Not the Rosehill
- Details
- Created on Sunday, 22 March 2009 19:04
- Written by Adrian Kelland
Friday night we made plans to dive the Rosehill. The forecast was good and those going had already been doing some diving to get us 'dive fit'. A few more were joining us for the afternoon to end their winter dive break.
So we get to Plymouth and a little word is said. Eddystone. Well as Simon had not been there before and conditions were ideal, it would have been daft not to take the opportunity. So Eddystone it was. Brian Greenwood was in charge of the boat with Hilary assisting. We arrived on site in good time and a relatively smooth ride. Not mirror calm, but not much chop either. A quick wave to the people working on the platform on lighthouse, then we started kitting up. Simon and I were going in first followed by Chris and Debbie. Our plan were going to drop in about 40m and make a continuous ascent up the rock pinnacles.
Adrian
The visibility was fantastic. A good 20m of well lit vis at 40m depth. No torches required. There was an almost continuous patchwork quilt of different coloured jewel anemones, with the occasional large Devon cup corals. There were a few wrasse knocking around too, but not many other fish at all. There were a few small edible crabs out foraging. I borrowed Simon''s camera at about 21m and took a couple of pictures of him, handed it back and we continued out ascent.
Simon
On a patch of rock a little higher up, I noticed the orange spirals of nudibranch eggs. I then see many pale orange nudibranchs, about 60mm long by 20mm wide. Hopefully Simon has some good pictures of these.
Nudibranch
20 minutes into the dive I put up an SMB as agreed, then the ascent continued to about 12m where the rock ran out. We finished our ascent in open water. A great dive, and a bonus to have such a good dive so early in the year. We were picked up, then waited a few minutes, then Chris and Debs broke the surface. We then headed back.
Waiting for Chris and Debs
Back in Plymouth, we said goodbye to Chris and Deb and hello to Geoff Marshall, Sara and Harriet. They would be joining Brian, Hilary and Simon on a shallower dive to the Mew Stone.
As we headed out, both Plymouth lifeboats went out at full power. Then the information came over the VHF that two swimmers were missing in Wembury Bay. As we neared the breakwater, the all weather lifeboat slowed right down, but still headed East.
We passed the Plymouth Aquanauts dive boat and headed towards the Mewstone. Where the two lifeboats were operating. So we decided to stay a good distance West of the Mewstone and dive there instead. Then we heard the good news that Mayday was over, the two swimmers had been picked up from the Mewstone and the lifeboats were heading home. So we moved closer to the rock as originally intended.
Sara and Geoff went in first, followed by Simon and Harriet. Sadly Harriet had a neck seal problem, so aborted the dive. Simon then dived with Brian and Hilary. Hopefully one of the others will write up their dives here too.
