MY Alastor 29/12/12

MY Alastor 29/12/12
Observer Name: Kerri Clarke, Andrew Clarke, David Mellon
Observation Start Time: 13.30
Observation End Time: 14.36
Weather Conditions: Overcast, recent heavy rain and strong winds
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 22m
Water Visibility: Poor
Water Turbidity: (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): High
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 9C
Notable Flora: Dead mans fingers, Ascideiella Asprsa, Sagartia Elegans, Large areas of sea orange and Esperiopsis fucrum sponges. Notable Fauna: 7 edible crabs, 12 common starfish, 1 butterfish , 1 dragonet, 1 squat lobster, 1 corkwing wrasse
 Human Activity at Site: Boats moored at site
Rubbish/Pollution: Sardine tins removed from wreck. Large sheet of thin orange plastic removed from stern. Other Observer Comments: Reduced life in winter including lack of conger eel. ? Move to deeper waters in winter or another part of wreck. Limited evidence of dead crabs and no shoaling fish.

New strobe taken for a test dive!

We have a new strobe to accompany our little Canon S95, and it is working out fabulously! For once we were able to get some slightly 'wider' shots in the grim viz on The Alastor - hurray! Check the Picasso page for the pics from today's dive.

 

 

Ringhaddy Sound 23/12/12

Observer Name: Kerri Clarke

Observation Start Time: 12.00

Observation End Time: 13.00

Weather Conditions: Wind and rain

Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 10m

Water Visibility: Poor

Water Turbidity: (high, medium, low): Low

Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): Medium

Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 9c

Notable Flora: Very little at depth. Seaweed close to shore

Notable Fauna: 1 Painted Goby,  1 Leach's spider crab, 2 shore crab , 3 common hermit crabs, 4 common starfish, , 1 spiny spider crab. 

Human Activity at Site: Lots of boats moored at site, some boating activity. 

Rubbish/Pollution: Some plastic bottles at the shore. 

Other Observer Comments: Notable reduction in the amount of life in winter months.