-like anemones, and what was this yellow stuff? Debbie mimed something to me; what was she doing? She couldn’t be narked? Later she told me she was washing – and it was a sponge. It was super, its warty lizard-skin texture and rows of holes gave it the look of a miniature yellow dragon. Debbie guided us around the rocks and as we went I tried to absorb everything, taking mental pictures of this wonderful place. Here and there we were finning against current and soon enough I was signaling to Debbie that I had 100 bar, and pretty soon after that 80 bar; so she took us to a flattish area to deploy the DSMB. Slightly inverted and finning against a current again I found myself struggling a little, but sorted out my position with a roll. With the blob up we were ready to go; the ascent was nice and steady and I held the stop easily. The boat was there for us and after de-kitting the heavy stuff and put into practice the good how-to-get-in-the-boat advice, getting up onto the loops and over the tubes, then slithering into the boat like a big black fish. My first boat dive over, Debbie pronounced “There, told you I wouldn’t get you dead!”

In the evening we all [Andrew, Anne and Clint, Brian and Hilary, Chris and Debbie with Alyssa and Ali, Nik and Chris, and Peter] met up at the Bluff Inn for our tea, bit of a drink, and to plan.

Vobster

Back to Vobster for more Sport Diver training with Nick and Julie to complete SD lessons: Dive Leader Planning/Skills Review and Diver Rescue. It was a really enjoyable day training, practising, and I learnt a great deal.

A traffic diversion, which I thought might be a April 1st thing, took us in a big loop via Kilmersdon to arrive from the other direction; then getting in took a while. Kitted up and the plan sorted, we were ready to go. On the first dive after doing skills, Julie led according to her plan, making our way to the aeroplane, exploring the aeroplane and carrying out our ascent using the the shot-line located on the tail fin- nice and slow, with a 1 minute safety stop. The stop was fine with 10kg on my belt and 1kg in my BC pocket. Julie did CBL/BLS and tow. At the training platform end of the quay, my exit - stupidly - involved beaching on rock shelf. This was more difficult than it looked and I decided I would probably use the ladder next time. Tea and debrief. I had managed not to swim about all over the place like I had done before; which Nick suggests (and it seems quite probable) that I did because of my snorkelling, in which I swim around a lot and in a way which doesn't suit scuba diving.

Second dive after the skills, followed my plan. We descended alongside a rocky slope to line up with tunnel entrance and followed concrete wall to it (Nick led through tunnel). Very dark and silty. Saw the rubber skeleton tied onto the handline at the end. Up cliff vertically and along to aeroplane - good vis here. Air was 120 bar at this point, so just time for a quick look at aeroplane and industrial dryer which Julie swam through. Again went up shot-line on tail fin - again nice and slow with 1 min safety stop. Surface and underwater swim to place nearer slipway. My turn to do a CBL and rescue. Both practise de-kit. Yasmin was great help again with bits of kit, recording times, and everything else- taking pictures, buying tea, dispensing monies, oh and navigating,..

Plymouth

The plan was to dive either the Scylla or James Eagan Layne, but it was not to be; conditions deteriorated more rapidly than predicted, the north-easterly winds strengthening considerably. With well-founded concern about the sea-state on the return, the dive site was changed to the breakwater fort. Even-so, by the time the first wave surfaced the sea was much rougher and getting them back in the boat was difficult. The first wave's dive was very good by all accounts- plenty of interesting marine life and stuff to look at- so I was quite dissapointed about not getting in, but with the weather so nasty, just as well.

When the first wave launched we looked around Mount Batten Centre, where various watersports clubs are based including Plymouth Sound Dive Club; back at the car we drank coffee and looked out across the Sound. Later on the white-horses, that had been absent earlier, were increasingly apparent and into the distance sprey had broadcast a haze over the sea. Returning boats were having a very rough ride back.

Exmouth Quay

Arriving early at Exmouth, the plan was to do a dive from the quay at high water; but although it wasn't particularly windy, and the sea wasn't too choppy (you could see a little way into the water and submerged rocks), it was only just do-able. I was buddied with Clint and Hilary; also diving were Anne and Geoff, Brian and Nik. Our group, and Anne and Geoff, got in at Mamhead slipway. Visibility was about 1m so we all had to stay very close. After a quick buoyancy check we made our way down over the rocky slope to a depth of about 9-10m. Encrusting animals included delicate light brown sponges (h.bowerbanki), and there were small feathery plants, also brownish. The largest living animals I saw were mussels. Hilary and Clint saw a fish but I missed it. Every time I thought I saw a fish coming into view it turned into a tatty piece of litter. There were some dead starfish, and several dead gurnards - the biggest of which Hilary delighted in waving in our faces. I managed to take a few pictures, though conditions for it were less than ideal; not so much the lack of light, but the murk made it impossible for the camera to focus.

Somehow despite the poor vis, about halfway through the dive we encountred Brian and Nik who had jumped off the quayside and were heading for the slipway. Finning against the tide became hard, we had entered the water 30 minutes after HW, later than planned and the tide was coming out. I followed Clint and Hilary up slope past mussel covered boulders and we were surfacing apparently. I managed to do the last few metres very slowly and was quite pleased with this. Clint's pilotage was brilliant and we surfaced at ladder. The ladder however didn't reach the water and we surface swam back to the slipway, Clint getting me to tow Hilary. I had just done my first scuba dive in sea. Hooray! Derek and Yasmin assisted with the dive management. Yasmin recorded times and air in and times and air out, and she was able to help people, myself included, with bits of kit getting in and out. After de-kit we all went for slap up dinner at the cafe behind the quay. Their 'Scooby' is a big fried breakfast plus burger and chips,- which were very good btw.

Vobster

Arrived at Vobster early for my first Sport Diver open water training dive: the SMB lesson, with Nick and Julie. I tried out an old dive computer that Paul had kindly lent me, and a new torch (both very good). My first torch, a very small backup torch, had flooded on a previous dive.

The SMB exercise was very cleverly planned to enable us both, using a single buoy to operate it on descent and ascent stages. Julie had the SMB on the descent, we then used the SMB line as a buddy line as we swam over the top of the crushing works, I then took over the line and we descended beside the works and went along near the bottom of the cliff, before a re-ascent. My torch was good to have here. Further up on a silty slope, Nick demonstrated underwater skiing. We went up a bit further - it was a very nice feeling returning to the light, and Julie took over the reel for the ascent to the surface. We did a second dive (Vobster is a long way, so it was good to make the most of it), a nice easy swim and look round. We went down the shotline on the boat wreck, had a peer in and swam around. We then made our way over to the nearby wheel house to look round that. It has a small air-pocket inside the roof. Nick demonstrated his self-inflating DSMB and we surfaced using its line. Very enjoyable. After the dive we signed each other's log-books!

Boat launch and kit washing practise

The plan was to dive the Galicia, launching from Teignmouth, and I was buddied with Clinton. Driving past Dawlish I saw that the sea state had taken an unexpected turn for the worse, and would possibly put paid to any diving. At the Point car park it looked pretty bad, but arriving at Polly Steps, Clint, Kevin and Nick and Julie were about ready to go and we were in fact launching. In the RIB (we were actually going diving!), getting out would be difficult. The easterly wind and dropping tide made for some quite big waves at the estuary mouth; it was very bumpy indeed and a hard boat with divers lolloped past us. Lashed by spray and holding on tight I was relieved when Clint told Kevin to turn back. I think everyone thought it was pretty nasty. We were then going to do boat handling practise in the estuary, to get something out of the day, but this was impossible too because the boat wasn't emptying properly; when the boat was back on the trailer we saw that the drain thing at the back had got bashed. Anyway, Yas took some nice pictures, and I had a ride in a RIB.

Ocean Diver Qualifier

Winter training at Vobster Quay. With Nick instructing, Julie and I had to do a bit of pilotage; that is find our way about using natural features and man-made objects as navigational waymarkers. On my turn I led from the aircraft nose, over some rough ground, past where a car used to be, past corrugated metal sheet, past boulders, past the dead tree sticking up from a deeper section, and past several concrete fence posts to the rocky so-called 'road' up to the surface. It was a good exercise and, as always, a chance to improve buoyancy etc, but I can't wait to get in the sea.

Vobster

Early start for a return to Vobster to do Ocean Diver training dives with Nick and Julie. Daylight revealed mainly cloud and a little sunshine here and there. First dive included a deep water entry (which I prefer to the slipway). I snorkelled on surface to shotline above boat wreck. We descended, paused at wreck and went across to the wheelhouse, then over to the aeroplane. I swam around far too much. Up slope over tunnel and road, and my ascent was a bit too quick. Poor visibility at times was of our own making.

On the second dive we got in down the slipway, after the effort of getting my flippers on (one of the worst parts I think) I flopped into deeper water. All together we descended gradually, following the road. My mask was very leaky and it needed several rounds of clearing and repositioning. At the rear fuselage section we did full mask clear drill and AS. I should remember to offer the octopus DV right way up! We went through the aircraft section with toilet, and Nick took some photographs. Later near the wall (I like it here), a separation occurred and we rendezvoused at surface. Better buoyancy, position and control. Re: position I think the threat of Nick's so-called 'naughty string' worked! Returning to the slipway we saw some big trout.

First Open Water Dives

We managed to find Vobster Quay, negotiating the signless and disorienting country roads, gradually homing in on it. I had overhead that Vobster is bit of a pain to get to, but also I had read somewhere that there are new signs to help people get there - yes there are some signs, right outside to congratulate you on finding it. Two dives with Dave McDonald. Drills on 9m training platform. Getting buoyancy under control. Felt floaty even with 14kg [was too heavy and overcompensating]. Saw lots trout, dinghy, and a wrecked car. Had to steady myself a lot on the platform and my flippers seemed to want to insert themselves into the gaps in the planks. Ears quite painful on ascents. On second dive (with Debbie Heaton's brother Stuart) AS and CBL. Swam through aircraft cockpit. It was a great day out and Yasmin had a nice time too watching everything going on and taking pictures. Vobster is a long drive, but worth it for training that would be difficult or impossible otherwise. There's a tea/burger van, water to swim in, and junk to swim round.

Holkham

Torn from Pembrokeshire I needed some sort of water-related fix, and got in the sea near Holkham, North Norfolk, at the end of the flats and the enormous beach, where there is a dune island [Gunhill] and a narrow stretch of water that gets cut off on the seaward side when the tide drops right down. Roger Deakin wrote about Holkham in his brilliant book 'Waterlog', and mentions that some of these channels are quite treacherous; but there are also warm lagoons that are very pleasant to swim in. The vis was really good for Norfolk [and better here than futher round the coast]. The tern colony here was a nice surprise - it's fenced off (good) to protect their ground level nests, and we enjoyed watching them fish and returning to the colony with food. I also saw a big pink bird and thought it was a giant duck or a flamingo, but it actually was some lady swimming along in a hat.

There was a steady trickle of people, making their way over to the island (often trying to short cut across unknowably deep tidal water with push-chairs small children and beach paraphanalia) as well as a few small boats and canoes and things.

Aberporth

Looking for something interesting, but more relaxing than my previous swim, and found it at Aberporth, a small seaside town in the county of Ceredigion. Aberporth's beach looked interesting from the aerial photographs I got from Local Live [similar to Google Earth]. We got there early, while it was still quiet, and parked up. Parking was reasonable - as it commonly is in Wales (you really get skinned in England).

Visibility was excellent [I think we were getting towards neaps] and though cool - not too cold. There was some sediment but it was nice and bitty and didn't make the water cloudy. LT was 10:40am (Fishguard).

First of all I swam west out of the bay along the coast toward MoD base. I was a bit windy around here as I had seen there is a danger/exclusion zone along the coast - so came back (there wasn't a great deal to see here anyway). I cut across the bay towards the rocks and caves the other side of the beach stopping at the submerged outcrops, and began to find lots more wildlife. There were juvenille ballan wrasse in schools around the rocks; striped gobies in schools, and SBF and SSF nearer the beach. Very many spider crabs, a few small to medium-sized edible crabs, some shore crabs, and velvet swimmer crabs below LW - the first I'd seen. All I'd heard about the velvet swimmer's feistiness was confirmed!! Most crabs will scurry away if they see you or you get too close - velvet swimmers (bless 'em) seem to want to have a fight with you. Around the outcrops I found blenny, hermit crabs, mussels, periwinkles, corals (a. digitatum), anenomes- dahlia, a pure white sort with a stalk, actina anemomes and strawberry ones with blue spots. On a swim down to take pictures of the anenomes I snapped a Tompot Blenny resting on a ledge. Lots of plants too: wracks - serrated etc, Irish Moss, UL, blobby fern-like plant [probably gut-weed] like I'd seen the other day, sea potato, kelp, sea belt, C. officinalis, and lots of that fine spindly brown weed. This was all great, but did see a fair number of heavy duty plastic bags embedded in sea floor etc. Removed one floating one (I often do this- scrunching them up and stuffing them in my suit). There were a few derelict lobster pots too.

The addition to my standard kit (FJ/vest/boots/X3s/3kg), was a pair of neoprene gloves with slits cut into the back joints of thumb and first two fingers. They are necessarily, very snug but perfect once in water I should have used them before. Swimming was hard work after all that I'd done over the holiday so tended to side stroke - thus my fins were fully in the water and I reckon I get better propulsion like this (more streamlined body too), and it was good for a rest and change.

This was a fantastic swim, and rounded off the trip perfectly - I saw lots of stuff I'd never seen before, like the velvet swimmer crabs and the tompot blenny. I could feel my dives were getting better - much more relaxed, and I had more time underwater for pictures. Something else I learned here was that (perhaps counter-intuitively) in gloomy conditions it is better to underexpose to avoid shake. The pictures are dark, but at least they are sharp; and it's better to be too dark than light and bleached out. The beach was nice and clean, and Aberporth had a friendly laid-back atmosphere; Yas had a nice time ambling about the place and taking pictures too.

Martin's Haven

Scrambled down cliff to the rocky bouldery beach to swim at Deadman's Cove, then back across to Rennets Slip. Anvil rock, past caves and arch. Managed to return same way, though tide overflowing outcropping rocks difficult to get past so climbed out to rest and decide what to do, which turned out to be a good shortcut. Getting out I did very carefully, as losing a fin would have been a big deal. Getting back in was exciting! I had to swim quickly, hugging rocks and use both fin and arm strokes. In hindsight it may have been easier to have continued round to Martin's Haven. Sore and scratched fingertips from scrambling. Saw two seals. Large wrasse (ballan), bass, ssf, compass jellyfish, cyanea lamarckii, comb jellies (x6 3-5cm). Lots of large kelp, wrack, thongweed.

LW 07.50, HW 13.50. Warm hazy sun. Visibility VG. Cold. Usual kit. If I ever go in here again for a snorkel I'll stick to Deadman's Cove/Rennets Slip (best underwater scenery here anyway). Neap/slack and v.settled conditions.

Barafundle Bay

On a long walk which took in the lily-pad/weed infested creeks of Stackpole Estate and the tremendous cliffs here, I went swimming at Barafundle Bay. This was a 'retro-swim' with the very basic kit I started out with - speedo FSM - though for some reason I swam without a snorkel. Water temperature close to the beach was very comfortable. Visibility was ok near the beach but not so good around the headland, when I went to look at the triple arch. It was close to high tide and I wasn't diving very deep so didn't see much except for a small school of bass. I was stung by jellyfish, but didn't even get to see it. It wasn't far at all to the arches, but the going seemed slow and missed the power of my scuba fins. There, underwater, I noticed a pool of light - but didn't feel like swimming through the hole to the other side. Nice clean sandy beach at Barafundle, like Broadhaven nearby, but very busy and somewhat noisy with people and boats. No dogs around. [Looking back at photographs - Stackpole Quay itself might be a better place to snorkel].

Nolton Haven

Another likely spot picked out using aerial photographs from Local Live. It was cool to start with and there was some hazy cloud, becoming hot later. Usual kit [FJ/Rash vest/boots/X3s/3kg] and borrowed Yas's mask because of the big panes- but soon found it fogged really easily. [Later toothpaste worked excellently to remove film and without affecting glass. Also good to use saliva on mask before getting wet].

Nolton's Haven had nice fine sand - but Yas said it was too fine and it got everywhere. For snorkelling there are good range of habitats to explore close by. I liked it here, though unfortunately, perhaps because the very big beach just to the north bans dogs, there were loads here. People we watched left shit behind - tied up in plastic bag; and continously dogs barked - the echoes reverbereating off the surrounding cliffs.

I had three swims here, the first was quite short because I had to come out to get my old Speedo mask. I had started going around the north side towards caves. There were lots of light sandy-coloured fish in small schools that were possibly gobies, and a big lobster (my first) making for crevice under large rock. The second swim took me a bit further in the same direction - but not much, as by now there were more people fishing and I didn't feel like long swim out and around them. It was around here I found a big barrel jellyfish (Rhizostoma Octopus) swimming about; I watched and photographed for a while before it moved out into deeper water. Interesting beasts those jellyfish, I read somewhere that their guts can harbour a strange little crustacean (with big green eyes) that lives nowhere else. They're also a favourite food for turtles. Other things I saw around the caves (there was a arch about here somewhere too) included spider, shore, and edible crabs, several bass, sbf (wrasse), ssf. One bay I swam through felt particularly creepy - cold and deep, it also contained suspended fishing line.

My third S. side (toward arches) to cave/arch in headland. Didn't find arch - obscured, small, or map error - or collapsed. Crabs as above, ssf, more bass, flatfish (brill) on rocks (~20cm) had slightly nibbled fins. Hermit crabs on sandy bottom. Plants as yesterday + olive green ferny branched weeds. More kelps less UL. Legs tired on third swim and ankles sore. Used arms more in breaststroke - not textbook but helped.

Manorbier

According to Giraldus Cambrensis, aka Gerald of Wales etc "this is the most pleasentest spot in Wales". Yes, it is pretty nice, and has good sandy beach with rocky bits for swimming and snorkelling around.

It was another good hot day, it turned out we were there for first decent week of sunshine; usually in the UK we are lucky to get a couple of days, and have been rained out completely before. So, got there early and parked for free (again! free parking - I like this place). Had a couple of swims, and Yas went in too. Better for her without any extra buoyancy (she had tried wearing a buoyancy aid to see what would happen, if she'd feel steady or more comfortable or something), and she did some snorkelling around on front. Her mask was still very foggy [turns out to be a very persistent film - also trapped hair and poor fit]. Usual kit.

I swam out of the bay eastwards, past some deep rectangular fissures. Swimming down into these wasn't very nice as they were cold and gloomy, and there wasn't much to see anyway - a few dark fish lurking in the shadows. It was about HT and didn't see much other wildlife as I made my way back. Later on I explored he west side, swimming over the shallow rocky ridges, getting back at low tide. There were wrasse (ballan and corkwing) some of them quite big. Sand eels (also quite big), SSF, SBF, small blue jellyfish (whitish and manky), dead edible crabs, clusters of blennys, and a small comb jelly. There were the usual sort of plants, various types of wrack including some smaller delicate ones, Irish moss, coral weed, sea lettuce, kelps, oarweed etc. Swam quite a long way on the second swim; the dives themselves were getting slightly better and more relaxed. The red cliffs reminded me of home. Manorbier castle was very scenic and the people there very nice, even after I trod on their cat.

Aber Bach

I was pleased to find this beach, walking distance from our campsite. I'd seen it on aerial pictures, and on maps, but still wasn't quite sure it would be accessible with public access. I was particularly glad to find it as I really didn't feel like driving any further afield for a day or so. The weather was great, it was bright and sunny, though a bit cool with the sea breeze. It still wasn't long after spring tide but the visibility wasn't too bad around high tide, I expect it would be much better nearer neaps.

First I swam east, there are some very rugged and dramatic looking cliffs and island over this way; but it wasn't particularly enjoyable, with the water surging around the rocks and poor vis earlier in the day. I found some wreckage out here, but it wasn't very interesting just some stumpy girder thing. West out of the cove there are more caves and rocks - less intimidating, and the water became clearer and warmer. There were SBF, SSF, wrasse, and a blenny that when I stopped to look at actually approached the camera; also shore crabs and a small moon-jellyfish.

Pwilgwaelod, Dinas Head

Had just driven up to Wales and wanted to make the most of the weather - it was warm, bright and sunny, with a gentle breeze. We had looked at possible snorkel site further west (can't remember the name), but decided to press on to look at a more generally sheltered spot near Dinas Head. Parking at Pwilgwaelod was free - and we managed to find a spot. The vis wasn't fantastic but quite good for a spring tide. We had to count ourselves lucky as some people we spoke too said that the previous day had been really choppy (but they had seen - from their boat - a swarm of very large, dustbin-sized jellyfish). I think that at neap tide it would have been very good indeed.

I went out of bay along cliffs past a few caves to inlet and rock arch that goes onto small cove at low/mid tide. Sponges (orange). Aurelia aurita (15cm). Several comb jellies (3cm/5cm). Wrasse, small brown fish (SBF) and small silver fish (SSF). Few spider crabs amongst kelp, and very large periwinkles. Plants included various kelps, wracks, OC, laver, UL. I used my usual kit: FJ/Rash vest/boots/scuba fins/weights 3kg. Tried the little 'Aquapac' drybag I got for keys, money etc. Very good.

Anstey's Cove to Long Quarry Point

A really great swim, it was nice and quiet - no traffic, just a few people later on at the beach. Weather was really settled, dry and bright and the sea was calm. Visibility was excellent. It was neaps and LW was 9.00. I swam 9-11.00, from Anstey's Cove, past Redgate Beach to Long Quarry Point. Plenty to see: there were lots of small wrasse, blenny- dark grey brown and very light brown ones, coral (a. digitatum) on two large overhangs, breadcrumb sponges (green and orange), spider crabs, a moulted one hiding in the sand off Redgate Beach. There were also very many tiny mussels, and sea-mat on the kelps. As for plants there was a lot of kelp, some stringweed and about Anstey's, dark red-brown spindly fern type stuff.

Wore usual kit, and getting cold, mainly becuase of slow going and taking pictures, was very glad of rash vest. Good 2 hour swim. Felt too floaty at times, so considering more weight (4kg) if not swimming far. Deep scatches to little fingers from rocks [which went septic very quickly]. Saw lots of junk from fishing- line off Anstey rocks, weight and hooks in Redgate cove and fishing tripod near Long Quarry Point.

Watcombe

Fine and dry so decided to go for a short snorkel after work. In the water about 6pm? Neap tide. HT 3pm. Seemed to take ages getting in (I went down the hill to have a look first, and had forgot how long and steep it is). Visibility looked good. Hardly anybody about. Yas swam too, but didn't stay in very long: too buoyant and feet felt floaty. I used my usual kit FJ/Rash vest/boots/scuba fins/weights 3kg. Saw a nice big edible crab on the deep vertical rock face just out of the cove, as well as spider crabs, wrasse, large bass around cave entrance (very fast swimmer), cyanea lamarckii, orange sponges, lots tiny mussels. Kelps. It was just a little too dark and shadowy for underwater pictures. Some yukky litter floating about. Good scenery.

St Mary's Bay

Decided to go back to St Mary's bay, hoping for better visibility. Weather was ok. It was sunny, with just a few small clouds and a haze. Vis was alright in the morning (~8am) before high tide, but later as the tide ebbed it deteriorated - though in places there were a few clearer patches (~3pm). Had a short swim in the morning but don't remember seeing very much. The afternoon swim was longer and more interesting. First over to Mussel rock, around it, then across St Mary's Bay. On the way over to the other side got a glimpse of a shoal of bass bass. Lack of visibility, interest, and the swell made for tedious swim. This kind of distance or the exploration of rocks and on towards Berry Head would be better suited to a kayak dive. Didn't see much around the rocks when I got there. Lifeboat came over to investigate - checked all ok - then sped off again.

Best wildlife was around Mussel Rock at low tide; there were several spider crabs, wrasse, bass in a small shoal on the seaward side over the sandy bottom - which would appear and disappear, common dragonet, 2-spot gobys (tiny orange/semi-transparent fish - I really liked these), a candy-striped flatworm surrounded by lightbulb sea-squirts, netted dog-whelks. Same plants as before - very large japweed and kelps around the rock, wracks and coral weed on the rock. Lower shore red and brown algae more noticable; bushy red seaweeds, and Irish moss-like ones with purple irridescent edges, as well as a lot of sea-potato. Usual kit (FJ/vest/boots/X3s/3kg). New rash vest great, definately need 3kg if wearing it. Bag of stones anchor worked very well and liked having the float nearby. Decided to rig float with A flag and use if going anywhere away from beach [used 15mm plumbing conduit and end caps from B&Q]. Good practise swim, and despite patchy visibility some good wildlife at low tide in shallows - this last bit was most fun. Yas swam again using mask and snorkel on surface. She is still getting used to fins.

St Mary's Bay

Weather not too bad, hazy sun, slight southerly breeze, but the visibility was poor owing to the spring tide. Timing my swims for slack water (supposed to be 2hrs before, or 4hrs after high tide) didn't help much. Yas now has wetsuit, boots, and fins, and tried everything out on a short swim near the beach. But poor visibility and continual mask fogging problems, despite lots of spit and rubbing, made it less than fun for her [toothpaste didn't help but a switch to a different type/fit looks like it might].

Swam to Mussel Rock, in the southern part of the bay, not far from the shore; around here there were ballan wrasse, a bass, sprats and a few spider crabs. On a longer second swim over to the north side of the bay to explore the rocks there, found a good sized (and living) compass jellyfish (~10-15cm). Didn't see much else becuase of the poor vis. But underwater scenery might be good. Plants in the bay about Mussel rock included very large (~2.5m) S.multicum and kelps (esp. furbelows). Plenty of wracks, c. officinalis on Mussel Rock itself.

I wore usual stuff: FJ/boots/X3s/2kg and used a spearfishing sled-type plastic float as marker while swimming around Mussel Rock. I anchored it with grapnel anchor, which soon lodged fast under a rock; was able to swim down and sort ok. Next time I used a bag of stones, far better for rocky/overgrown places and can be filled at the beach. The float can't be paddled on but, it's easy to push or tow. Highly visible and handy for holding things [after second trip to St Mary's I sorted out A-flag for it].

Also tried out some neoprene gloves and hood - both wrong type [embarrassingly poor choices and hadn't checked mask fit with hood]. Free car park below Sharkham Point. Ought to go back on neap tide. Good sized beach unlikely to get very crowded.

Hope Cove

Another trip with Jon, this time to Hope Cove near Bolt Tail, Devon. Out of the water it was warm; sunny and light (>5mph) southerly winds. I had my usual kit and the cold getting in made me think again about getting a thermal rash vest and that actually a 5mm wetsuit, made out of real neoprene, would be a good idea. I think Jon wore two 3-mm wetsuits and was still cold. He didn't have a weight belt but I lent him mine here and there so he could do some dives. The times while I had the weight belt I was able to take some pictures. Without the belt I'd float back up very quickly; but it was excellent practice for doing a good duck dive.

Visibility was very good, but deteriorated slightly later on when the tide dropped. Saw some big wrasse around the rocks between inner/outer Hope; also some oranges sponges on the rocks about here. There were also some small bass, and blennies, spider crabs (some mating), a smallish edible crab. A spider crab Jon found had a snakelock anenome on top; this is actually quite common - the crab gets a bit of protection from the anenomes' tentacles - imagine having a hat with waving arms that flail about and sting people! - and the anenome gets free transport and bits of whatever the crab dislodges as it eats.

There were iridescent turqoise blue seaweeds among the rock gullies running out from the shore. Also wracks, string weed, kelps and mossy dark brown seaweads. My finning was a bit better, trying to use whole leg, Ankles sore again though - but thankfully not getting any worse.

Jon tried to get me to swim over the shallow submerged ledges between rocks in the way that he enjoyed doing; when we got out he discovered that his suit was all grazed and cut up!!!!

Anstey's Cove

A gloomy morning, and not really ideal, but it was the weekend and I really wanted to swim. It was overcast and there was a light southerly breeze - the stronger winds of the preceeding days dying away. Down at Anstey's it looked ok and I phoned Jon and he drove over. We had a short swim, exploring the sides of cove, but we didn't see very much; visibility was moderate and in places quite poor. It was still quite cold and Jon wore two 3mm suits - and getting ready he enjoyed telling me I'd freeze. I knew it would be uncomfortable with the cold water flushing through my the open neck of the FJ I wore, and it was. Jon had had enough after 30 minutes or so and got out. I later went past Redgate Beach and rocks; and the visibility improved slightly after high tide. Some animals here and there: a few spider crabs, glimpse of a small dogfish, orange fish - young wrasse I suppose and lots of A. Digitarum (Deadmen's fingers) on a south facing rock overhang on the way to Long Quarry Point. Wracks and slimy stringweed abundant, and some Irish moss. This was my first time using proper scuba fins (Mares X3), and I experimented with weights finally settling for 2kg. Ah yes,. I had to be careful to avoid cramp, and my ankles - achillies tendon - really hurt from being stretched.

Durdle Door / Man-o-War Rock

Jon came with us to Durdle Door. Visibility was very good. Water was very cold. First swim was around Man-o-War Rock and the north side of Durdle Door. Saw some spearfishers around later. Got out, warmed up, had a sandwich, Jon felt the cold very badly (shivering uncontrollably it was highly amusing watching him trying to eat a sandwich) then walked to Bat Hole Cave for a swim around there. I swam back because my feet were so sore from the shingle [I still had full-foot fins]. Around Man-o-War rock there were spider crabs, ballan wrasse, and some orange sponges. Plants - especially sargassam multiculum. Near Bat Hole there was a lot of slimy string weed (which can trap swimmers, and the slime itself is an irritant). Also thongweed, with its bright green, mushroom-shaped holdfast/base and many others. Various types of kelp and lots of c. officinalis. The beaches got very busy about midday. As I was swimming round the end of Durdle Door for a RIB suddenly appeared with a group of lads for tombstoning; so I made my way past and headed in. Jon had gone ahead again, and I was getting tired.