Just wondered if any of your visitors might be interested in our project - Seasearch. It’s a national UK project which trains volunteer divers to record marine life and habitats. You don’t need any experience to take part as all training is provided. We are running a marine life identification course in Portrush on the 1/2nd September. For more info people can contact me on claire.goodwin@gmail.com.

Claire asked me to advertise this as she has difficulty reaching independent divers.

This was the second one we saw and he came within about 35 cm’s of my face before I actually saw him. He definitely made me flinch. Dive was fantastic, perfect conditions, no current, great viz, enjoyed by one and all, even James who apparently experienced narcosis for the first time ever and from the sounds of it will be taking another fix sometime soon!

A jaunt around the SS Castleeden. I like to post something every once in a while and unfortunately owing to other trips and weather and not having my camera there has been a lull in video and photos. So to try and redress the balance somewhat here is a wee dive from last summer. Enjoy!

There really is a great variety of non fish aquatic life on Rathlin. It was reported recently in various publications that there was something like 70 new species of sponge identified during a survey of the water surrounding Rathlin Island. Some of these can be seen on Waterworld a programme broadcast on BBC last Autumn. Not sure if this footage shows any or not. There is some Grey elephant sponge though

WreckSight brings to you unique visualisation of shipwrecks derived from high resolution multibeam sonar data. WreckSight images can be provided as 2D prints or 3D models, viewable on a computer ( PC and Mac) with WreckSight’s own software. You can then virtually explore your chosen wreck on the screen.

WreckSight is a development of ADUS, a company set up jointly by the Universities of St Andrews and Dundee to undertake high definition surveys of wrecks and other man-made structures underwater.

Just wanted to add this video, to remind me how good the diving is going to get. We had a definate 20m+ when this was shot last year. Conditions are definately on the rise and the marine life is coming back. I spotted a shoal of over 100 pollack last weekend on this wreck. I have some video of the wreck so watch this space, I think I will add a post all about it soon

These are facinating to watch. I think it was the first time my dive buddy Kevin had seem them. When i showed them to him he was like a kid having discovered something new for the first time. He kept swimming up to them and touching them just to watch them retract.

For those of you interested heres some information about them. (Sabella), any of a genus of segmented marine worms of the class Polychaeta (phylum Annelida). This type of fanworm (Sabella pavonina) lives in a tube about 30 to 40 centimetres (12 to 16 inches) long that is open at one end and constructed of mud particles cemented together by mucus. All but the top few centimetres of the tube is buried in the substratum. The front end of the worm has a fan of striped feathery tentacles, used for feeding and respiration, that protrudes from the tube into the overlying seawater. Inorganic and organic particles suspended in the water are trapped in mucus secreted by the tentacles. They are then transported down the tentacles by beating cilia and used either for tube building or passed into the mouth as food. Peacock worms rapidly withdraw their tentacles into the safety of the tube when predators approach. These worms are found both in the intertidal zone and in shallow subtidal areas.

Just home form a 2 day dive trip to Oban, the Sound of Mull. Had 4 great dives including, the Hispania, The Shuna, The Thesis and the Breda. The Thesis was by far the best conditions, probably because it lies on a shingle bottom, so no silt. The highlight of the dive was swimming around inside the hull at the bow. There are large openings making it very safe for minor penetration. Technically it is an overhead environment, but as you are never more than a few fin kicks from the holes in the hull the risk is minimal. It is quiet surreal to watch people HID torches bouncing around inside the wreck when you are swimming outside or vice-versa. I can imagine it being even better with alot of fish life around. When do they all get back from their vacation??? anyone….

Found this video too on Youtube, enjoy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OADIO4uBE_0