Devon Coast, 28/09/08

My single tank kit is in a state of flux bits all over the spare room floor, so it was with little bit of shame that I rocked at up at Newhaven to do a 22M dive with twin 12s. Still it's all good practice and with my SAC rate and our dive time it actually worked out for the best.
There was a pretty thick layer of green soup between 12 and 15 metres which blocked out the sunlight and meant the lights went out and our torches went on after 18 metres. Ernie and I had a good old tour around the wreck but in the poor viz it was pretty difficult to get more than a series of mental snapshots; boilers, ribs, cement sacks, plates, more boilers? Luckily there was loads of life. Fish closed in to the edge of visibility practically brushing up against my shoulder. I couldn't help feeling they were an eager crowd jostling me, "Give us a look then" Congers lurked under plates and in the gloom the many legged were out and about in droves. Velvet swimmers, edible crabs (they should change their name, they're just asking for it) and lobsters. All in a range of sizes from tiny to monstrous. Highlight of the dive for me was spotting a small lobster taking exception to Ernie's torch and jetting off backwards. I thought it would land on my head so tried to emulate it with my wonky back kick. It gave me a pitying sneer as it shot up into the gloom. Amazing how fast it curved up out of harms way. Loads of mussels agape feeding in the current. Wrasse, tompot blennies, bib and pollack all the usual suspects without the hiding in holes shyness either they'd been drinking or in the dark they felt safer wandering about.
After an hour it was back to the boat for tea and scones in the sunshine.
A great dive salvaged from not so great viz.
Not much luck (skill) with the camera. You can click below to see more dark and bespattered pictures.

devoncoast_280908

Jim