http://www.congeralley.com/forum/blog.php A resource about Scottish and UK scuba diving and a discussion forum for divers based in Scotland, covering local dive sites, boat charters, equipment, clubs, training, schools, shops and much more. en Sun, 05 Feb 2012 02:19:20 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.congeralley.com/forum/images/custom/vuel/misc/rss.jpg http://www.congeralley.com/forum/blog.php http://www.congeralley.com/forum/blog.php?b=315 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:04:18 GMT Had a fantastic weekend diving.Weather as stunning.Mirror-calm sea, bright blue sky, brilliant sunshine but very frosty. SATURDAY A mate who... Had a fantastic weekend diving.Weather as stunning.Mirror-calm sea, bright blue sky, brilliant sunshine but very frosty.

SATURDAY

A mate who works on the fish farm in Loch Kishorn took us out on the farm workboat for the day. Tons of deckspace, and the most entertaining method EVER of getting back on board... he winched us in our gear out of the water using the deck crane with canvas straps attached. Awesome fun!

Dive #1
Kishorn Island

Very nice dive on a bedrock and boulder reef in around 15-18m topped with kelp.Very good viz (10m+) and lots of Topshells, Cushion Stars, Featherstars etc. Plus some of the most enormous 7-armed Stars and Spiny Starfish I've ever seen, and some colourful Bloody Henrys. Also found some tiny baby Scallops clinging to kelp stalks, which I've never seen before.Lots of Decorator Crabs and Hermit Crabs covered in colourful Cloak Anemones, and found a nice Snakeslock Anemone. The reef was bordered by sand flats with pronounced wave ripples (we were diving the West side of the island) and we bagged a few large Scallops.

Dive #2
Creag Na H-Iolaire

Great viz again.A boulder slope with lots of Kelp falling to a gentle shingle slope at 15m. Caught a few more Scallops. Loads more 7-armed Stars, Spiny Starfish, Cushion Stars, Sunstars etc. And again, lots of tiny juvenile Scallops clinging to Kelp Stalks.

Had a great meal and masses of booze in the LC Hotel.

SUNDAY

Conservation Bay

Shore dived in flat calm conditions with bright sun.Viz was superb, around 10-15m. Followed the kelp and boulders out until we reached the wall and followed it down to 20m. Lots of Featherstars, Deadmens Fingers and large Dahlia Anemones covering it, and some small colourful Dahlias in the shingle at the base of the wall.Loads of Topshells and Sunstars, small Pollack etc and saw a Ballan Wrasse. Exploring the large boulders on the shingle slope next to the wall, we found 6 very large lobsters hiding under rocks, evidence of how effective the no-take zone assigned to this site is.

Top weekend! ]]> Mikey B http://www.congeralley.com/forum/blog.php?b=315 http://www.congeralley.com/forum/blog.php?b=314 Sat, 24 Dec 2011 19:59:34 GMT Just back from a day's festive diving with alcoholic wino Demon Dave who actually appeared to be sober!

Weather was vile but got 2 good dives.

Dive #1
Furnace Quarry

Very rough by Loch Fyne standards but viz was surprisingly very good! Very steep boulder slop with lots of encrusting Protanthea Anemones and a few Peacock Worms, and not as much fishing line as normal.Not much mobile life although we found 2 cod, one ina hole and a small free-swimming one.

Dive #2
Glen Douglas Road End

Over to Loch Long now,and a new site for me! Viz not as good as the 1st dive but not bad at all.We swum out over muddy shingle to 15m then the bottom dropped away in a series of terraced drop-offs covered in Protanthea Anemones, Peacock Worms and a few Deadmen's Fingers. Found a massive tame cod resting vertically against a rockface, totally not bothered by us being there. Also found a Butterfish,and lots of Prawns. ]]> Mikey B http://www.congeralley.com/forum/blog.php?b=314 http://www.congeralley.com/forum/blog.php?b=313 Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:28:44 GMT Had a lovely day out on the Fyne Pioneer.There were 4 of us diving, 2 inexperienced Ocean Divers and myself and my buddy, so we took a diver in... Had a lovely day out on the Fyne Pioneer.There were 4 of us diving, 2 inexperienced Ocean Divers and myself and my buddy, so we took a diver in each.I also had a non-diving friend come out on the boat who really enjoyed being at sea and seeing seals etc, so despite the freezing wind it was a very good day out.

Dive #1
Kenmore Point

Viz was pretty dire with a halocline extending to 15m, but we dived at a nice gently-sloping part with rocky ledges covered in seasquirts which was ideal for getting the divers used to sea conditions (the girl I took in had only dived freshwater so this was her 1st sea dive). Plenty of small things for them to look at, Squat Lobsters, Gobies etc and she took to seawater very quickly despite the viz. Barely used any more air than me!

Dive #2
Eilean Aoghainn (SE Face), Minard Islands

Landed at The Tearooms for lunch and a brew, then headed over to The Minards. Viz was slightly better despite the failing light and we had an excellent chilled-out dive around the rocky overhangs at the SE point, which were thickly covered in colourful Plumose Anemones and Deadmen's Fingers.Loads of Spider Crabs too, they must like this site as there were loads here 3 weekends ago too.Surfaced right in the middle of a hailstone squall which was pleasant lol.
Looking forward to the next trip there ]]> Mikey B http://www.congeralley.com/forum/blog.php?b=313 http://www.congeralley.com/forum/blog.php?b=311 Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:42:16 GMT Had a superb weekends diving off the Fyne Pioneer last weekend.Nice sunny skies and fairly calm seas, stayed in a fab B+B in Lochgilphead... Had a superb weekends diving off the Fyne Pioneer last weekend.Nice sunny skies and fairly calm seas, stayed in a fab B+B in Lochgilphead www.empirelodge.co.uk

SATURDAY

Dive #1
Wreck Of MV Margaret Niven

Simon picked us up at Ardrishaig and we headed here for the 1st dive.really high tide and the reef was covered so Si dropped a shot in around 6m and in we went.Viz was pretty bad but the shot was very close to the steel cable running to the wreck so we followed it down the steep rockface and out along the shingle bottom to the wreck at 28m. it was much clearer here although pitch black,a nd the wreck had a nice assortment of Featherstars, Seasquirts and Protanthea Anemones adorning it.Heading back to the rockface we found a huge Conger Eel in a crack which I was able to entice half out of its cave.Nearvy was another deep crack full of Poor Cod and a couple of large Bib.
Headed over the loch for lunch at Portavadie Marina.

Dive #2
Wreck Of SS Arran III

Sea was nice and calm as Si dropped us in on the shot just off the drying rocks.We reached the stern in around 10m and had a nice relaxing potter around amongst the hull plates and a few large sections of hull.A few Pollack and a couple of big Ballan Wrasse were swimming about,and we found another large Conger Eel in a hole.The west facing sections of hull had a very thick covering of Seasquirts and Protanthea Anemones,along with a few Plumose Anemones.

SUNDAY

Dive #1
Stallion Rock

Dived here dozens of times from the shore, what a novelty boat diving it! Viz was much better here, we dropped down the sheer and overhanging wall which was heavily covered in Seasquirts, Protanthea Anemones, Cushion Stars, Football Squirts and large colonies of Elephants Ear Sponge, reaching the boulder slope at 35m. we found 2 enormous Conger Eels hiding under rock slabs,and one of the hugest barnacle-covered Lobsters I've ever seen! Lots of Pollack and Poor Cod too.Gradually working our way up the wall we found another huge Conger Eel, then another very large Lobster ina hole at 12m on top of the wall. Landed at The Tearooms for lunch.

Dive #2
Eilean Aoghainn (SE Tip), Minard Islands

Fantastic dive this one.Si dropped is in just off the SE top in around 6m, right on the edge of a steep terraced drop off falling in rocky and sandy steps to 30m+ .After a few minutes heading north the rockface protruded outward and became heavily undercut,and was very thickly covered in a glowing carpet of Plumose Anemones and Deadmens Fingers, with lots of orange Cushion Stars.Absolutely loads of large Spider Crabs here climbing over the Anemones.Great dive to end a great weekend with! ]]> Mikey B http://www.congeralley.com/forum/blog.php?b=311 http://www.congeralley.com/forum/blog.php?b=310 Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:38:51 GMT Just back from a great weekends diving off the Solstice.We stayed in the self-catering cottage next to Inchnadamph Hostel, arrived very late Friday... Just back from a great weekends diving off the Solstice.We stayed in the self-catering cottage next to Inchnadamph Hostel, arrived very late Friday night to find the owners had gone into the cottage and lit the log fire for us, which was lovely!

SATURDAY

Dive #1
Eilean Ard (North Face)

Weather was pretty vile, rough seas and lashing rain so we dived sheltered Loch Laxford.Viz was around 6m so well down on what it normally is here but still a great dive.Dropped into a short gully full of Deadmen's Fingers and down a vertical and terraced wall with sand ledges to 40m where it was still falling away.Lots of Devon Cup Corals and Featherstars on the rockface, and patches of colourful Dahlia Anemones on the sand ledges.We found a huge Conger Eel in a hole and spotted a few Ballan Wrasse, and came to a nice wall at 15m covered in a sheet of Jewel Anemones.

Dive #2
Foindle Fish Farm

I wouldn't normally count 2m as a dive but this was interesting! We received a call from a fishfarm boat whose skipper had tangled his prop in a massive tarpaulin sheet at the fishfarm and wanted us to try and free it.The boat was still moored to the farm and we spent around 45 minutes under the hull trying to cut the tarpaulin from the prop.There was 25m of water under us and huge clouds of small fish below us attracted to the salmon food.One of the nets was right next to us and we were watching a a huge wall of massive salmon swimming behind the net a few metres from us.We failed in our task as the prop was too heavily ensnared, but all good fun.

Dive #3
Eilean a' Mhadaidh (North Face)

Another island in Loch Laxford. Boulders initially, then a sand slope with huge scallops falling to 25m. At 25m the bottom vanished in a sheer vertical wall covered in Seasquirts and Featherstars (charted to 50m) and topped with Hydroids. Heading back to 20m I came to a reef of large boulders and 3m-high bedrock ridges with patches of Deadmen's Fingers, sheltering some truly huge Ballan Wrasse.

SUNDAY

Dive #1
Ceannamhor (South Face) Badcall Islands

Lovely day, bit windy and cold but bright blue sky.James picked us up at Badcall and we tried a random site in the Badcall Islands.Thick kelp and a gentle rock and boulder slope with 2m-high bedrock ridges, falling to a rocky bottom at 23m. Lots of Pink Algae and orange Bryozoans, and some large Ballan Wrasse and Pollack.Loads of small fish fry darting about too,and lots of small Poor Cod. The other buddy pair found a lovely wall at the west tip covered in anemones.I didn't get that far but still a very nice site.

Dive #2
Rubh' a' Chairn Bhain

Wall dive in outer Loch Cairnbawn, absolutely superb.We descended a totally vertical and overhanging wall covered in Seasquirts, Protanthea Anemones, multicoloured Featherstars,Devon Cup Corals and bright orange Cushion Stars, to an extremely steep sand slope from 36m (charted to 80m close to shore). at 38m there were piles of boulders heavily encrusted in Devon Cup Corals and literally teeming with Cuckoo Wrasse. Quite a few small females, and there was a huge bright blue male swimming among the boulders.Back up at 10m toward the end of the dive we found a couple of creels with large lobsters in them (and a huge Ballan Wrasse in one).

Fantastic weekends diving! ]]> Mikey B http://www.congeralley.com/forum/blog.php?b=310