Guernsey 2015

[little sarge]

little sarge them scallies look sooo clean have you scrubbed them ? they look big too .the conditions looked fantastic only the hail pictures making it look wintery great to see people meeting up and getting in keep it up boys .nice pictures jonny real action shots from down there on th islands.

Not been scrubbed or washed Ian, straight from my bag and into the bowl ready for shucking. Conditions were really good except for the vis.
Look forward to Catching up with you in a few months, I have taken some time off work this year too so we can get a couple of dives in before the meet if your over early. There will also be a new edition to the family for you to meet

 

[Jonny250]

Tom, i know what you mean, but i think in reality 90% of the divers know that stretch of coast inside out anyway. @Spirit may be able to confirm that? probably a bit different if it was a specific area tho. Altho Little S said the area was 'hit hard', we still came away with as many as we each wanted.

 

[denian]

Gosh that's exciting can,t wait roll on the summer!

 

[jerseymike]

A few Gnsy spearos have already found our new thread, but for those that havent, just to let u know that Jersey now has its own! I can hear the Gnsy cheers, but sadly you haven't got rid of the beans entirely...... we hope to still visit u on urs!

On another note, I thought it was a shame when DB stopped the species hunting comp, because it does give some people another reason to visit DB rather than just facebook. Would Guernsey divers be interested in starting up a mini inter island species comp this year, run on DB, just for fun!

 

[Jonny250]

On another note, I thought it was a shame when DB stopped the species hunting comp, because it does give some people another reason to visit DB rather than just facebook. Would Guernsey divers be interested in starting up a mini inter island species comp this year, run on DB, just for fun!

just for fun Mike, NO!
to WIN !!!
Jersey wont beat us in a speccie comp will they boys....











gonna run for cover now

 

[little sarge]

Just in case its useful for anyone else -
I recently bought a new knife - general purpose, but it seems pretty well suited to spearo use too:
http://www.nrs.com/product/2756/nrs-co-pilot-knife

really solid click lock/unlock release mech.
fits well in the hand.
good size for the belt or arm - it comes with a clip for the diamonds that are fitted to pfd's etc.
I suspect the pilot [larger version] might be better for spearos.
it has a blunt tip, but i use a stringer for spiking fish anyway.

http://www.nrs.com/product/2755/nrs-pilot-knife

Maybe you should post this in the Jersey thread J as I noticed it also has a bottle opener!!
Did look like a really solid piece of kit.

 

[Spirit]

You are right, Jonny, every inch of the east coast is well known. The bigger catches are generally in deeper water but the shallows have to do in some conditions. The scallops are moved around a lot by the sea, so a good easterly blow will soon repopulate the east coast bays.

 

[Magpie]

Yes, people dive the east coast but I know plenty of divers and very few of them realise how shallow the scallops can run, and there's no need for us to tell them. Even OMD did not know how accessible they were.

 

[jerseymike]

Maybe you should post this in the Jersey thread J as I noticed it also has a bottle opener!!
Did look like a really solid piece of kit.

Yes, people dive the east coast but I know plenty of divers and very few of them realise how shallow the scallops can run, and there's no need for us to tell them. Even OMD did not know how accessible they were.

They can come in very shallow and in the right conditions will sometimes wash ashore. So, occasionally u can catch them without getting wet, by just picking them up on the beach!

 

[Spirit]

Many hundreds are caught in that area almost every day of the year by the pros plus a load more during the summer by the amateurs. The trawlers also go right into the bays in the winter scooping up thousands of scallops. The odd extra diver going into the shallows will make no real difference.

 

[Magpie]

It does make a difference when you know that certain areas are more productive than others in the restricted depths we can comfortably access, and all it takes is one pair of divers to work it and it's not worth going for months and months because whilst they do move around, easterly gales are not that common eh. I've seen it myself, and I know the people that killed the spot stone dead, me taking a couple of dozen every couple of months for a few years made no difference, then two days of scuba diving and there's naff all left. That was 5 years ago, spent 2 hours diving it last year, got 3.

Trawlers I'm not as concerned by, you can't dredge in the areas I prefer.

Just my opinion, and just suggesting that unfortunately sometimes, if not usually, keeping where you have success to yourself is wise over here, both for fish and even more relevantly shellfish because they don't move much if at all.

 

[little sarge]

I totally understand what your saying Tom and that really sucks about the spot you had being killed off like that. It's a real shame they feel the need to be so greedy! I try not to go scalloping to much and think the last time I went was over 6 weeks ago and only took 18. In the summer it's very rare we go scalloping but this time of year when the vis is shit it's ideal as I still want to get in the water and do what I love doing.

The spot we go to is no secret and with the scuba divers, fisherman, dog walkers, runners, bird watchers, kayakers, paddle boarders, rowers, swimmers etc... in the area I really don't think a couple of pics will make much difference. Even in February there were plenty of people in the area enjoying the nice weather. My comment about the scuba divers hitting the area hard was not meant to be a dig towards them as they have just as much right to be there as I do. It was meant more as a observation. Point taken about the pics for the future and other spots though.

 

[Spirit]

An interesting post from OMD 10 years ago.

Finding scallops

 

[Jonny250]

@little sarge :
http://apnea.co.uk/470-esclapez-reel-exium-compact-50.html

 

[Spirit]

Martyn, you need to up you game.

 

[foxfish]

Any pictures of it swimming off ...

 

[Spirit]

 

[Jonny250]

c'mon Guernseys, https://forums.deeperblue.com/threads/jersey-dive-team-2015.102839/#post-942554

 

[foxfish]

jonny I would like to propose you as team captain & offer myself as a team member although whether or not I can dive this year is not certain but as there is no limit to numbers why not....

 

[denian]

Back to scallopes do you find them in higher densities between rocks /slabs in gullies and small patches of gritty sand than in the open areas?the last lot I found were in groups not more than a foot apart in quite shallow water another spot they were in 2-3 foot of water on low water you could of got some. Wadeing in !i think they favour a gritty sea bed with good tidal flow ?