Had the most amazing dive on Saturday, was diving from the shore not far from Barmouth (mid Wales) over an area of boulders covered in algal tuft that were siting in sand patches. Not many fish seen only a few small bass and loads of wrasse. It was crustacean city though with lobsters and spiders galore!!
As I passed over an area of sand I made out the unmistakable shape of a Monkfish.. not Lophius but a proper live Squatina squatina !!! I couldn't bloody believe it, she was half buried in the sand and was over 150cm long. She allowed me to come really close to her (was a bit wary of the sharp end though!!). I started to waft the sand off her so I could get a good look at her markings. I must have done over a dozen dives back down to her and eventually she had enough and slowly raised off the bottom. I then followed her from the surface for the next 5mins as she slowly swam into slightly deeper water (5-7m). I was buzzing and shaking all over as it's one fish I have always wanted to see. They used to be quite common in the area before the inshore netting took its toll and this is the best time of year to see them as they come closer to shore.
On the way back in also saw loads of cool small stuff like dragonets, grey gurnard, small flounders and loads of hermit and spider crabs over the sand. The viz was great for the area as well, at over 6m.
I am one happy man!
Am going to report it to MarLIN and will probably post it on GLAUCUS as well.
Dave
As I passed over an area of sand I made out the unmistakable shape of a Monkfish.. not Lophius but a proper live Squatina squatina !!! I couldn't bloody believe it, she was half buried in the sand and was over 150cm long. She allowed me to come really close to her (was a bit wary of the sharp end though!!). I started to waft the sand off her so I could get a good look at her markings. I must have done over a dozen dives back down to her and eventually she had enough and slowly raised off the bottom. I then followed her from the surface for the next 5mins as she slowly swam into slightly deeper water (5-7m). I was buzzing and shaking all over as it's one fish I have always wanted to see. They used to be quite common in the area before the inshore netting took its toll and this is the best time of year to see them as they come closer to shore.
On the way back in also saw loads of cool small stuff like dragonets, grey gurnard, small flounders and loads of hermit and spider crabs over the sand. The viz was great for the area as well, at over 6m.
I am one happy man!
Am going to report it to MarLIN and will probably post it on GLAUCUS as well.
Dave
