Dive report for Plymouth August 27th 2023

A ‘silly o’clock’ early start from Bristol for 6 divers, (Pete, Steve, Geoff, David, Roxana & Jason) along with Rob who kindly offered to be a non diving cox for the day, to meet up in Plymouth at 8:30 to get the club boat from the compound ready & loaded for diving.

Steve & David, Pete & Jason, Geoff & Roxana were to be the buddy pairs for the day.

Roxana & Jason on their first salt-water dive with us, boy were they in for a treat!

The dive plan was agreed to see what delights the breakwater fort could offer for the first dive. This is considered by many to be a last resort dive when all other options are not available. Geoff’s impressions:-

How wrong they could be!

Every nook & cranny was full of life, squat lobsters, shrimps, loads of tompot blennies protecting their territories, crabs, & conger eels in almost every pipe of the right size.

Conger eel – this pipe is just my size!

Tompot blennie – And this one fits me!

Following a line which looked like it would lead to something of interest took us to a massive tubular framework covered in pink sea fans, dead men’s fingers & even a large patch of jewel anemones!

The tubular structure & attendant sea fans

Various items someone might be missing

Stunning jewel anemones

On our way back to the fort we spotted a Leach’s spider crab sheltering in a snakelocks anemone, a critter that I had not seen before. It certainly was very well camouflaged. All-in: 60 minutes of really enjoyable diving.

Leach’s spider crab hiding in a snakelocks anemone

Back to Mountbatten for lunch, then decision time for the second dive of the day.

As the weather had gotten a bit squally, we decided to go back to the fort to sample the delights again, which didn’t disappoint with a cuttlefish joining us on this 45 minute dive!

The aforementioned cuttlefish

I just hope that Roxana & Jason enjoyed their first saltwater dives in the UK as much as I did!

Geoff