Mark's Diving Journal

El Puertito Marine Reserve - Tenerife

Mark Gilmour — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 08:02:36 +0000

This dive was within a marine reserve project set up by David of Tenerife Divers to encourage marine life growth around the bay of El Puertito. A consequence of encouraging marine growth on the rocks is it provides food to other marine species, including a pair of green turtles. (Although perhaps some divers feeding them has also contributed) Our second dive of the day was to be a gentle bimble along the rocks making up the reserve and hope that one of the turtles comes along to say hi. We were not disappointed. I was first in and down the anchor line to the seabed at 6m. I secured the anchor on the rocks, took a mental note of the surroundings so we could find our way back and waited for Lisa and Rachel to meet me. (more…)

A big thank you to Island Divers Tenerife

Mark Gilmour — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:14:30 +0000

When booking a diving trip whether in the UK or abroad, it is as much about the people you dive with as the dive sites you visit. This is easy to sort out when one is booking as part of a group on a liveaboard or major dive trip but is somewhat more daunting when travelling on your own and to a lesser extent as a buddy pair or couple. After taking advice from other divers who had visited the islands before and going particularly on the recommendation of friends with whom I have dived regularly, we booked a couple of days diving with Island Divers in Tenerife. We chose Tenerife as it seemed to fulfill our criteria for decent diving in the sun with some good beaches and close enough to do a long weekend away .

As I was (more…)

Finally Lisa dives with a Turtle

Mark Gilmour — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 14:22:14 +0000

It’s only taken 14 years but Lisa has finally had the opportunity to dive with turtles. She has been in the water before when they are around, 3 years ago when we were diving in Oman, her Dad who was on the neighbouring boat to us saw five on a dive whilst we dived with yet more lionfish. However last week in Tenerife she finally got her chance. Diving with Island Divers, we visited the El Puertito Marine Reserve, set up by a dive centre owner to encourage marine growth. The two resident green turtles had been previously rescued and after recuperation released into the area around the reserve. Finding themselves in save territory they have settled in and are regularly found on the reserve. After just a few minutes into our dive I spotted the smaller of the two off in the blue, eager to see, Lisa followed gently behind, slightly spooking the turtle with her exhaust bubbles when she took out her reg for a picture. Learning from that episode we carried on with the dive, a few minutes later I heard a squeal from behind me, as the larger of the two turtles appeared and nearly bowled Lisa over, this really was a close encounter.

Atlantic Rays in Tenerife

Mark Gilmour — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 14:06:06 +0000

This video was taken on Saturday 20th October. We were diving with Island Divers, Tenerife. About 10 minutes into our dive we were joined by these two atlantic rays who circled us as though they were looking for something or someone in particular. When they found Graham, you can see what happened.

Absolutely amazing creatures. Truly one of my most memorable dives.

Henry B Plant (41m) & M.V.Teeswood (32m)

Mark Gilmour — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 17:41:45 +0000

Lying on her starboard side at 41m of the cool green Dover straits, the Henry B Plant is an impressive wreck, virtually intact with the exception of the midships section heading towards the stern, which was where she was hit by a torpedo in february 1945. Named after the railroad tycoon of the late 19th Century Henry Bradley Plant this US liberty class ship had only be launched on the 11th December 1944. Within 3 months she would be one of the final victims of the second world war. As soon as Paul sent me a message that he had booked Dave Batchelor and Neptune to dive the Henry B, I booked onto the trip, hoping for some of the great visibility that Paul had experienced on her before. (more…)

Diving with Sunfish Charters - Brixham

Mark Gilmour — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:41:24 +0000

I have been a member of Sunfish Charters yahoo group for well over a year but have not had the opportunity till now to dive with Mike and his brightly coloured rib. The plan was initially to do the Bretagne and Orestone Ledges but the wreck was changed with our consultation a few days before the weekend when an extra 8 divers booked on giving us the full compliment for the boat, so with a ropes off time of 9.15am we were set.

Mike moors Sunfish in Brixham Marina and so we got their early with the car and the kit to get a decent parking space near to the lifeboat station with a short walk with a trolley to the marina and onto Mike’s berth. Lisa and I then wandered back to Mum & Dad’s place to drop off the dog that we had taken for a walk, have a small breakfast and then headed back down to the marina to meet up with the others. We arrived as everyone else was loaded up so even though we were the closest in distance we were the last on the boat - oops sorry. (more…)

Snorkelling off Swanpool beach, Falmouth

Mark Gilmour — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 08:27:17 +0000

Just got back from a week with the family camping in Cornwall. This is the first time I have been down to Cornwall in the last 3 years were I haven’t taken my dive kit along. Did however take the wetsuits, masks and fins for all the family. It would be wrong otherwise!!!

We had a thoroughly enjoyable week based out of the campsite Summer Valley near Truro, enjoying some of the numerous non-diving activities that one can get up too, body-boarding, chilling on the sandy beaches, cycling, visiting the sights and tourist spots, etc etc. A fuller account of our week away is on our family blog, but for this blog I would like to make mention of the surprise gem of a hours long snorkel I had on Swanpool beach in Falmouth.

After playing on the beach with the children for a while, I donned my mask and snorkel and headed off along the rocky edge of the bay out towards the headland. The sandy seabed gradually gave way to submerged rocks of the headland, the maximum depth I swam out was about 5m but the rocks and kelp beds reminded me of the shallower areas of the manacles and drawna reef just around the headland. As a result I encountered a fair amount of similar marine life, including large wrasse and a huge spider crab wrapped around the swaying kelp, hanging on for all he’s worth. I was very surprised to see such a large crab so shallow, but there was no way of dislodging him from his perch. All this within a few metres of the shoreline.

So even though no diving during the week, that hour or so of snorkelling in surprisingly good visibility considering it is a sandy beach and lots of people were in the water, did go some way to appeasing the need to go diving whilst in Cornwall. No need to fret about not diving though as we’ll be diving at the bank holiday weekend. This time from Brixham, we are going to try sunfish charters and try the Bretagne. Watch this space for the report.

Now I know what F5- F6 off the Isle of Wight feels like

Mark Gilmour — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 11:34:08 +0000

It was supposed to be a great days diving but most of July has been wiped out by the bad weather. ………. (more…)

Mohegan, Raglans and the Celtic Cat (Porthkerris Part 3)

Mark Gilmour — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 12:52:21 +0000

Dive 2 Mohegan and Raglans Reef. Depth 25m, Run time 35 minutes.

After the stunning visibility of the City of Ghent, the vis was maybe a little disappointing on the second dive of the day which was back on the Mohegan and Raglans Reef. Lisa decided to sit this one out as her suit had leaked again and although she was still nice and warm she didn’t want to chill going in on the second dive. (more…)

City of Ghent - Porthkerris Part 2

Mark Gilmour — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:35:56 +0000

The BBQ on Friday night was excellent, part of the overall vibe of these trips is our customary BBQ. Whilst we had good weather we took advantage of it and decided to have on the Friday night as well. The scallops were delicious, meticously prepared and cooked by Joe, they went down extremely well.

We awoke Saturday morning to clear skies and very little wind again. On excellent neap tides this was going to be a good day. The early birds went out on the first run of dives, whilst the afternoon group kicked back and enjoyed the morning. Lisa and I were going to go diving together on this one as my parents were going to join us this morning to look after the kids back on the shore.

At 1pm we headed out, Celtic cat was loaded up and off we went, the scheduled dive site being the City of Ghent. (more…)

Camping & Diving- an excellent few days in Porthkerris Part 1

Mark Gilmour — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 10:45:52 +0000

Ever since I started diving in 2004 I have been coming to Porthkerris on YD trips. This was my fifth visit and Lisa’s fourth, even the children have been three times.

The weather forecast had not been kind, a week of heavy rain and winds meant that the diving and camping was going to be very difficult if not neigh on impossible. Others of the group of 24 divers that would be coming down for the weekend had been camping for three days already when we arrived on Thursday. They had not yet got a dive in or really dried out from the rain. As the wind pulled at the tent and the rain fell heavily on Thursday lunchtime as Scott and I battled to get the tent up I wasn’t sure that we would be successful. Then one after another three tent poles splintered in the force of the wind. Now I really was doubtful that we could do this. Scott held on to the tent with all the strength that a little seven year old could muster and somehow we managed to get the poles in position and the tent fairly stable. At this point Simon and Gary arrived still dressed in their drysuits having just got back in from their first dive of the week. They helped us move the tent into a more suitable and safer position and we succeeded in securing it down. The weather cleared a little and we finished it off. Meanwhile the two older girls Elizabeth and Emily had been entertaining Heather in the car. They did a good job as it took us over three hours to get the tent in place. This was worse than two years ago when it took 6 of us to get a similar tent up.

Once the tent was up Scott and I changed out of our sopping wet clothes and we headed off to Penzance to pick up Lisa from the train station. She had had to stay at home for an extra few days as she had rehearsals for her play Dancing at Lughnasa in which she is starring this week (25th June) in the Plaza in Romsey. (more…)

A new experience -diving the river Dart

Mark Gilmour — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 19:26:15 +0000

Back in Easter, my Dad, brother and brother in law went out on a friend’s yacht for a pootle up and down the river Dart near Brixham. On the way they managed to lose a grappling hook-type device used to hook onto the mooring bouys. Well when I say lose, they knew exactly where it entered the water and so knowing I was a diver, I was asked if I would go down and have a look for it. I did try and explain that after just one cycle of the tides it would probably be buried especially if it is a sandy river bed but never the less I agreed to have a look. Unfortunately it has taken until (more…)

Paranoid on SS El de Bayo

Mark Gilmour — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 21:09:11 +0000

I am sure that when I booked on to this dive I can’t have looked at the start time. 7am meet for a 7.30am ropes off. Oh well I thought an early start. I had packed the car the night before so when the alarm went off at 4.45am all I had to do was fall out of bed and into my clothes and into the car. I think I was the last to arrive at the marina but still not late to halt a prompt departure on time. Once loaded onto Neptune we were off, due to the low mist reducing surface visibility we decided to aim for just outside the main shipping lanes and chase the vis. The group decision was (more…)

HMT Drumtochety

Mark Gilmour — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 20:09:12 +0000

You need to read the post Paranoid on SS El de Bayo before reading this post.

We headed back to Dover Marina for a spot of lunch and a leisurely 4 hour wait for slack. This gave me time to take my sodden undersuit socks to the marina toilet block where there was a tumble dryer, £1 and 40 minutes later my socks were dry. Not trusting my Fourth Element Artics to the tumble dryer I left them out in the sun on the back of the boat to dry and then went for lunch, having failed to top up my tanks from the empty 12L cylinder I brought with me. Next lesson learnt. check all cylinders before I leave home. Thankfully Jay and Aide had a number of 15l with them and I stole a bit from them.

Lunch was very pleasant (more…)

BMW 3 Series Touring for Sale

Mark Gilmour — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:15:11 +0000

I am putting my BMW Touring up for sale as I am not using it as much as I used to.

Details are:

2003 /03 BMW 3 SERIES 318i SE 5dr Touring, Titanium Silver. Climate control,Cruise control, Facelift Model, Black cloth interior, Multi function steering wheel, Bluetooth Phone Kit connects to most bluetooth handsets on the market,MP3 6CD player uses factory head unit, Rear parking sensors, Split tailgate, boot liner, Alloys, FBMWSH,Boot load area protector, Tax Apr07 MOT Nov 07 44200 miles,

(more…)