A reminder of the resort rules:

Now let’s go diving…

Dive one, favourite dive of the trip so far, amazing under water topography and more nudies in one place than we ever did see anywhere else ever, frog fish, corals and loads of stuff!

Dive two, more underwater topography but a bit of a push against a bit of a current. 

Had the luxury of a surface interval in the pool with coffee and biscuits and yes, the biscuits do go soggy!

Here’s one from earlier in the trip:

Dive three was a return trip to a site that wasn’t too clever last time we went there, nothing changed this time! Dive four on the other hand was a spectacular night dive on the house reef, highlights included octoporn, nudiporn and a veritable feast of other nighttime critter action.

Dinner was accompanied by a couple of red horses, we were also joined by divers that we had met from France and Australia for the sharing of diving stories from across the globe, then it’s off to bed!

This morning, Barry and Judy head off to Sangat at 05.30. Clear and bright today so those remaining head over to Kirby Rock, no current when we arrive so in we go. Great dive on a huge pinnacle which is festoon with life. Amazing colours.

Back on board for the surface interval in hot sunshine then back in for a kind of muck dive where we found all the usual suspects plus a few others.

After lunch a quick nap before heading out again. Another reef dive with pygmy seahorses at 14 metres. 

An hour’s surface interval, in the pool, was followed by a dusk dive on the house reef. Another excellent dive to finish an excellent day of sunshine and clouds. No torrential rain.

We could get used to this!

It poured and poured last night. One of the swimming pools, which is closed due a leek caused by an earthquake, is starting to refill. It was empty when we arrived and now has about six inches of water in the bottom… So, it is overcast today, well this morning anyway…could be brilliant sunshine later, you just can’t tell.

Almost missed the dive. Knock, knock. Judy at the door. Are you coming?  Ring, ring. Reception asking if we were diving. Bugger! Got the time wrong! Oh the embarassment. Everyone waiting! Forgot to mention that on day 2, the boat had to go back to shore to get both of our masks. Oops! What a couple of numpties!

First two dives completed, first was a wreck in Gin clear visibility, lots to see and at 30m, deepest dive of the trip so far, the second was amongst very colorful coral outcrops and at 91mins, the longest of the trip so far.

The rain has stopped and the sun is trying!

Dive three completed, loads of stuff on a very pretty site. Taking a night off tonight, skipping a night dive (shock, horror) to recharge batteries and see Barry and Judy off in style, Sangat for them tomorrow.

We shall shortly be heading off to the bar for a spot of liquid refreshment, red horse will almost certainly be joining us, as well perhaps as some tea from the long island.

…and we have made it all the way to the bar!

And just to prove it…

Started like this (which is like it does every other day):

Well that wasn’t quite how it started. My lack of enthusiasm at getting out of bed resulted in Richard sitting on my head! Beware the hairy arse of hairy arsed diver, particularly before breakfast!

Anyway, today was the day of the current…  Dives one and two on the west side. Nice dives on reefs but with current. Divethree on the East side, no current but rough in top. Dive four, dusk/night dive, also on the East side. Rough on top and raging current and getting darker with every second. FFS! Thank goodness for our wonderful guide, Nanie.

Had a little torrential rain today. Waterfalls on the steps.  Well that is the tropics.  Didn’t rain all day. See picture of the resort below.

The day started with an epic battle.  At five o’clock in the morning, Richard took on, in the noisiest way, the eviction on the land crab from the bathroom. Richard won although it sounded like it was closely fought. So, all he has to do is evict the two lizards and the other spiders. I would say that I liked the land crab and wanted to bring him home.

Another 4 lovely dives on various sites including a night dive with various frog fish, large, medium, small, micro, plain and hairy! Seahorses, seahorses, seahorses and lots of other stuff.

Another fine dinner of sweet and sour chicken, fried rice, chip suey and deep fried lumpia. All washed down with a Shirley temple and the compulsory red horse, yum yum.

Breakfast done, cylinders checked, cameras ready, best go diving Anilao style!

Another 4 under the belt including a night dive. Lots of stuff, shrimps, nudies and the occasional fish. Great diving. Loving the house reef for the night diving.

Jo just ordered a cocktail with 8 different spirits. It was a two red horse kind if evening.

Getting a little worried about our food ordering. Each day  more food is ordered. Each day more food is eaten. We have even found the tubs of biscuits.

 let’s see how that goes!

Another 4 dive day, blue skies and sunshine, all good dives, the most outstanding was the bubble dive, volcanic reef with bubbles coming up everywhere and really really hot sand, too hot to touch in places.

Night dive included sea horses and squid, back now for some red horse and pinacolada, yum.

Sweet and sour chicken, fried rice and chop suey for tea, more yum.

Well, brief is the operative word, the briefing consisted of “it’s a sandy bottom let’s go”, that was pretty much it. 

Muck diving was the order of the day, from our dive boat Calypso, see the picture, not to be confused with Simons boat. We did three dives and a night dive. Frog fish of the normal and the hairy kind,nudis, blue ringed octopus, Bobbitt worm (!), seahorses, pygmy and large, shrimps, mantis shrimp, loads of stuff.

he water is between 29 and 32 degrees, nor sure why most folks are wearing wetsuits? 

The resort is great, though yesterday we discovered a large land crab in the bathroom and then the mother of all spiders in the bedroom. So large it was that apparently it was outside the spec of what Jo will deal with so I had to catch the thing using a large box, no glass large enough. (Jo’s comment: I only deal with spiders up to the size of my hand, any bigger, then it’s a man’s job)

The bar is well stocked with the red horse (Jen – 6.9%, explained a fair bit on the last holiday) and yesterday’s special was long island iced tea, slept well.

The story so far, after a couple of uneventful Emirates flights we arrive in Manilla. Taxi pickup worked perfect then almost three hours later we were dumped on a beach and met by some young folk in a boat, they made off with our baggage so we decided to follow. After 5 minutes at sea. We round the headland and there it is, home for the next couple of weeks. 

Check in and briefings completed we order dinner, unpack our bags, eat dinner and now it is time to collapse.

I think there may be another two people on the boat tomorrow, busy!

It’s 33 degrees, dry with clear skies. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

So here we again, Easter down west, Penzance! 

Smooth journey down, after Malc was ‘late’ picking up Foxy and Elf,  Keef’s fault of course!! Key into Trailer lock was siezed up, cos Keef hadnt told Malc it was a bit stiff the day before 🙄.  Landed in Marazion around 09.30ish to park boat at Wheal Rodney, slightly different this year as have to park boat round the back of chalets.  Down to Penzance to check out Sullivans for a spot of brekkie.  Mounts bay looking lovely flat calm and with VIZ, promising for tomorrows dive!!! 

Ice cream down at Sennon Cove and mooch about the ‘wow’ round house gallery we headed back to the chalets to check in and sort boat!  Rest of gang arrived and we all headed off to the Fire Engine for  grub as Lasagne Gate is over and Gab promising to behave! 

Day 2

A dive on Low Lee and the Primrose planned. Bit of a car park shuffle  as Penzance council have decided to have a food fair right where Malc usualy parks, ( inconsiderate of them). 

With 8 divers on board, we headed out on a flat calm sea and we could see the sea bed on the way out. A great dive on the wreck and Reef.

Day 3

Still have light NW winds, perfect diving weather! Todays dive the Lincoln in 31 metres, wow this underwater visibility was stunning, at least 10M and we could see the wreck layed out below us as we decended the anchor line. Plenty of fish life as well as the starfish, urchins and Gorgonia Coral.

Day 4

Todays dive the Alice Marie, an old favorite of ours! Anchor close to the stern (well done Gabby!). As yesterday really good visibility which after last year was a real bonus. Coombe Diver joined us on site for their first dive of the day. So 3 days now where we have followed the dive plan! Roll on tomorrow.

Day 4

A trip to Porthkerris for some different wrecks.  Nail biting drive down very narrow roads on a steep gradient that any roller coaster would be proud of! But the result is like being at Chepstow but with a beautiful coast and flat calm sea! Realy well run operation with a shop, large compressor and our club memebers being in awe of the Tractor that launched us! 

First dive was the Mohegan, a 7,000 ton liner owned by the Atlantic Transport company.  sunk in 1898 and was quite a major tradgedy with a large loss of 106 souls, the cause of her demise is still a mystery! Well anchored by Malc in the centre of the wreck, loads to see, large Ballem Wrasse and large pollack. 

A great dive was had but only two buddy pairs finding the huge boilers!!!!

 A lunch interval at the cafe on the beach (not great) and an air fill, our second dive (go us) was on the Volnay a British Steamer sank after detonating a mine on the Manacles in December 1917.  Jen and Keith encountering a very friendly Cuckoo Wrasse.

 

Again a lovely  dive with Plumnose Anenomes, very large boilers ( seen by 2 pairs) and Gorgonia fan corals covering most  parts of wreck! 

A great but exhausting day had by all 😊 Happy Divers.

Day 5  The HELLOPS

Hmmm a deep dive today (35M) had some feeling a little 😱. However good conditions in the bay and sunshine galore, off we set from the harbour. A fisherman was trawling a line over the wreck site who was not very happy that we were there! Keith and Si were to go first to ensure anchor was in shallow part of stern. A very pretty dive, with the wreck covered in Daisy and Plumnose aneomes, enough metal and pretty stuff to satisfy SBSAC

Day 6 

The Runnelstone reef is the dive site for today.  Flat calm, no wind and plenty of sunshine, so the conditions were perfect for our 8 mile jaunt out to sea.  Some expert anchoring saw us in the top of the Moorview wreck and an enticingly good viz just looking down the line! 😃

 The Moorview was a royal fleet auxilliary vessel which sank in 1920 and lays in 13 – 28 meters off Lands End. I think the main verdict after a stunning dive was ‘Wow beautiful’ so pretty, covered in Jewel anenomes of all colours and Flabalia to satisfy the Macro photographers amongst us!

Day 7

With still perfect conditions in the bay, we just had to go back to the Runnelstone! Todays dive was on the Joshua Nicholson, a French munitions ship. Tony placed the anchor right by the boiler (well done Tone) as yesterday excellent underwater viz.  a great dive was had by all once again. Getting to be a bit of a habit SBSAC diving everyday on different wrecks! 

Keith also did a bit of work on the boat today.. 🙄 (See photo)

Our day was rounded off with a Dolphin display off Porthcurno, happy happy divers! 

Day 8

Last dive of the trip down Cornwall, we decided to go to the Alice Marie as we are down to six of us today and the site is nice and close. What a great dive to round off the week, we still had flat calm seas and no wind. A little bit silty on the wreck but clear if you kept on the outside (must have been the number of divers visiting the site over the past week). A strange looking fish under one of the plates (see photo), we think it is a Rockling!. Anchor up and our last run into the harbour ☹️, still we can sunbathe for the rest of the day. Over to St Ives for ice creams and that’s it until next year. What a great week we have had 😀

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