Duo-Divers

A view of the bottom plus another piece of large debris, again WTF?

A very large, well the largest that I have ever seen Common Octopus (Octopus vulgaris), I knew that there was a big occie about as there is a noticeable 'lair' with loads of smashed edible crab parts, the trouble is that inside their hidey holes there is nothing to see.

A male Cuckoo Wrasse (Labrus bimaculatus), this one was very interested in what I was about.

This Pink (or Northern) Prawn (Pandalus montagui) was being actively stalked by a Common Lobster (Homarus Gammarus), you can see the lobbies claws!

More wrecky bits against the reef face

A lump of anchor chain, some of the minimal evidence that a ship sank here.

A nice size brass valve, fresh water inlet, from Mistley. I'm not sure if metric pipework systems were used when she was built but the valve had a 35 cast into it.

Wreckage from SS Loch Leven which foundered without the loss of life, not an oft dived site but very nice scenery plus rust!

Every little helps....... these guys set up shop in 1879 so that is the earliest date for the mystery wreck

A Harbour Crab (Carcinus maenas) another common critter but these tend to zoom off at the first sign of divers, this particular crab was 'caught' against a rock allowing the shot. You will see that the front end looks a bit 'Velvet swimming crab' with the sharp and spikey claws but look at the rear legs and they are no-where near as broad and the eyes are not the 'evil' red of the swimming crab

The star of the show the letter 'O' from the ships nameplate for the lost Loch Leven, a nice trinket!

Another arty shot of the stringy like Bootlace Weed (Chorda filum) that is found in lower inter-tidal water. Apparently quite tasty too!

http://fergustheforager.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/FergusDrennan-TheBushcraftJournal-Issue-9-1.pdf

The machining was easy but the brass bits got everywhere, next time I will set up some sort of capture system

The sternpost of the Mistley is maybe 20 yards away next to a large pinnacle, I guess that she hit the pinnacle before foundering closer to land

Knacker Hole contains loads of blue fineds, that is to say Common Lobsters (Homarus gammarus) this one was having a bimble about looking for a meal

Toby Douglas, not skippering today but in the wet having fun!

Over the boulders and further along the bottom becomes 'paved', again, plenty of filter feeding life but not much opportunity for crabs and lobbies.

A grey seal (Halichoerus grypus), the mother (?) keeping an eye on the young seals the reason loads of divers visit the islands

Knacker Hole contains loads of blue fineds, that is to say Common Lobsters (Homarus gammarus) it really is a case of picking a hole and waiting until the monster emerges!

This is the main reason people dive the harcars, seals and lots of 'em! I'd ignored this pup for ten minutes so it was really up for interaction

The upper mounting position where the pin would fit with a wrist mounted compass to give some sort of scale

A more conventionally coloured Bloody Henry (Henerica oculata)

The harbout outer wall, submitted for a competition, who knows?