Guernsey 2006

[beardy241]

DiveFilm Video Podcast

I recently came a across a video podcast that issues wonderful videos to download. If you're using iTunes already then simply go to the iTunes Music Store and search for 'DiveFilm' under podcasts.

If you're not using iTunes... then you should be! Go to http://www.itunes.com for the free download for Mac and PC.

 

[spicer]

Had a break yesterday afternoon could not waste the beautiful day and went for a quick swim on the rising tide. Water temp 10.1 C Saw huge shoals of sandeels and some small flatties. The only decent size fish was a wrasse as usual. Hopefully the weather will hold for the weekend and the bass will start coming in if foxfish :king hasn't got them all by now. New fins and mask makes a huge difference and managed to get below 5 meters and do a bit of aspeto for the first time. Static exercises helped a lot. Gonna try the ankle weight thing over the weekend. Beardy are you up for a dingy trip again?

C

 

[Magpie]

Where was that then mate? I'm in this afternoon with my new fins (which look amasing by the way, and surprisingly seem far softer than the Gara LD's, which was a pleasant surprise, just got to see if my feet like them now!) and want to know where not to go! Was thinking of Rousse to hedge my flat/bass bets.

 

[spicer]

Off Rocquanne so no worries, good hunting.

 

[beardy241]

Tempted! but laid low at the moment
Hoping to be back for the weekend.
sys [m]

 

[Old Man Dave]

Talking of fins...... these "new" style long fins with their full foot pocket mean you can't wear decent boots and have to hobble around in neoprene socks. Me and Foxfish are used to decent boots and scuba type fins (long live the jet fin). However, as I have discovered these long full foot fins are super efficient for swimming about although the jury is out on stealthing the shallows.

So at last I come to the point. If you gotta walk down the beach in socks then waterproof sandles are one solution. Wear them over the socks and at the waters edge take them off and put them on your float or on your belt. Shoefayre on the bridge have a mega selection of suitable footwear, from flip flops to sandals to neoprene shoes. They're all priced at £5. Can't be bad.

I bought some size 11 sandals with velcro ties. Should go over my 3mm socks on my size 10 feet. Really fancied the neoprene shoes as they looked comfy to carry on my belt but didn't have the nerve to put on my 3mm socks in the shop to see if the size 11 shoes would fit over. Only £5 so probaby should have bought them anyway. Boy I'm mean.

If someone not so mean buys some then we could be on to a solution here. Let you know how the sandles work out.

Dave

 

[Spaniard]

Hey Old Man Dave,

Check these puppies out from the old days of spearing....Still look in good nick



[ame]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nemrod-Venturi-Power-fins_W0QQitemZ7237956480QQcategoryZ16054QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem[/ame]

 

[Magpie]

Just back from 2 hours spent mooching around Rouse and first things first, the new fins are great. No foot pain at all! Which is a blessed relief. They also do what they say on the can, you really can't see them unless you look carefully. Best fins in the world, official, well, out of the 2 types I've tried anyway

I went from rouse pier across to the reef in the middle of ladies bay/chouet, then north across chouet to the headland then back round to rouse again, avoiding maniac windsurfers (was very glad of the float I got at the same time as the fins!).

No bass, no flatties (though probably swam straight over plenty) a fair few rockies around the reefs to a decent size then just as I was coming back to the moorings at rouse I spotted something on a big concrete mooring block, looked like a big rocky from the surface, but no, too many fins, so I went down to have a closer look and at first thought Trigger! You beauty! Was just lining up thinking I couldn't miss and getting closer when I got a clear look at it. A big old lumpsucker. Think they're also called Sea Hens.

Chubby, ugly, bony thing with lips that Satchmo would be proud of. It was quite happy on its block and would only move if I reached out to touch it, and then only to the other side of the block.

So that was nice

Other than that STILL more weight needed, I took 2lbs off me belt to allow for the 3lbs I'd strapped to me legs, and was still slightly boyant at 5m. The leg weights were a bit heavy, didn't notice them finning but my feet would sink when on the surface so I'll take a bit off those and put the 2lbs back on and that should be that sorted.

Back into tomorrow morning on another mythical bass hunt....

I'd been having the same thoughts on the sandal front Dave, I used to have some old ones but chucked them last year. Think I may find my way to the bridge shortly.

 

[daviesd]

Had the same problem with 3mm booties walking over the rocks, they were only last about a month or so. Tried using the 'jelly' type sandals which worked well, but eventually bought some of the neoprene shoes for about £8 locally. Best bet.
I think we are going to head in this weekend to see whats about - -looks like a big tide though so I guess we'll go off the boat and take Loops along...

 

[portinfer]

Yes - floats are a good thing Last night I popped in for a quick high water dive and found myself playing 'dodge the speed boat'.... for those of you have not played this yet it is a fun game for all the family

Some ancient mariner decided that he was later for his tea and was absolutely hammering it through the 'river' as I was crossing - plenty of other boats came through and saw me and we waved but this codger was taking a nap in the back or something... anyway, he saw me at the last minute and we had words.

So I am promoting 'TAKE A DIVE FLOAT WEEKEND' (and it is a three day weekend ).... (and sharpen the spear for plan B ).

Anyway - apart from temporarily raising the blood pressure I still managed about a dozen aspettos at about 7m with bottom times between 1:20 and 1:38 - looks like all that winter training worked out ok... must order another 500 concrete blocks to move

So found some nice wrasse and pollack but the spear stayed in the trigger... no bloney bass ! Was pretty murky too....

Tried the shallow Dave/Ed high tide mark but no joy either...

Chris - might be up for a dinghy dive if there is space ?! (Cheeky of me I know but drop me a mail or PM or phone... Am working on the house over the holiday but if I make early starts I reckon I owe myself a dive.)

SWI : Just been out kayaking briefly and it looks crystal clear in Rousse/Chouet ....

Cheers
Ed

 

[Old Man Dave]

Foxfish and I went for an "after work" dip today. One of the biggest tides of the year and we were a bit late by the time work ended and playtime began.

Tide was streaming in so hard it was a job just to swim the first 10 yards. Conditions weren't too bad but fish are still few and far between. I was hoping Mart's luck would rub off on me but it was the other way round.

We was fishless, but we saw a few big wrasse, some mullet and a few bass. Mart saw 2 bass but had no chance (makes a change ) and I saw one bass about 4 or 5 lb which was in range but I was just a quarter of a second too slow. More excuses were that I was in surf and tide so not easy.

That's been about 10 dives this year for me, with bass only seen on the last two. However, it was positively balmy today. First day I've come out after an hour and a half without my teeth chattering and my fingers frozen into non functioning appendages.

Sandals worked great, but the more I think about it the more I think my feeling (and Jersey Dave's advice) is correct that neoprene shoes would be the answer.

Tom, seeing fish for yourself underwater in their element is fun, yes? Lumpsuckers are amazing. Seen a couple myself this year. Mega, bright orange lips - weird! Wait 'til you start seeing some bass. It's one thing to catch them on a rod but to catch them (or even see them) with a pointy stick is something else. They are magnificent creatures when in their element.

Roll on summer

Dave

 

[Magpie]

Right well my wallet could stretch where OMD's couldn't and I've splashed out a fiver on some neoprene shoes, and promptly began melting holes in them.

I've put some loops on them for clipping to float/belt, and another loop with a toggle to hold them tight together for better aquadynamics.

I nearly bought the velco flipflops, but they would have been very boyant as they had a thick foam sole, so I went for these which are only slightly boyant. I'm thinking of removing a lot of the upper material, only leaving enough to hold the soles on my feet, but I'll try them as they are first.

Well thats something else bodged! Going to give them a go tomorrow (I'm size 9 feet dave and the 10's fit over my feet with 3mm socks fine).

 

[beardy241]

Hey those puppies look the business! Thanks for posting the pics and the size info. I've been on the make too... built myself a wetsuit drying rack. If I get the chance I'll post up a pic.

I hope you all have good fun this weekend. If any of you are bored on Sunday afternoon, pop down to the Crown Pier where i'll be running sound for a few bands that are part of the events there. ...but I guess you'll all be out hunting the low water!

Have fun!!
[m]

 

[portinfer]

So Tom - when are you adding the Heinz Tomato tin to your modification ?! (top right ) ...

Went out yesterday after moving sheeeet loads of granite for a mate - Chris kindly invited me for a boat dive - cheers Chris, much appreciated.

Bumbled down to Perelle and headed off at very low water in Chris's little rubber duck. Very calm and not much wind - not sure how she would handle in less than smooth conditions...

Ripped out to a spot I like that normally takes a good 30 min swim... dropped in over the edge in about 10m rising up to the reef and promptly ripped the arse out of the suit Oops - going to need some glue - bit chilly but not too bad.

Saw quite a few grey mullet but they were zinging around really fast and I think Chris took a shot but didn't hit home and I tried to line a few up but these boys weren't hanging around.

In fact have noticed this with these 'early season' fish ... all very skittish.

Had some nice drops at 5m through to 10m over the sand but not a sniff of a bass

Jumped back inthe boat and Chris floored it for an off-off-shore rock and set of reefs. Arrived, checked the current, found it was ok and then had a few drops pretty near the boat. Really murky - alot more than inshore which surprised me but nice to be able to dive a spot like this that most don't dive on.

Nicely rewarded with the first bass of the year on the second short drop - not a great shot but at least it came home with me.

The murky conditions put me off a bit - you could see about 2m maybe 3m and that far out to sea your mind starts playing silly buggers ! I tried a few exploratory drops just off the reef and got a bit worried as I kept heading down and down inthe murk with no visible bottom... suddenly at about 11m I found kelp but by that time I was nervous as the vis was shockingly poor and think my bottom times were a bit lame.

Still I spotted a pair of very large pollack and was lining one up when I saw a bass behind them... then ran out of air and shot nothing

Had a proper breath up but by this time the current was kicking in a bit and Chris noticed this too. Went down to about 8m and found a large shoal of bass all glinting in the murk but again really skittish and my nervous breath hold was short.

So pulled anchor and headed off to the end of the reef and tried to dive behind the rock there - looked promising but too much current so popped the boat back into the shallows and into what is traditionally a promising bay quite near 'Foxy's spot'.

Was about 5m and pretty clear over mixed sand and kelp and the occasional bootlace. Traditionally this is shallow rock hugging / indian style stalking territory right in by the shore but last year I had luck inthe open on aspetto so tried this again.

Saw a nice pair of bass but wasn't on aspetto so they winged it ... saw a bass swim under me but wasn't on aspetto...saw a nice bass glide past to my right... but wasn't on aspetto ... (and all a bit far at 5m for the long shot).

So decided to make some aspettos - after about 1:25 into one aspetto I saw the familiar face of a large bass heading for a mask kissing experience... as she hustled in an puckered up I lined up and then noticed a few more heading in too. I was a split second from pulling the trigger for a kebab shot when a pollack zinged in front and spooked all the bass.... damn !

Still a fantastic range of dives and many thanks to Chris for taking me out - we'll have to find a few more bass next time - cheers Ed

 

[spicer]

Like Ed said it was good. I still haven't managed the first bass but at least am seeing them from time to time. Ed thanks the experience was great and learnt a lot from diving with you. Water temp was still only 10.1 but it feels warmer. I must say the dingy helps a lot making the far off reefs accessable and conserving energy for the dives.

Weather does not look good for the rest of the weekend with the wind picking up. Will have to see if we can get another dive in.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Magpie]

Spent a while mooching around Perelle yesterday for the usual rewards, did a fair bit of shallows stalking then ventured out across to the Conchee.

Did see a couple of shoals of decent size pollack, 2-4lbs sort of size, and was very tempted...but will wait for the bass. It was good to be sat on the bottom and see decent fish swimming around, and was useful to practice lining up on something moving rather than a bit of seaweed.

Bottom times are improving too, and at one point I was neutrally boyant, which was a first! Was at about 6-7m by my "shoot gun at bottom" depth guage, must get a proper one!

Oh, the shoes were great, nice and comfy, good grip on the rocks and the sole was stiff enough to not worry about standing on limpets and winkles. They slid along nicely clipped to the float as well, no noticeable drag. Definately better than flipflop type sandals as there's no worries about them coming off your feet.

Hey ho, will be in somewhere else today.

 

[foxfish]

Great report Ed I bet you enjoyed eating that bass.
Magpie you seem to be enjoying you underwater experiences, if I came across a 4lb Pollock I would shoot it!

 

[spicer]

Had my first night dive experience thanks to Beardy. Brrr water 9.3 degrees viz was also poor at about 3 meters. :blackeye Beardy spotted a nice sole but by the time I got down it had departed. Other than that saw a roselit and the great florescence experience - I was surprised how disorientated I became and was glad to have a good mate with me who knows what he is doing.

 

[Magpie]

We went up round Homptole yesty, viz 1-2m, so stumbled across to the north side of Paradis, viz 2-3m, no fish. Wish I'd shot one of those pollock....
(Not really, never liked pollack).

 

[Magpie]

Just a quick one to say they've also got 5quid neoprene shoes up to Aladins Cave, bigger range than shoefayre.