Guernsey 2007

[Magpie]

Good point well made.

[foxfish]

Or easier to buy - Magicseaweed Surf Shop :: Norecore Pro-Pockets Action Sports Belt

[Sarnian]

Hmmm...interesting. Sounds a bit like a pack you can get for warming red wine which I've got - I'll have to try sticking one inside me suit! Cheaper than $70 too!

Missed the low this morning due to being still unconscious after a late night. Wife dragged me out for a walk later at pembroke as we're dog-sitting. Must admit it looked tempting for a half tide up around Centre rocks, but I resisted as I was still "tired".

Good report Magpie. Is Charlie by any chance the Island Ribs chap?

[foxfish]

BluWorld - Filmati di Tiro Fucili subacquei
I found this very interesting!

[Sarnian]

Amazing! I wonder if they'd mind me trying mine out at King's!

[Old Man Dave]

After the worst flatfish year almost ever in my experience at last the warm calm early autumn has seen some impovement. Fish seen to be in the bays and although mainly smallish plaice there are some soles and brill mixed in plus a few better sized plaice as well.

In for a night dive tonight as the tides were perfect and west coast is calm and the vis good. Not so suitable timings for low water daytime dives especially with the days drawing in but day or night the flats seem to have arrived.

Diving quite far out but in less than 20 foot over a mixed sand/weed bottom I saw about 20 flats. Probably all over the minimum legal size I selected the best half dozen. Best sole went 3lb and best plaice 2lb. Only saw a few other fish, mainly some very small reds and some big cuttles, no squid today though.

It was a good one tonight, although as Magpie said it's getting a bit chilly.

Dave

[Magpie]

All hail the king!

How you finding the carbon now Dave?

[Old Man Dave]

In all honesty I'm looking forward to getting my Ice fins back. Carbons are okay but I think the Ice are better for my sort of swimming and diving. Carbons work well and I don't cramp up or anything but the ice just seemed less "harsh", more forgiving. Both sorts have plenty of grunt for surface work although the longer narrower carbons do sometimes seem to twist a bit. You definitely need a tight foot pocket with the carbons.

Still no sign of a replacement blade. Scubaland and their suppliers don't reply to my emails so i don't know if they have even recieved my parcel with the broken blade.Must be 5 or 6 weeks now. Crap service. Cheap price - crap service, should be scubalands motto.

Dave

[Sarnian]

I was thinking of going in early tomorrow, but having just driven back home the wind seems to be getting up. E / SE though so the west may still be OK?

(p.s. nice haul Dave as usual!)

[Mr. X]

Nice hauls of flatties OMD, & Magpie, Portinfer, .... Is there a state of the tide which works best for flatties? I am wondering if the period immediately after low tide might work well (not as deep -- making frequent dives easier but maybe fish starting to come into the bay)? Might even try with a rod.

I visited the Natural History Museum in London yesterday. More glossy than it used to be but sadly missing some of the amazing smaller stuff that used to be kept upstairs in glass cases (butterflies, insects, gems, shells, etc.). Anyway, at the back on the ground floor they have sea life exhibits and they had some big shells with that rich "Abalone"-style mother-of-pearl inside - they were labelled red and green ormers from California -- I wondered if these are what Californians call Abalone, as there was nothing called abalone on display. I would have like to have seen the outside of the shells too but that was not possible.

I asked about seeing the giant squid & was told if you ask, they will get somebody to take you up to see it. I was talking about the fibre glass model, which is now downstairs in the room with the Ormers, suspended from the ceiling (smaller than I remembered) -- but I think they must have a real one too. Interesting that you can get to see off-display items too.

[foxfish]

More info on "Hot suits"- http://forums.deeperblue.net/wetsuit...tml#post672506

[Andy.R]

Did'nt manage to get in last night, went out tennerfesting (£12.50?!?!) instead, earned some brownie points A small portion of Brill was £14.95!!! Thats part of the reason I dive and why my freezer is filling up with fish. I only take what I need to feed myself and my family, when I have enough for the winter I will stop and only take the odd specimen one.

The water even though it is only 1-2 degrees colder feels much colder. Will have to get my 7mm suit out soon. Those suit warmers would be like peeing in your suit. Warm at the time but colder when the warmth has passed.

[Jonny250]

In this morning for 1h30, started shivering after 20 minutes - I knew it was going to be a cold one! I agree Andy, a couple of degrees in water temperature makes a big difference to the feel of the water. Might try my surfing hood again.
Saw a couple of good size mullet (I think they were Mullet), too far away to even think about! Otherwise, vis was fantastic and it was a pleasurable but cold swim.

Interesting that i have added a small weight to my belt and can now sink into the shallower bootlace, going deeper means a definate effort to go back to the surface. I guess it's a case of choosing the weight for the type of diving (shallow=3m or deeper = 6+m for me!). surpising how a small depth change can have a significant effect.

[badlander]

OMD, Where abouts did your ice blade snap?I had one go across the screw holes that they reckoned was the first broken blade they'd seen.

[Old Man Dave]

Link to the sad tale of my broken fin. http://forums.deeperblue.net/664423-post1457.html

Went in high tide to play with my camera. Have video and stills of a shoal of little white bream. If that's what they are? Also filmed the demise of a mullet. Camera in left hand gun in right. Gonna play with the images and try to discover the ins and outs of U tube. Post stills and video links as soon as,

Dave