Swanage Pier

Had a day off, so we went to Swanage in Dorset to snorkel under the famous pier. 30-40mph NW winds, and quite cold; but vis was good 5m. Useful facilities, dive school/shop, air, very easy access and entry to water, toilet (open in winter!) and a shower. Chip shops and cafes are a short walk into town. Imagine extremely busy in summer.

Anyway, the pier is fantastic. Went in down steps and over stony and weedy shallows to the left of pier (lots of crab burrows). Then under the pier and worked my way along, (careful to mind anglers lines - they moaned noisily anyway) and tied blob to a girder while under pier. There are a few clumps of fishing line to avoid. Interesting bits of metal, pipe, and rubble etc litter the bottom.

For fish there were Wrasse, gobies, sand smelt, a dragonet. Probably because the tidal range is minimal there is interesting turfy growth very shallow (usually piers just get covered with barnacles or mussels or bladderwrack). All kinds of colourful sponges are embedded in the growth, and tunicates, sea firs, etc and there are lots of hiding places for small life in the crumbling wooden parts of the structure - which itself is quite picturesque. Also found edible crab, and prawns on the 'new' pier. The old pier is similar and also good for a look round, it's stony and weedier. I found some fan worms here. Fine sand beyond.

Was in the water 2 hours. Cold getting in, and felt cooler later, with numb toes but otherwise warm enough in 5-7mm wetsuit (10kg on belt just right). Lost a knife, not a big deal, just glad I hadn't bothered cleaning it.

Babbacombe

Paul L, Derek and Lucy, and myself dived Babbacombe on Sunday; vis wasn't great - a bit misty - but it was a lovely day and very nice dive. WNW/flat calm. High tide at 8am was ideal. Did the brief, then I led Derek and Lucy according to plan, while round and about Paul on his re-breather lurked 'in stealth mode' and assessed my leading. Ballan wrasse, gobies, lots velvet swimmer crabs, prawns, a long-legged spider crab 'skin'. No underwater pictures - too busy!

On the way back we stopped at Smugglers Cove (Holcombe) to look at access for shore-diving Parson and Clerk rocks.

Shoalstone (Brixham)

Forecast was 45mph WSW, and not looking great, but decided to have a look - and it turned out well. Shoalstone Point sheltered; it was also neapy. Vis was ~3 metres. So had a very good dive of 67min (max 10m) with Derek and Geoff. Headed out from near the swimming pool 330° (then left) and explored the low reefy and bouldery stuff. Derek and Geoff got a few scallops, but they were sparse and of these not many were big enough. I concentrated on photography.

Quickly the kelp thinned out and there was good weedy turf, and lots of trumpet anemones. Apart from the gobies there didn't seem to be any fish around, but found there to be amazing variety of crabs: harbour, long-legged spider, hermit (in whelk, top, and tower shells) velvet swimmer, angular, and a particularly interesting spot - a Bryer's nut crab (above).

I took quite a few pictures. I use the custom settings on my camera to allow me to switch between close-up mode (where I need, and it's ok, to use flash) and general shooting. It was made more of a challenge as Derek's new flexible split fins wafted the silt from the bottom most effectively.

Started to feel quite cool after 40-60 minutes but was nice and light when the sun was out. No headache or anything - drinking plenty before the dive seems to be working well. All in all a very interesting and enjoyable dive.

Babbacombe

Rainy. Stong NW. Arrived 07:30. Derek and Geoff H just behind me. Geoff H decided to do weight check in new suit. Derek and I went N then E (over rubble and bouldery stuff, then box pattern over sand). Very early in dive Derek spotted a cuttlefish, and simultaneously a dog-fish, and a largish wrasse. Onwards, lots of gobies, another couple of cuttlefish. Lots of velvet fiddler crab around the boulders.

Derek and I separated at one point - noticing this I headed for the hazy water, and had a quick look round. No sign of him so I surfaced to locate his marker (which was only ~3m away!) and dropped back down (5m). Over the sand was very interesting, lots of hermit crabs, some quite big, and harbour/swimmer crabs (top). Various anemones. Netted whelks. Then we found an anchor inverted and upstanding. It was covered with orange plumose anenomes. There were also some mussels. With a closer look I found a few (relatively large ~7cm) long-legged spider crab, and Derek found a nudibranch. There were also some pasty white tunicates in small clumps.

Several sights brought to mind Jeff Wayne's musical version of the H.G Wells classic, The War of the Worlds. The empty shells of crabs like defunct alien war machines lay strewn across a desolate landscape; and later we found a rock covered with vivid red algae - I could hear The Red Weed' in my head.

We made our way back on to the rocky stuff and slowly W and S towards the beach. The water was 14°C but was getting cold after about an hour; I felt I was ideally weighted for dive (with 15l bottle and usual kit), I had 12kg on belt 1kg in jacket, but more air in the suit would have been a good thing. Total dive time 67 min and surface air consumption was about 17l/min. Drank plenty of water beforehand. Excellent dive and photo oportunities.

Teignmouth (canned)

Misty start but 3-400 m surface vis; gradually improving. Flat calm, and a few hours later it was hot and sunny. Adrian, Debbie, Brian, Hilary, Geoff H were on the boat (Brian and Hilary towers, Adrian boathandler). We were going for the Bretagne, but unfortunately we didn't dive as the GPS was not working properly and we had engine worries - so seemed sensible to return. We saw a seal coming back into the estuary, and I got a decent picture.

Baygitano

Hilary and Brian organised a club dive out of Lyme Regis and two waves enjoyed the Baygitano. Hilary and Brian towed, Adrian boathandled, and Chris and Debbie towed the boat home. The diving was superb. Tides were springy, but weather was perfect (just a slight haze) calm and sunny.

Hilary and I dived first, and arriving at the boilers found the vis to be an excellent 10+ metres. The 'Baggy' is flattened but very picturesque and covered with fish - masses of bib, and pollack. We also saw wrasse of various kind, leopard spot gobies (below), several very large conger, a red mullet, and a John Dory.

We swam about the boilers a little then headed in the direction of the stern. We found the spare propeller, various engine parts, hatches, bollards, winches and coils of cables. All very interesting, then we came back - and on the way near the boilers met Brian and Christian. Hilary and I had a few more minutes look around, and returned to the shot and used that for a nice easy ascent.

Back to Lyme Regis, and those of us diving again - Geoff M, Dave, and myself, swapped cylinders and picked up some food and drink for the boat and went straight back out. Soon after arriving at the site we discovered the shot had come away from the wreck, so had to be redeployed (I hadn't been able to lodge it very well). Anyway ready to go again. Geoff, Dave and I went in and had another very good dive. There was more current this time, but we managed to stay on the wreck, swimming slightly across it, and it was not a problem.

Back to Exeter (not a bad trip actually) happy and tired, we washed and tidied up the boat.

Exmouth Dock (Blenny Cove)

Dived with Derek and Geoff H. at Blenny cove - other side of the marina to the fish quay off where I've dived before. An easy put-in at the beach and we surface swam to boulders. In the water at 7:10am.

Descent and down a steep rocky slope, littered with mangled 'stuff' into the abyss. Ballan wrasse on the way. Very dark. Levelling off a bit at about 20m. Sponges, starfish here. Boulders and shelly/gravelly sand. Derek's torch was running down (the light from a working torch didn't exactly carry very far) and we went back up the slope.

On the way up spotted a pipefish. Over a large clayey boulder collected some lead scraps and fishing weights. Swam round assorted sponge/turf crusted boulders, and up to pilings. Lots of blennys (below). Just the one picture (!) partly because of the vis and murk, partly because a vital button sticking on my camera housing. Managed to work it, but not great; pried it loose later.

Some current later in dive, but nothing much, and easy getting back to the start. After the stump round the marina all were ready for breakfast - and went to the cafe along from the fish shop.

James Eagan Layne

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

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

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

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

Brixham

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

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

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

Anstey's Cove

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

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

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

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

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

St Paul' s Bay (Lindos)

Kalithea

Kalithea spa

Anthony Quinn Bay

Faraklos

Pefkos to Lardos

St Paul's Bay (Lindos)

Rhodes

Rhodes Aquarium. 5€ ea. What can I say!? Interesting 1930's (Italian) grotto-like aquarium in the basement of the marine biology station but fish and invertebrates very off-colour. The most pitiful sight however, was the turtle and its futile and self-harming efforts to escape its tiny tank.

A recently re-furbished marine life display on ground floor inlcuded dried small animals (interesting - but you have to know what you're looking at, and what a living one looks like to appreciate), and some pretty grisly and mishappen shark and rays that look 150 years old but are actually only a few tens.

Pefkos to Lardos

I was starting to wake up (about 6:20am) when suddenly the entire room began to shake (fairly violently). It was an earthquake. The tremors of the main shock seemed to last 5-10 seconds, accompanied by a loud rumbling noise; then there were lighter trembles dying away. Was going to go back to sleep and the fire alarm went off and the building was evacuated onto the beach - where we waited until it was ok for us to go back in (wondered what it would have felt like under water).

In the day we went to Petaloudes ('Butterfly Valley' - they're moth's actually, but Valley of the Moth's would sound a bit creepy I suppose), then to Ancient Kameiros. Later found out the earthquake magnitude was 6.3.

Got ready for a night snorkel around the reefs in front of the hotel. Nice warm night, water fine. Lots of wildlife, but fish less noticable (and no wrasse). Sand eels and small silver fish close in over the sand, and over the reef soon found a frilly orange nudibranch, then an octopus. Wedged in rocks, an orange nudibranch and squat lobster(?) Also found a very big fireworm, far bigger than they're supposed to get, a few scorpion fish, blennys, sand gobies, stripy fish (but not a comber), also a very small cuttlefish.

Pefkos to Lardos

First day on Rhodes I woke up early and nipped out to the beach. It was sunny and the water nice and very warm even first thing. I'd seen from the Google Earth pictures that there was some shallow rocks to explore at the edges of several sandy bays and I looked round these. All the familiar fish were here in abundance: salp, red mullet, cardinal fish, damselfish (I shortly discovered that the tiny blue fish are in fact juvenile damselfish - Chromis chromis), parrot fish, bream, decorated wrasse, painted comber, and sand smelt. Other stuff included some red sponge and a few rounded black ones, lots of burrows in sand, fireworms, and yellow anemones. Didn't take camera, used basic kit and wore a rash vest.

Babbacombe

Weather wasn't looking great for the weekend with strong SW winds and gusts gusts, not to mention springy tides, but I reckoned Babbacombe would be OK - and so it was. We'd agreed an early start and when I arrived Geoff was already there and kitting up. Vis looked very good. A few other divers were already in and a few more started to turn up. We went out to the reefy bit and around the rocks, north then west. We had a very nice easy-going dive, pootling along at about 7-8m for 70min.

There was a fantastic lot of wildlife. A cuttlefish, goldsinny wrasse, ballan wrasse, sand gobies, pipefish, spider, edible, velvet fiddler, and long-legged spider crabs, gravel sea-slugs (2-3x) one of these biggest I'd seen and unusually much of the body was visible. Common starfish in the shallow sub-lit, and few tiny brittlestars seen on the silty sand beyond the rocks. A flatfish on the inside of a wheel rim, various sponges (stalked sponges etc), a tiny candy-stripped flatworm, and various molluscs - netted dog-whelks etc,..

Louis Shied

Partly because of the expectation of similar conditions to Budleigh Thursday, no sea dives were planned as far as I could tell. However Kevin on Friday had contacted the management of a certain reservoir to carry out a risk assessment and preliminary dive (he had applied formally and had permission) but they refused at the last minute saying they were busy. I had arrived there already - wasting fuel in the middle of the shortage - and the place was almost deserted.

We had a quick rethink and Kevin, Rob C, and myself met at Thurlestone. The vis was 5m, and conditions perfect. We swam around the rocks there in about 5-10m. We saw lots of life including cuttlefish (4x), dogfish, a shoal of bass, a monster spider crab, and off the rocks found a spot where a large number of netted dog whelks were grazing on worms, and close by, in a layer of organic matter, we found handfuls of marine isopods (underwater woodlice). Lots of other fish, crabs and the usual sea-squirts, sponges and so on. All was wonderful and even the algae fantastic and colourful; deep reds and yellows, and irridescent green, with lots of blue and red tinged snakelocks anemone amongst it all.

Budleigh Salterton

Derek, Geoff H, Phil and myself dived Budleigh on Thursday evening after work. It was a lovely sunny evening. Unfortunately the vis was less than a metre and like swimming through a glass of congealing fat. Derek and Geoff covered a prodigous distance in seach of clear water but to no avail. It wasn't the nicest dive ever (and I didn't see a living thing - not even a snail) but was all very good practise. I took a few pictures and some video just to show how terrible it was.

James Eagan Layne

Penlee Point

Lincoln / Bucks

We got up extra early today – and to our relief the wind had died off. It was misty on higher ground but arriving at Lamorna and sea-level the visibility was fair; and as the day went on it became brighter and by the afternoon it was warm and sunny. Our first dive was Lincoln (30m). A sailing-ship converted to steam, sunk in 1865, the Lincoln is flattened but very attractive. With good 10m+ visibility, the view across the ships frames was wonderful. Around the wreck I found a few crab, and there were some big bib, and an extremely large ling. Bizzarely I found a golf ball.

A breathtaking last dive took in the Outer Bucks. We went down the shot near the submerged peak and travelled west to find the sheer walls plastered with a colourful patchwork of jewel anemones. Lots of other critters and my first feather-star. The scenery was awesome with tremendous boulders and large drops to fly over. A brilliant dive.

Thanks to Debbie for organising and managing, and to Chris and Ted for all the towing and boat-handling.

Lamorna

No diving happened on Thursday owing to strengthening (force 3-4) winds. The sea state within Lamorna Cove itself was choppy and it appeared rough further out. The poor conditions however didn’t deter a threesome of divers (I don’t know who they were) from attempting a shore dive. I watched them struggle in and after 10-15 minutes of surface swimming, and repeated separations (frequently disappearing from view behind the waves) eventually dived, a few times, for a few minutes. It didn’t look very enjoyable to say the least; and keen as I am to dive – wouldn’t have wanted to be in their ‘flippers’.

Hellopes / Conqueror

A fantastic dive was had on the Hellopes (38m), a 97m long, 2,774 tonne coal-laden steamship. Incorporating planned decompression, it would also be my deepest dive. Chris led down the shot alongside the impressive up-standing stern (over on its side) and wreckage. We swam over the rudder and some other bits where I had trouble making out what was what, but it was all very interesting looking and picturesque. Plenty of wildlife around and about: large pollack and here and there amongst the metalwork, leopard-spotted gobies. There were dense clusters of plumose anemones and white/orange dead-mans-fingers. Various tangles of fishing gear on the wreck, clumps of line, rope etc. Near a bundle of straps and rope I found a pointed oval shaped object of lead which I suppose must be some sort of bullet but how it got there I have no idea.

The second shallow dive of the day was the Conqueror, a large fishing vessel wrecked around on Boxing Day 1977. It lies in about 17m of water, below cliffs west of Mousehole. We found one of the three sections it is supposedly broken into (it looked like it’d been there 100 years), which is still a good size and stands 6m or so off the bottom. We didn’t find any more of the wreck (in spite of reasonable ~8m vis) but enjoyed exploring the boulder strewn bottom finding several lobsters and dogfish; besides abundant sand-gobies, two-spot gobies, and various kinds of anemone in the shelly gravel.

Stannocks

Launching from Lamorna, several dives were made (25-30m) on the Stannocks, a bouldery outcrop with interesting scenery. Visibility was 8-10 metres. There was lots of interesting wildlife: a variety of sponges, sea-firs, starfish, and urchins; widespread sea fans, sea cucumbers, several small candy-striped flatworms; also nudibranch eggs; spider, edible, and velvet fiddler crab. Fish included bib, pollack, dogfish and cuckoo wrasse. A bright metallic blue and orange (male) cuckoo wrasse appeared to follow as we pottered about, and towards the end of the dive a cuttlefish appeared.

At the start of the second dive, the shot weight - which had become lodged between rocks - was retrieved and returned to the surface with a lifting bag. Current was very slightly stronger and visibility slightly reduced to perhaps 6-8 metres. A very nice swim, decompressing on the return trip up around the rock. We were all very pleased to have got in the water at last!

Sennen Cove

A group from the club, ably managed by Debbie as part of her Advanced Diver assessment, went to Cornwall to dive out of Penzance and Lamorna Cove. Unfortunately the Bank Holiday weekend was a total washout. The rain lashed down and gale force winds rocked the caravan.

On the Monday, Adrian and I looked at a few sites mentioned in the Dive South Cornwall (Diver Guide) book. Porth Curno (below Minack Point) - with a steep sandy beach - looked like it might be good for snorkelling in fine weather along the rocks to the south. As for Mill Bay, you need a tractor or a horse to get to it, otherwise, via a long walk along the coast path (so another snorkelling spot there perhaps).

Thankfully, conditions improved during the week and we had three days of comfortable diving weather.

Rosehill

Usual thing, meet at the boathouse, get the boat ready and make way to Plymouth. Nice weather (very warm but hazy). Kevin boathandled. Clint found the wreck and shotted the boilers! Buddied with Adrian; I led and the plan included a mid-water DSMB deployment exercise. Down shot, I took us in small circle then once I'd got my bearings (compass useless on the wreck), along the line of the wreck from the boilers to the stern. Coming down we went through a layer of snotty green bits, but visibility at the bottom was a very good 8m or so. All well so far, considering how the Rosehill is hard to find, and also visibility is often poor. Gorgonian fans grow on the collapsed hull, on a thick turf dotted with urchins and small anemones (above) and these with all the fish above them were a lovely sight.

Amongst the wreck there were spider and velvet fiddler crabs, and round and about lots of fish including bib and cuckoo wrasse (males were bright blue), and I saw several leopard spotted gobies. Later in the dive I saw plumose anemones and the orange (as well as white) variety of dead-mans-fingers (soft corals). The stern section was easily found and steering gear, rudder, upstanding propellor blade, and gun (below) examined. Compare it to the picture from my first dive on the Rosehill last November.

Everything very pleasant and relaxed and after 30 min it was time to go. According to tables I would have 7 minutes of deco to do. I had a go at inflating the blob manually but the weight of the cylinder made it difficult and not wishing to waste more time, cracked the bottle and up it went. Adrian had deeper decompression to do and the this and the couple of minutes extra (not very far off the bottom) had given me 19 minutes of deco to do (far more than planned); I used some pony air, and Adrian donated (so that I'd have more in event of separation). Then back on my own air at 3.5m for 10+ minutes. A number of important lessons for planning were learned. And now need to figure out how to fill the DSMBi manually (say it failed - or if I want to use it for training). An uncomfortable ride back bouncing over the chop, but the sun was out and we'd all had a good and/or educational dive.

Rame Head / Penlee Point and Tinker Shoal

The club took both RIBs down to Plymouth for the day. Weather was better than forecast with light winds going from ESE to W. I went out in Hubble with Brian G, Dave M and Dave B and was buddied with Geoff H. Dave M boathandled Hubble on the trip out (Geoff H drove us back).

It was a bit choppy at Penlee Point, but outside it was reasonably calm. We went down alongside the shot, in about 10m. Vis unfortunately was just 2-3m. Possibly owing to it being low tide but also I suspect the spring plankton bloom may have played a part too. It was worst at the start of the later on it was a little clearer over some of the sandy patches. The bottom was fairly kelpy but we managed to find the edge of the bouldery reefs and explore these. We found lots big sea urchins, spiny starfish, purple starfish, sea cucumber, nudibranch eggs (small bright yellow coil), crab and spider crab. Not many fish, just a few wrasse, a dragonet, a scorpion fish, and a red scorpion fish. There were baked bean / light bulb sea squirts, sea fans, boring sponge etc. Some of other animals I see now in my photographs - solitary jewel anemones and neopentadactyla mixta (known as gravel sea-cucumber). We also came across some interesting clumps of the colonial hydroid Tubularia indivisa (pictured above).

At 100 bar (after about 45 minutes) we headed for the surface and did the stops we'd agreed. On the way up, looking up I saw reel on my line. When I reached it I took it and handed it to Geoff, who seemed quite surprised. Geoff reeled it in as we continued to the surface and we discovered that the yellow blob turned out to have been abandoned by Sarah M, diving from Mir with Hilary, which had drifted on to ours (there wasn't any tangling). Geoff and I had good relaxed dive (12.5m max). My camera worked well (I used QR clips to hold it in front of me - it's far too bulky for the BC pockets. Flash diffuser worked well - and the flash itself was OK - and after a few practise shots even at fairly close range. And another good thing was the case didn't leak.

Back at Mount Batten, had bit of a rest and something to eat. Anne was there with the mini-rolls! I got a refill at the dive shop there, and before very long it was time to get everything sorted for a second dive (pleased with myself for remembering to fill my DSMB bottle). This time we went out to Tinker shoal. Vis not much better on second dive, and we dropped down 13m to similar kelpy bottom. Dave M and I made our way through and over kelp westwards to some rocky/sandy bottom that was much better going. There was a strong surge back and forth and gradually edged forward with it. We found a few bits of pottery (broken) and pipe stem, light metal debris. Wildlife included included various sponges (inc elephant's ear) spiny starfish, urchins, dragonet, also a pipefish, two-spot gobies, and I think there was a a small dogfish (but I had a dream about diving last night and it could have been from that). Chris and Abigail definitely saw a dogfish.

At the end of the dive I was a bit heavier than I expected and I sank a few metres on the way. I think because I've lost some weight I'm less buoyant, so will probably need to ditch a few kilos. Also decided to switch my suit feed and octopus, and put the octopus on a necklace to keep it handy and be more streamlined.

Anyway, I think everyone else had a very nice day too. I saw plenty (and got a couple of pictures I was pleased with), tried some new kit, and found a few things to tweak.

Plymouth: Rame Head and Breakwater

The main objective was a club dive for training. It was going to be Vobster but a last minute switch to Plymouth and the chance to get down there instead of Babbacome - nice as it is - was jumped on. We got away from the boat shed at 08:35 and trundled down to Plymouth. It was very pleasant. Nice and sunny with bit of a NW breeze. Anne and Clint (who had towed the boat too) boat handled. Soon we were on our way out to a reefy spot between Rame Head and Penlee Point.

There was minimal current and I could see a good way down the shot line; a free descent would have been easy. The vis was about 8 metres, with a snotty layer at 3-6 metres depth. We got away from the shot and after a quick look round settled to put the blob up. It all went a bit crap here: the blob got all twisted, tangled with the winder handle (this tangle happens far too easily), and partly inflated. I managed to deflate it and we started again, and eventually it was up. Clint says it was 8 minutes before the blob appeared. Incidentally my buddies lately have noticed I'm finding it hard to reel in; and they're right,.. and I don't like the very thin line,.. and the handle and latch is slightly too small for my gloved hand - so time to change. Anyway, I was down there and annoyed with myself and the blob, and was starting to get a headache! It wasn't a good start but the rest of the dive was fine; and I pottered -carefully- about the low reefs going very slow and taking pictures (which was most relaxing) and enjoying the excellent vis.

A quick look saw the turfy, red-weeded rocks were scattered with sea urchins, spiny starfish, and purple starfish. I found various crabs: shore, velvet fiddler, spider, and long legged spider. There were boring sponges, sea cucumbers, baked bean and light-bulb ascidians, dahlia anemones, Devon-cup coral (anemone) pictured and neopentadactyla mixta a plant-like echinoderm (also pictured). They're uncommon but I've seen them before at Burgh Island. But I saw very few fish, and remember seeing only a goldsinny wrasse, a two spot goby, and a dogfish.

Back at Mount Batten the trainees were almost ready to go out, and the first wave had bit of a rest and sorted kit out. They returned very happy, and a third wave was on (Chris and Debbie taking over the boathandling). Once again I was buddied with Brian. I'd had taken my pony in the morning for full kit practise. But decided not to in the afternoon... we'd be on another shallow dive.

Out we went to Tinker Shoal. Almost kitted up - the wind seemed fresh and sea choppier here - and Chris wisely took us to the south side of the breakwater. Fully kitted up already and buddy check done, Brian and I dropped down to 12m. Vis was 10-12 m and could see the top of the kelp from just below the surface, I landed at a level nice sandy clearing (marvelling at the vis and the many fish- thinking how wonderful all this was) and started to set up the blob. [Between dives we'd sorted out Brian's reel - that had turned out to be jammed (!), so we now had a back up at least]. Anyway, what happened next was somewhat un-nice.

I was unfurling and orientating the blob when Brian took my octopus and started to fill the blob. However the air unfortunately was pissing up the side of the bag and not into it. I tried to get the bag over the DV and the next thing I remember was Brian dropping my octopus, an explosion of bubbles, and not being able to see very much. Of course my octopus was free-flowing. I tried twice to stop the free flow by switching to the octopus to breath from it, but to no avail. I knew that in less than a minute I would have no air left (and I didn't have my pony bottle) and I was thinking 'shit - I don't want this to be happening'. The idea that it might come to an air share was utterly depressing as I thought back to the buddy check - Brian's hose was short and octopus black. I decided to use what air I had for a self rescue and go for my buddy's air as the 'very' last resort.

On the last look at the bottom I had 100 bar (going down fast), and I signalled 'up' (I may have tried the DV for the second time at this point) then left for the surface as swiftly as I dared. At about 6 metres I had 50 bar left and hoped I'd have enough air to inflate jacket [I hope I would have remembered to ditch weight]. I felt fine on the surface, so just stuck my arm up. Chris helped me back on the boat remarked cheerfully "that's a lot of bubbles" or something like that! And I was back in the land of the living. I was down to 20 bar! So many lessons and reminders from so short a dive: like don't let buddy inflate a blob with my octopus, and use the pony, (good re the buddy check - to know what I was up against - and keeping 'fairly' calm and thinking and acting when it was all going a bit wrong. A self inflating blob would be a very good idea.

Back on the boat, all well, and sorted myself out while Brian, Grace and Jake dived a three.