Spinalonga Island

We got the bus through Elounda to Plaka at the end of the road, then caught a boat straight across to Spinalonga. Arriving early we were able to have relaxed look round before the island's narrow paths got too crowded. We walked over the island and I was able to see what it was like all around before going in the water and arrived back at the 'main gate' which seemed a good place to start. There was bit of a breeze - but not too bad - worse was the swash when the larger boats - frequently - chugged by. So for this reason alone it's better to swim early or late.

I'd been looking forward to swimming here for a long time, and wasn't disappointed. I found a good lot of sponges and other encrusting life around the more exposed parts particularly and in some holes. There was a small cave (where I scratched my head a bit) with a large fan worm and red fish with black head - a lesser black faced blenny. Saw lots of other blennies and gobies, more red starfish, grey sea slugs and lots of black sea urchins - some of their spines ending up in my fingers, and picked up a few empty cowrie shells. I went about half-way round and returned to the main-gate.

Various man-made stuff included a modern fishing reel (but was very rubbishy one and broken). And a few relics - perhaps from the leper colony - old bed frame and some broken corroded blue (metal) bowls in the shallows amongst the rubble. Yas had a pleasant stop in the shade, paddling and between the groups enjoying the view and the peace. Got our little boat back to Plaka and ate at one of the beach-front tavernas before catching the bus back home.

Spinalonga Peninsula / Agioi Pantes Island

Dive site 'Explosion #1' on the southeast tip of the Spinalonga Peninsula - a short ride on the rib from the Mirabello and dive outfit Crete Underwater Centre.

Took my own basic kit and hired everything scuba, and suit (long sleeved shorty). Had a 15l tank and used 6kg of lead which was fine. It was to be my first open water diving using a BC instead of a drysuit. Buddy was called Steve. Already hot I was glad I had my hat and some water. Arriving at the site the boat was moored next to another near a large open cave below some cliffs. Checked my gear, listened to the dive brief, checked what signals used and in we all went. The dive was great. Visibility fantastic. Not many plants but was pleased to recognise the fish I'd seen snorkelling, wrasse, bream, combers, parrotfish, small blue fish, fireworms, sponges etc,.. Scattered around the dive site were shells, and shell cases and bits of metal. Good dive route took us over some rocky ground 5-7 metres below the RIB the out over a ledge and along a slope which became more wall like further along. Returned along same route but shallower for decompression.

A nice surface interval (Yas had gone into town) I went back to Lito, got lots of drink and some snacks and had bit of rest and sorted out the camera. Walked back to Mirabello for the 2nd dive and met Manfred, who was to be my next buddy. Another short ride out this time to the south east and the gap between two islands off Ag Nik. the larger of which is Agioi Pantes and the smaller Mikronisi. Easy free descent, as there was no current and extremely good vis. Got together with my buddy as we set off nice and easy along the slopes, which were mainly rocky becoming sandier futher out.

Clusters of small and medium sized shell cases around and about. There was some good wildlife, again plenty of fish, and lots of different sponges; also starfish feeding, a large brittlestar on a sponge, and a giant red sea squirt. Manfred found a fishing rod, and I found a snorkel (a bit manky so I didn't keep it). We went along nice and slowly again, so there was good time to take a few pictures and enjoy the scenery.

Back at CUWC we all cleaned off kit - easy using the dunk tank - and I settled up. CUWCs rates were very reasonable (I paid €90 for my diving and kit hire). They were well equipped and freindly and helpful. I was delighted with a fantastic day's diving. Sadly, but quite rightly in fairness to Yasmin, that was all the scuba I would be doing - but there was plenty more snorkelling to look forward to.

Havania / Spinalonga Peninsula

Another early swim from the local beach, this time further along the coast. Felt good, and views wonderful. Sea wine dark and fishing boats at work up and down in the distance. I got over to Mirabello Hotel and went along the rocks toward the little arch. I found some new sponges, and more varied encrusting life in the small caves and crevices here. Further out, at about 7-8m, I found and a lump of stonework resembling a Corinthian capital.

Saw lots of little fish later on, lots of salp, and found a very bright red starfish. Got a few small scratches to hands somehow. Vis went a bit milky returning to the beach.

Yas was just about awake when I got back, and had the good idea that we go to Olous on the Elounda Bus. A taxi came along first and we got dropped off where the road forks down to cross the causeway over to the Spinalonga Pensinsula. Eventually we walked round to the church at the water's edge. The water was exceptionally clear, and I could see here the sunken walls - perhaps part of the old harbour - and decided to go for a swim. I took the blob with me because a bit further out there was waterskiing and inflatable towing from the opposite bay. Closer in I hooked the blob on a rock when I wanted to dive. I swam along the coast for a while around the rocks, the tilted slabby ledges were quite good underwater scenery and there were some good places for creatures. Saw lots of blennies, wrasse, and bream. Some bits of fishing gear and and a wrecked motorbike. Getting out got some sea urchin spines embedded in fingers.

We carried on up over the hill past the smiling goat, along the windy track past some very nice bays to the restored church at the top. We had a nice peaceful rest here and looked down across the bay and the beach where some of the big boats had offloaded lots of people for barbequing before walking back to one of the smaller beaches we'd passed.

Had a really good snorkel here. Interesting rocks and good scenery and fish, but fewer plants. A few bits and pieces of junk and lines/lead etc and some small tangles of line. Best thing I found was a very big conical shell in shallows. The main segment was about fist size and it was about 10". Alive? Perhaps. I took a few pictures and round and about here there were lots of the small black fish with forked tail fins. Fish with with feelers rootled in the sand. And there were plenty of fireworms and lots of gritty grey sea cucumbers.

Havania

It was amazing to be back on Crete after 21 years! It was going to be great to explore some new places, see the wildlife and snorkel in clear blue water, and get some sun. The day before in Bristol it was raining heavily as usual, there were big puddles everywhere, and it was gloomy and awful. We arrived in Heraklion, stepping out of the aircraft to be bathed in warmth and sunshine; after negotiating the airport etc, we had a pleasent ride over to Agios Nikolaos and got sorted out at our hotel the Lito - which was perfect btw.

The Lito was on a hill just above Havania beach, which as it turned out, was a pretty good place for snorkelling with some shallow reefy ledges and rocky headland close by. I woke up early, gatherered my snorkelling bits and pieces together and was in the water about 7am to make the most of quiet swim.

I went out and around the rocks to the south of Havania Beach toward the Mirabello Hotel. The visibility was great and there were lots of small colourful fish. I didn't know any of their names and I was seeing them for the first time but there were banded/saddled bream, cardinal fish, painted comber, decorated wrasse, salp, blennies, and a Moray. Amongst the various fish I still haven't identified were some tiny dark metallic blue ones. There were rounded black sponges (like the ones at home) and grey/green upright ones, and red sprawling ones in crevices and under overhangs etc,.. I also saw some red segmented worms, which I later found out were fireworms and not to be handled. There wasn't much weed as I'm used to seeing- there were patches of eel grass though, and off Havania I saw no crabs or sea anenomes.

The water very pleasant (I wore a rash vest anyway). Took pictures, some around the shallow ledges and wildlife amongst the rocks. The moray was brilliant. It was perhaps 2-3 feet long, and though seemed to be quite a young one, not as shy as I thought it would be. I was a little wary, and didn't like to go in too close and disturb it, but got a couple of pictures and reckoned he was quite friendly looking. On the way back I saw an old boat keel. I used the beach shower to rinse off my kit, and went back up the hotel refreshed and happy for breakfast.

What did we do that day? - er - after breakfast we walked into town. On the way I enquired about diving at the Crete Underwater Centre (by good fortune just a 10 min walk down the road). We enjoyed ourselves pottering around Ag Nik. and stocked up on cold drinks.

After bit of a rest back at the hotel, we got up and went down to the beach for an evening snorkel before dinner. There was a small amount of choppiness (though our location was very sheltered) and Yas felt a bit queasy swimming. She got to see some fish anyway and seemed to like these. I took some more pictures and although there was not as much variety as this morning, it very enjoyable and out in front of the rocks, say in water 4-5 m deep over the sea-bed, the visibility was at least 10 metres.

Maine and Shippen Rock, Hope Cove

Back at Hope Cove first thing Sunday morning we were delighted to discover that the wind had dropped right off and that it was still sunny. It was an early start to make the slack water required to dive the Maine, a British cargo steamer full of horsehair, goatskins, and chalk, torpedoed by a U-Boat in 1917. A classic wreck and the favourite of many I was very excited to be diving it! I was buddied with Phil; also diving were Chris and Debbie, and Terry and Peter C. Clint boathandled.

Down the shot into the current and murk, and past the fuzzy dark bulk of the bow to the sandy bottom I soon relaxed (in fact I was far more relaxed than I thought I might be on this, my deepest dive so far and a new wreck).

The Maine was superb! Reasonably intact, upright and on an even keel; she is very interesting and has lots to explore, and beautifully encrusted. There also plenty of life on her; we saw pollack, wrasse, and found a lobster. There were lots of soft corals, various sponges, plumose anemones (very nice pink and white ones), jewel anemones etc. The vis was perhaps about 10m and it was sunny and light at deck level.

Phil's tour took us from the shot to the portside of the bow along the seabed, to the holed section, then up over wreckage onto the main deck and over the framing girders. We took our time over the deck, and I took a few pictures. We arrived at some upstanding metalwork where we found a big fat conger resting amongst some pipes. We then swam through some structure to get to the stern and had a quick look around. The return was made along the starboard side, where I enjoyed swimming along the edge looking down over the sides. Where the crankshaft (?) was, near an intact bulkhead, we crossed back to the port side. Above the rear facing opening of the bow section we could see Chris's and Debbie's torches playing within as we carried on to the pointy end and over to the shot.

The ascent was smooth and steady and deco passed pleasantly in the sun watching the effervescent, and the silvery UFO-bubbles of the divers below wobble their way to the surface.

After some kit sorting, and time on the beach for a little rest and seeing the second wave launched, Peter W, Geoff H, Lucy, and Abigail, readied for a training dive from the shore. Nik and I prepared for a dive around the Shippen; and Gary and Rachel went snorkelling. Vis was very good and it was a very pleasant dive (away from the rocks and the rebounding surge). We were mainly over the intertidal zone but the scenery, with the sun over the weedy outcroppings was very nice. Shanny skipped about on the shallowest rocks, sprats shoaled, and here and there below the masses of kelp and thongweed were ballan wrasse, spiny starfish, and fan-worms. When Nik got low(er) on air - she still had enough for 2 or 3 more dives ;)! - we ascended for the short surface swim/snorkel back to the beach.

I was really 'chuffed' with three very different, very wonderful dives. The weekend was perfect - great weather, great diving, great buddies. I was very grateful to Derek for organising, and boathandlers and towers, and everyone else who made it happen, and Yasmin for that early start on Sunday!!

Bolt Tail, Hope Cove

Getting to Hope Cove village is always very nice when the weather's good and though the sea was a bit choppy because of the persistent SW wind, it was dry and sunny. The sunshine was especially welcome - we'd just had the wettest miserablest June for nearly 100 years!

A last minute alteration of the dive list saw me on a reef dive off Bolt Tail and after a wobbly ride out from the beach at Outer Hope in the 'squidgy' Gary and Alan put in, followed shortly after by Peter and myself. We went straight down through some murky and bitty patches and sent the blob up from the bottom. Then we were off, the overwhelming current took us flying over reefy outcrops and gullies. I had set my compass and was all ready to head east (as suggested by Phil who was boathandling) but this was not going to happen and I think Peter was laughing at me when I pointed at my compass. Anyway Peter taught me to go with the flow and it was great; I was the little boy out of Raymond Briggs 'The Snowman'.

Wildlife highlights were the large shiny blue cuckoo wrasse, and a type of branching yellow sponge I hadn't seen before. There were sea urchins, starfish, and pink sea-fans in some of the gullies. The craggy reef edges were very pretty and had a lot on them. Amongst the knobbly edges were hollows with plants, sponges, fan-worms, sea-squirts etc, and fish that were perfect aquariums in miniature.

Down to 100bar we started our ascent and Peter reeled up (which I know now would have been easier if I'd pulled the line as he did so). We were still going with the current and holding the 6m stop was quite tricky and we yo-yoed between 5m and 7m. On surfacing I was glad to see MIR; better suited to the presently lumpy sea around Bolt Tail. Peter was a bit sea-sick, and I too felt a bit of motion-sickness and had to remind myself to look at the horizon a few times.

It was nice to be back on solid ground, but was very satisfied with a good dive and an interesting and educational experience. I would do it again right now if I could! In the afternoon Yas and I went for a nice walk along the cliff top towards Thurlstone.

Penlee Point, Plymouth

The plan was to dive the James Eagan Layne, but after a very bumpy ride out and finding heavy sea beyond Penlee Point, we returned to sheltered area inside Penlee Point and dived 50m or so from the rocky shore. I dived once again with Peter C. The deeper outcrops at 10-15 metres were nice and reefy, very pretty. Shallower, about 5-6m towards the end of the dive, there was a lot of kelp (to be expected) and it was not quite so nice.

Around the bouldery reefs there was a very pleasant variety of colourful seaweeds, and plant-like animinals, feathery sea-firs, sea-squirts etc. (unknown sponges). There were sea-cucumbers (cotton-spiners), snakelock anenomes, spiny starfish, purple starfish. Fish - there were lots of fry, especially goldsinny wrasse, as well as adult ballan wrasse, a wonderful group of cuckoo wrasse, a pollack (on every dive there seems to be a single large pollack), and a tompot blenny. It was a really good relaxed dive. Peter lugged the blob around, and found a fishing weight.

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.

Exmouth Dock

After a dreary day, the sun got out for a fantastic evening. At the quay (made it though the rush-hour) I had a look around; the tide was still racing in and it was very choppy below the quayside, but the vis looked 'ok'. Diving were Clint and Hilary, Phil and Nik, Derek and Geoff, Kevin and me, with Brian shore cover.

We went in just after HW and did just over 30 minutes at an average depth of 11m. Jumped off the dock, and able to get back out on ladder (just). Current made it hard work here and there, but staying low and going steady we didn't have any problems. Vis was >4 metres.

Tompot blennies. They were everywhere -watching us from crevices and holes- it was blenny city. There were some shannies too in the shallows. There were ballan and goldsinny wrasse, and nice school of pollack. Near the cave, Kevin freed a small pollack caught on some abandoned line. A further on we saw a big fresh water eel. The terrain was varied (boulders, rocks, the cave, piles of shells, and mussels, and junk with plenty of hiding places).

Everyone had a really good time; Kevin and I had a good look round, Clint and Hilary fed the fish, Derek took some brilliant pictures of blennies and crab, Phil found a porthole, and Nik found some sort of gun. The coin I found turned out to be a 2p.

Galicia

A nice sunny day and the weather was far better than forecast; we arrived at Teignmouth as first wave (to the Bretagne) was putting out. Yas, Hilary and I went into town, to the dive shop, then round the back beach and seafront. Got a hood for Yas and we ate some pasties.

The second wave (switched to the Galicia) set off and were soon above the wreck. Geoff H and Nic got in first, then Geoff M and I, down the shot. We had good look round. The vis was not great, milky and snotty, but not too bad. It was far better and lighter than last time, the net was easily avoided. Usual encrusters: lots of light-bulbs, and white anenomes. There were a lot of smallish fish as well as larger pollock, bass, various wrasse, and a tompot blenny. I took some pictures and had a nice relaxed dive. We sent up the blob, and on the way up we found the shot.

There was time for a third wave and I was lucky enough to get on it and use Dave's spare nitrox. The wreck was slightly harder to find this time because looking into the sun and haze the transit at Holcombe above Smuggler's Cove was hard to see. I was first buddied with Dave, unfortunately he couldn't get down and I waited on the shot and joined Phil and Anne when they got in.

The dive itself was fine, relaxed and comfortable, it was also my first nitrox dive. Down we went into the gloom and at the bottom we all got our torches out. It was much darker now. Off we went, and in covering more ground, we saw how badly netted the Galicia is. There are several very large heavy nets that look like they've been there a long time; these don't seem to be a problem, but there is also lots of tangled monofilament net and line and animals caught in it. There were several dead cormorants, dead fish including a very large female ballan wrasse thrashing about, and a lobster [Clint and Helen found another tangled lobster on their dive], and sea fans amongst the rope. All awful.

Meadfoot

Good job I did that weight check on Thursday. If I hadn't, today wouldn't have been half as good. I added another 3kg [so 9kg] and was only then able to dive for very brief and shallow dives, 4 metres or so, before bouncing back up. Finning to stay down I used my air up pretty quick.

Weather fine, very calm and clear and getting out sunny. Vis varied, perhaps 3 to 4 metres. Bloom still here, and there was lots of green brown snot, but reasonable. Neap tide, very light winds, and lack of rain all helped. Wetsuit was very warm and comfortable. [Would like it like this one day to go a bit further round and see West Shag Rock or London Bridge].

I swam straight over to East Shag Rock. Lots of sponges like before, and the usual colonists, but couldn't see the round yellow ones or the green jewel anemones. This time however, I saw velvet swimmer crabs, a few very small edible crab, and a few large prawns. The starfish still there and seemed to be as plentiful, around the west side mainly, munching mussels.

Fishes, there were large ballan wrasse (among the kelpy bits and around the reefy bits between), goldsinny wrasse in the crevices, a large mullet, and a docile dogfish that followed me round the rock.

On the way back I picked up a few floating carrier bags and removed some tangling line. Lots of litter on the road, the lay-bys, and beach too. Otherwise a really good early morning swim.

Watcombe

The fine weather got me out after work for a short swim and weight check [note to self: need 8kg] with new wetsuit - should now be able to snorkel most of the year, if not all year. Unfortunately, just a very gentle easterly swell was enough to spoil the visibility here completely.

Anstey's Cove, Torbay

The weather on Saturday was much better than forecast so we decided to try Anstey's Cove. The sea at Dawlish on the drive over was choppy but we'd find somewhere sheltered around Torquay. Anstey's is very nice. The path down from the car park is steep, but not too bad if you're snorkelling. It stayed fine and visibility was better than expected too, despite the spring tide. It was a bit milky at low water but a good 2 to 3 metres.

Stupidly I'd left my snorkel at home. I'd collected it up but didn't go the distance and actually put it in the kit bag, so I went without (sensibly I ditched a few kilos). It was worth it, apart from the exercise, to discover that the May algae bloom might be clearing. There were small moon and compass jellyfish. Plenty of juvenile fish, and a large ballan wrasse lurking in the kelp, which there was a lot of; see the picture of the kelp zombie.

There were a few other bits and pieces, the usual stuff - but I seemed to get cold quickly and I didn't stay in very long or go over to Redgate Beach as planned and around the rocks there which in the past I've found a bit more interesting - next time.

Galicia, Teignmouth

The final plan was for three waves to go out of Teignmouth to the Galicia. Unfortunately only the first wave, Clint and Hilary, and Anne and I (Paul L boat handled) got to dive. Further diving was called off as visibility was only 1m or so, and just not worth it.

The wreck was located using the transits, and a floating line [attached to a folding anchor later retrieved] found in position used as a shot. I was glad of the shot, because there was some current, as well as poor visibility. I hoped things might be better on the Galicia and we might pass through a layer of algae into some clearer water but no such luck, and it had become very dark too.

Making the most of things, we examined the random lump we'd arrived on, and poked around for wildlife. The encrusted and silty jumble of metalwork had plenty of hiding places and lurking within were small fish, including a female cuckoo wrasse. Other things I noticed were sea-squirts (light-bulbs), a few small starfish, and sponges.

Downwards towards the edge of the wreckage all of a sudden we were confronted by a net. As we backed away, I realized Anne was caught and discovered more of the dreadful stuff entangling her 1st stage. This was carefully sorted and we chose an alternative route.

We shortly came to a wall of cruddy metal, it was covered in hundreds of beautiful white anemones and I took a few pictures. Not long afterwards at another upright plate with unseen debris and cable about it, we decided, almost simultaneously, that we'd had enough of the place - despite its eerie beauty - and wanted to go home. I helped Anne deploy the blob and we returned to the surface.

The dive was valuable experience, so despite the poor conditions I was very glad to have done it. We also got to see Clint deploy his special diving umbrella. I can't wait to go back to the Galicia and explore it in 'daylight' as it were, go a little bit further, make out a bit more of what's left of it and see what else lives there.

Babbacombe

Nice easy shore-dive off the beach at Babbacombe with Geoff, to see what was there. It's a good place and very popular for diving, but if you're planning to stop here be warned that the clampers are extremely zealous. Signs tell you that if the ticket machine is broken you may only stay 30 minutes,.. and that if you need to get change that someone must remain with the vehicle! Welcome to Torbay.

We went in around high tide (HW was 09:40). We surface swam over the stony part of the beach and descended in 5m water and continued north out over silty bottom. Eventually (after about ~150m) we came to a stony ridge and the floor dropped a little more and levelled off again at about 10m. The bottom here was similar to that we'd already covered, and later Geoff told me that it was far more interesting the last time he visited; perhaps it had been trawled up. There were also fishing lines and several clumpy tangles of line, and weights. Others have said that Babbacombe beach is a very good wildlife dive, sadly it was a rather silty no-man's-land. There were empty shells, a few scallops and other large bivalves - spiny cockles and mussels open and rotting, and scattered crab remains. There were lots of scavenging hermit crabs (party-time for these guys), some small gobies, fan worms, a few sea squirts, and sea potatoes (in places very abundant). There were a few wobbly clusters of cuttlefish eggs and Geoff saw a baby cuttlefish. I spotted a pipefish, well camouflaged on the muddy bottom, and found it quite approachable. It was a bit out of place here though, they're more usually encountered amongst weed. The delicate tube anemones were very nice, and there were a few whelks creeping about.

Visibility wasn't great, perhaps three metres, with mistiness and suspended particles. We went back toward the beach and at a rock closer to the shore Geoff ascended. Separation occurred on a second descent and we rendezvoused once more at the surface. At this point we decided to call it a day and we swam back in. We had about 45 minutes of diving- a nice steady swim and look around, with good compass and pilotage practise.

Mew Stone and Plymouth Breakwater Fort

Arriving at Mount Batten early (because I take ages to kit up), we ooohed and aaahed as if we hadn't seen the sea for a year - the sky and sea were blue and Plymouth Sound quite calm-looking. Pretty soon the others arrived, and the first wave [Paul L and Dave M, Clint, Simon and Helen, Chris G boat handler] was ready to go.

We got to the Mew Stone and chucked the shot line in. First in were Clint, Helen and I. We descended into soup-green water. Looking up, instead of a green sun-dappled surface, was a dense blizzard of green-brown particles. The bottom had small rock outcrops and ledges with kelp on top and sand and gravel between. Visibility seemed to be about 1.5m - 2m; quite murky but up close there would be plenty to see. Unfortunately, Helen hadn't enough weight and had to end her dive early.

Back on the bottom Clint used his lifting bag to send the shot to the surface, we then sent up a DSMB, and set off for a look round. Swimming into the current wasn't too bad, we weren't in a hurry - what did take a bit more effort was dragging the DSMB about. Around the ledges were lots of different sponges, sea squirts, sea urchins, starfish, sea cucumbers, and fan worms. There were various small fish - mainly wrasse and gobies. With good conditions the southern side of the Mew Stone would be great.

While diving Dave's special elephant proof hat had been lost (my hat btw - a nice olive-khaki colour - just looks like it has passed through an elephant). Back at Mount Batten, the second wave bound for the Mew Stone [Chris G, Kevin, Geoff M, Anne, Nik, Dave M boat handler] were getting ready. When they were out, I lolled around the car park, chatting, reading, arranging kit, and so on while Yasmin went on a second foray into town. She got a lift over on the RIB which for Yas was bit of an adventure!

On the third wave [Chris and Simon, Dave M and Helen and Kevin boat handler] I was to complete the DSMB and compass exercise, and my Sport Diver training. Passing close to RFA tanker Black Rover the huge aviation training ship RFA Argus, moored just inside the Breakwater we arrived at the Fort. In the water Chris and I descended the wall of the large circular turret, and I followed the compass west into the gloom out over a muddy sea-bed pock-marked with worm holes. We headed back east, and I was glad when I saw the Fort once more.

Visibility wasn't too bad, and there was a lot of interesting junk around, all covered with a short encrusting turf, and here and there simple animals. The insides of a lifting cage lots of orange and yellow potato-oid sponges, and on the wall of the Fort were pink sea fan, and dead men's fingers; in the silty sand were the feathery flower-like feeding parts of fan worms.

Amongst the stones, girders, pipes, coils of wire and other bits and pieces, there were a few small edible crabs, a velvet swimmer crab, and even a lobster! As for fish - there were gobies (lots), female cuckoo wrasse, a bass, and a conger eel, its head and tail visible at each end of the narrow hollow it occupied. We managed a circuit of the Fort, arriving back where we'd started, it was a great dive!

Tinker Shoal, Plymouth

Arriving at Mount Batten, Plymouth, Yasmin and I were met with a strong and gusty easterly breeze. It was fairly cloudy too at first, but later on there would be some proper sunny spells.

I was on the second wave going out in afternoon to dive the Eagan Layne. The buddy pairs for the dive were: Clint and Hilary, Geoff H and Peter C, Anne and myself. Chris was boat handler. So after the first wave (below) departed, Yasmin, Alyssa, and I crossed from Mount Batten on the water taxi; we had bit of a look round the Barbican and the town centre, and I had a nice pasty for breakfast.

Conditions ruled out the James Eagan Layne, and also the Mew Stone. However, Anne and I had very agreeable dive (bottom time of 53 minutes) exploring the reefy ledges around eastern edge of Tinker Shoal.

We went down shotline into the murky green. I soon discovered my suit inflator hose had popped off; a signal to Anne and I paused to reconnect. Once on the bottom we found that the visibility was a good 5 metres and far better than we had been expecting. Anne had a few bubbles from her gauge - but nothing alarming - and off we went.

The wildlife was surprisingly varied. Anne had her camera and we both took some pictures. I'm still adapting my technique from learned snorkelling habits, and by trial and error figuring out how to get better results with my basic setup.

There were ballan wrasse, a pollack, all sorts of gobies, and unknown others. A mixture of sponges: yellow warty outcrops of boring sponge, smooth grey and purple masses of elephant’s ear, a few spongy balls of tethya aurantium, cratery hemimycale columella, and various other encrusting porifera. Other stuff included: spiny starfish in abundance, dense patches of snakelock anemone, a spider crab, a few sea cucumbers (one particularly big and offensive-looking), clusters of peacock worm, and a coil of nudibranch eggs. I suspect there was very much more if I knew what I was looking at.

The reefs had a lot of kelp on top, but the shallow gullies and fringes of the reef where the slate was broken and creviced were very interesting with colourful ledges and lurking fish.

Tinker Shoal was traditionally a dumping ground for shipping in and out of Devonport, including the Royal Navy; and is also near the historic Fort Bovisand practice battery. Where we put in there was a sparse scattering of ceramics: broken crockery, pipe, and a floor tile.

It had been quite choppy going out (extra fuel consumption required a switch of tanks). But with the wind dropping slightly and heading back into sheltered water, the return trip was relatively smooth.

It was a really enjoyable dive. I also did my Assistant Dive Manager bit of Sport Diver - grateful for Chris and Debbie's coaching and help from the Assistant Assistant Dive Manager! Can't wait for the next one!