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Getting Wrecked with Wreckspeditions

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Diving is all about exploration. Whether you go under the waves to explore lush reefs or caves, or maybe you go underwater for the wrecks. There’s something truly spectacular about diving on a wreck, whether it’s the familiarity of a man-made structure, or perhaps the history of how it sank. wrecks have forever attracted and captivated scuba divers and those who hear about them. But what do you get when you combine fantastic diving, with breath-taking scenery, and five star service, this is of course diving Scotland’s Lochs with Wreckpeditions.

I was invited on the trip back in January by a friend who is an instructor at BSAC Huddersfield, the group were amazing with a wealth of different diving skills, qualifications, and personalities, it made for a truly amazing group of people to go diving with.

We were diving with Wreckspeditions who are based out of the marina in the town of Dunoon on the Cowal Peninsula. It’s ran by power couple Jason and Claire, both are divers with Jason being a Yachtmaster Coastal Skipper and RYA instructor. Jason is who we were with throughout our time diving in the Clyde and local Lochs.

We arrived at our accommodation in Dunoon, after getting a short ferry ride, around 5pm. We settled in and unpacked before heading out for food just after 6pm. After eating we found a local pub where had a drink which was great for me to get to know everyone in the group and vice versa, we planned with Jason to be at the marina at 8:15am to be ropes off at 9am. Before we could set off, we of course needed to set up gear, load it on to the boat and get a safety briefing before disembarking.

Jason arrived shortly after 8:15am and introduced himself, he explained about some rough weather out on the Clyde, and we discussed dive sites for the next few days whilst we loaded gear. Jason did a safety briefing and explained how he runs his dive operations on the Starfish Enterprise which is a Redbay Stormforce 7.4m RHIB and she’s able to cater for up to 8 divers comfortably. Jason explained that he’s a very hands-on Skipper and says he would rather help you and hand stuff to you when you’re gearing up rather than you trying to grab it yourself when sat in your gear.

We loaded up just after 9am and set out for the Clyde to a dive site known as the Gantocks, it was just a long enough steam to learn more about the local area and dive sites, I asked Jason about bad weather conditions and he stated that if they get a Westerly wind, this goes against the flow of the River Clyde which flows in from the direction of Glasgow, with this wind it creates a chop rather than a swell which can be unpleasant to go out in. We learnt this the hard way however, and as soon as we came round the top of Dunoon and into the Clyde we were met with the chop and wind.

Jason took us to a site known as the Gantocks and did a dive briefing, explaining the site and best dive routes to take. The briefing lasted only a few minutes but already Will, one of the divers, was sick over the side. We got geared up in our buddy pairs/groups with the others waiting for them to enter the water before gearing up, Jason structured it this way to stop the chaos of 7 divers gearing up all at the same time and the same when trying to get everyone out all at the same time. After a short wait myself, Alex and Will jumped in but due to the visibility we lost each other almost immediately after jumping in, we all surfaced, found each other, and went down but unfortunately, we lost each other again. Will and I surfaced to find Alex on the surface once more and we decided to call the dive.

Once we got back on board I was being helped out of my equipment and suddenly felt really sick, as soon as I was out my gear, I walked the edge of the boat and was sick, it was here that I remembered my sea legs are not what they used to be after a long hiatus of not being on boats due to Covid.

Once everyone is out of the water we head back to Dunoon for a drink and something to eat, this is something that my newly empty stomach appreciated. We had about an hour to eat before heading back to the boat, myself and Alex were diving Twinsets through the trip and the ease of this was represented in not having to switch or fill cylinders between dives which made the surface interval that much more relaxing.

Back out on the boat for the second dive, which was only around 300m from the marina on a pair of old WW2 Landing Crafts that were scuttled in the Holy Loch after the War. We were told that there was a shot line between the two wrecks, and they’re spaced about 20m apart. I, Alex and Will jumped in and followed the shot line down, we all collectively thought how good the viz was as we descended past 10 metres, however this wasn’t too last.

As we hit 12m the viz dropped to mere inches, I found the wreck by banging into it, which made for a good giggle when we surfaced. Alex found the Shot line and we all swam the 20m to the second wreck where we spent 45 minutes on it. The bad viz didn’t bother us in the slightest and made the dive more memorable and exciting, as it was virtually a night dive due to the viz. We were swimming around the wreck searching for life and virtually every surface was covered in some form or life, from Sea squirts, Anemones, Fan Worms, and Crabs there was something to be seen everywhere you looked.

We surfaced and headed back to shore where we removed our gear to be filled and headed back for a shower and to grab a bite to eat, we had an early night as it was an early start for a long steam to Loch Goil the next day.

We arrived the next morning at 8am for ropes off at 8:30am for the 45min steam up to Loch Goil, on the way up we went past some of the most breath-taking scenery and landscapes, passing a Submarine dock and seeing countless Harbour Porpoises on the way out. The first dive was on the One Tree Wall, a site with a ledge at 6m which drops off down to the bottom, Jason said that at 25m there’s an overhang with a vast array of life, so that’s where we decided to have our max depth at. Today I was with Rob and Ray, we were the second buddy group in and dropped down to the overhang, here we found hundreds of Fan Worms and Sea Squirts. But as we moved shallower, we found that the wall was littered with small shelves covered in Snails, Crabs, and small fish. The wall was incredibly dramatic, it was something you would usually visualise in places like the Red Sea or Maldives.

After Surfacing we headed to The Boat Shed Café, a local spot to eat and Moore up at, here we were treated to an incredible view of Loch Goil along with a hot drink and some food, even if they no longer served the Haggis and Caramelized onion Panini which unfortunately really ruined Jason’s day. Sitting here was almost like sitting in a different country and is a regular stop for Wreckspeditions, the dramatic views and colours combined to create a truly spectacular view. They even have a purpose-built area for divers to sit and eat, complete with a board for dive briefings. The original plan was to drive to the café and get on the RHIB from here, but it was decided to go by boat as that opens up our options for diving a little bit more.

The second Dive site was the Avrella Wreck, it was a stone’s throw away from the dock and we could see the marker buoy from the Cafés balcony. The wreck sits at 28m but it’s a beautifully intact wreck as it only sunk back in 2000, the prop is huge and honestly you can’t miss it, the wreck is covered in an assortment of animals from the classic Loch species such as Anemones and Fan worms but it was also adorned with species we didn’t see anywhere else on the trip, such as Harbour and Velvet Swimming Crabs, along with a shoal of small fish that swam under the wreck as we approached. Along with all of these we also had two Fireworks Anemone that were just off the stern, unfortunately almost everyone saw them, but I went in the wrong direction and missed them. It really is an incredible dive for not only the life found on, or around the wreck but with just how intact the wreck is, its age underwater is only just beginning to show, and you could spend several dives on this single wreck.

The second day was finished just like that, and we made our way back to Dunoon, we returned leisurely taking in some of local sites such as castles and accompanying Lochs, spotting other boats and of course more Harbour Porpoises.

That evening after returning, we walked to a local restaurant for a beer or three and some food, before returning to get another early night, the next day was another early start as We wanted to be on the road home for no later than 3pm, as it was a near 5-hour drive back south.

The next day started with a message from Jason just to let us know that he had seen a Submarine making its way up the Clyde, he also mentioned that this could change our plan slightly. Our plan was to dive up in Loch Goil once again and then head back to the Clyde to dive Inverkip Jetty. We set off from Dunoon and Jason courteously asked the local Navy of our intention to dive up in Loch Goil but due to the recent Submarine activity they apologized and told us that diving wasn’t possible today.

So, we headed straight for Inverkip Jetty where Jason told us that this dive was Macro heaven, and let’s just say that he wasn’t wrong.  Alex and I were Buddies on the final day, and both had our cameras at the ready. Inverkip Jetty is around 10 minutes away from Dunoon and from around 6m down each jetty leg was covered in Dead-man’s Fingers Anemones and Sea Squirts and the floor was one giant Brittle Star Bed, from a distance it looks like a muck dive but as you approach you realise that the floor is alive with Brittle Stars, Spiny and Common Starfish as well as a whole range of Crab Species. The visibility on this would’ve allowed Wide angle Photography, and there are some truly spectacular wide-angle shots to be had here but I’m so glad I stuck with Macro on this dive with just the sheer abundance of life on each leg, it just means I’ll have to return soon. Alex and I spent just over an hour on this dive, and we were the first in and last out thanks to our twinsets, and we would’ve done that dive again just to enjoy it all over again.

After the dive we all headed back to Dunoon for some lunch and to discuss our final dive.

The final dive of the trip was once more just outside of the Dunoon Marina in the Holy Loch, on what Jason aptly calls the 3 Wreck Challenge. There are 3 wrecks spread apart, with the second lying around 60m off the first and the third around 40m off the second, there was however no shot lines between them so on this dive we decided to give the challenge a go and see if we could reach all 3 only using our compasses. We jumped in buddy pair at a time into the water and descended to the first wreck, to ensure that we didn’t run into anyone else possibly making it harder or easier to find the wreck we spent a few minutes at the first taking pictures, then we headed to the second wreck, Alex was using the compass feature on his camera. We were moving slowly so as to not get distracted as the viz wasn’t the best, at one point I swore I saw the wreck but it was a cloud of silt in the literal shape of a boat, we believed this was kicked up earlier, even a previous buddy pair ahead of us swam through it and thought the same thing, so it was nice to know I wasn’t the only to think that. Alex and I were finning for a while before we decided that we’d missed the second wreck and decided to Surface. When we got back on-board Jason told us that we were halfway to the wreck and that if we’d have continued, we’d have been bang on target but alas this is another reason to return, so that we can beat the 3 wreck challenge.

Only one buddy pair managed to find the second wreck but surfaced due to air consumption.

After the dive we headed back to the marina, unloaded all our equipment off the Starfish Enterprise, got out of our dive gear and loaded everything into our cars. We then went to have a final chat with Jason, both to thank him for an amazing few days and to also say goodbye, additionally everyone in our group bought a Mug and coaster which we all drink from with pride. We then got on the road home, with me jumping in with Karl and Rob. We all got the ferry from Dunoon back to Gourock and headed home.

In summary these 4 days were incredible, the diving was spectacular with a perfect mixture between wrecks, walls, and reefs. The visibility on this occasion only allowed me to do Macro Photography but that didn’t stop the photography and diving being amazing, there really is something for everyone here and Jason is always happy to discuss diving options to suit everyone. Not only was the diving exceptional but the service was one of kind, Jason mentioned at the beginning of our trip that he’s a very hands-on skipper and you’d be hard pressed to not notice that he helps you kit and de-kit, helps you with your fins, makes hot drinks and of course is a blast to be around. He’s exceptionally knowledgeable of the local area, wildlife, and its wrecks as well as answering any questions extremely well. To say that I’ll be returning to dive with Jason and Wreckspeditions in the future is a promise and if you’re looking for 5-star service with a knowledgeable dive guide and skipper in a breath-taking part of our country, look no further than Dunoon and the local Lochs with Jason at Wreckspeditions.

I would also like to extend my biggest thanks to Huddersfield BSAC and everyone on the trip for not only making each dive and moment enjoyable and memorable, but for also having me along on their trip, it really was a spectacular few days away.

Donovan is a Divemaster who currently works as a Shark Diver at Blue Planet Aquarium based in Ellesmere Port. Donovan’s passion lies with Elasmobranch’s (Sharks & Rays) and this passion has led him to work in South Africa with White Sharks for a short period. He also believes that education through exposure is the best way to re-educate people about Sharks. Follow Donovan at www.instagram.com/donovans_reefs

Gear News

New Fins from Scubapro

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Continuous development and innovation have always been a top priority for Scubapro. The new Seawing Supernova high performance fin, introduced at boot 2023, is currently revolutionising the dive fin market.

Now, Scubapro is implementing its new innovative two-piece design to another fin model – the new S-Tek Fin. Furthermore, the company is launching the Gorilla version of the GO Sport in two colours and four new colours of the popular GO Travel Fin!

NEW – S-TEK FIN

A new addition to Scubapro’s S-Tek line of technical diving equipment, the S-Tek Fin is a purpose-built, next-gen technical diving fin providing maximum power when needed and featuring the innovative two-piece design like the Seawing Supernova.

NEW – GO SPORT GORILLA in Black & Orange

While identical in design to the GO Sport Fin, the Gorilla features a slightly stiffer blade and heavy-duty bungee, providing that extra umph for experienced divers manoeuvring through demanding conditions.

NEW – Available in black & orange.

NEW – GO FIN in 4 new colours

The GO travel fin combines the benefits of an open heel fin, with the comfort and barefoot freedom of a full foot fin. The GO is lightweight yet virtually indestructible, plus it is a fast and nimble performer in the water. The popular leisure fin is now available in the new colours blue, yellow, pink, and turquoise.

More information available on www.scubapro.com.

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Philippines Fun-Size: Critters and macro life

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Guest Blog By Cath Bates

Instructor and Sales Consultant Cath, from Dive Worldwide, gives a rundown of some of the top areas for macro life in the Visayas region of the Philippines.

The volcanic and tectonic activity around the western Pacific Ocean has formed a nutrient-rich environment for some of the strangest marine critters to call their homes.

The Visayas region is within the central part of the Philippines – a colony of islands that are very easy to get around, with Luzon and Mindoro to the North, and Mindanao to the South. Although many divers rave about this being Big Fish Country (thanks to the thresher sharks of Malapascua and the whale sharks of Oslob and Donsol), it is also a macro diver’s paradise.

The diversity within this area of the Coral Triangle means that within a few days you can go from diving steep walls, being cushioned by sea grass beds, hovering over sandy plateaus, or getting lost amongst hard coral heads, to suddenly being cuddled by lush, fluffy coral colonies.

Pygmy Seahorses, Mandarin Fish and more in Bohol and Anda

Anda (on the eastern side of Bohol) has a coastline that is 15 kilometres of incredible biodiversity. Dive sites are between 5 and 45 minutes away from your resort house reef.  Seahorse Point and Pygmy House dive sites are home to Pygmy seahorses that balance delicately on their bendy sea fan hosts. No bigger than 2.7 centimetres in length, the pink Bargibanti and yellowish Denise are protected by the Pygmy Seahorse Code of Conduct, displayed in all good dive centres.

The island of Bohol also has nudibranchs on steroids and carpet flatworms patterned with psychedelia that would make even the most open-minded hippy have a weird trip! Night dives reveal sea pens, swimming crabs, sand eels and egg cowrie.

At dusk you can enjoy the Mandarin fish courtship dance.  This is a flamboyant event with two of the  most colourful fish in the sea, whose names come from the dress of the Imperial Chinese Mandarin. The female Mandarin fish is joined at the pelvic fin by a male that she has deemed worthy of her attention. At rocket speed, they swim from their rubble or staghorn coral habitat high up in the water column to release hundreds of eggs and sperm.

Out-of-this-world Shrimps, Crabs and Lobsters in Moalboal

The Tanon Strait connects the Visayan Sea to the Bohol Sea. This is where you will find the island of  Moalboal (meaning bubbling water). Best known for the dramatic drop offs of Pescador island and local sardine baitball, Moalboal also has a vast array of macro dive sites.

At Copton Point, Peacock mantis shrimps scuttle about, changing direction the way Austin Powers drives his luggage cart, and Kasai Wall’s hairy orangutan crabs duck and dive in bubble anemone like they are in a child’s ball pool. Masters of disguise, the crinoid shrimp and squat lobster cling motionless to their spikey homes, avoiding being dive-bombed by hungry reef fish.

Photo: Michael Gallagher

At Fish Feeding (where they don’t of course feed the fish) Tozuma shrimp and Xeno crabs adorn whip corals like bosses, and punkish candy crabs decorate themselves with broccoli coral hats.

Masters of camouflage in Dumaguete/Dauin

Negros Island has the Sulu Sea to the west and Cebu to the East. This is a mountainous province, and Negros Oriental’s capital city Dumaguete is known as the “City of Gentle People”. There is a narrow channel between it and the island of Cebu, as well as the deep Negros trench. Such topography can only mean good things for divers! The Dauin coastline boasts some of the best critter diving in the region.

At Secret Corner in octopus season (October to December) you can expect to see blue ring, Mototi, wonderpus and algae octopus crawling stealth-like over the sand. These are camouflage masters who occasionally flash colour and cut some textured shapes to warn or to decorate. You may even be lucky enough to witness mating within this period.

Photo: Alex Tyrell

During Frogfish February you can see all the usual suspects like painted, hairy and sargassum as well as pin-head sized juveniles. The Atmosphere Resort and Spa house reef has a vibrant yellow guy who has even been filmed for television!

Shaun the Sheep is a loveable name given to the Costasiella kuroshimae sea slug. Not much bigger than a grain of sand, the likeness to a certain plasticine animation is uncanny. They graze on a leaf-like algae, containing chlorophyll, and are otherwise known as the “sap-sucking” sea slug because of this. Take a magnifying glass with you to catch a better glimpse of these cute creatures.

Colourful Critters in Malapascua

Famous for its larger “shoals”, Malapascua also has some exquisite reefs and seamounts that are teeming with macro life. Along the white sandy coastline are hidden muck sites that many pelagic-lovers wouldn’t even know were there. Even on the shipwrecks around Malapascua, you can find the world of the tiny: shrimp patrolling the holds, schooling glassfish shielding gangways and bright mauve Hypselodoris laying their egg skirts.

The pinnacle known as Bugtong Bato is home to various types of frogfish, nudis and carpet anemone, keeping crabs and anemone shrimp safe from the current.

Photo: Cath Bates

Chocolate island, to the south-west in the Visayan Sea, is a popular night dive location where double-snouted spindle cowrie, flatworms and banded boxer shrimp clock in for the night shift on a background of pulsating soft corals.

Gato Island is a grassy seamount poking out of the sea 45 minutes north-west of Malapascua. The island is well known for its swim-throughs and overhangs where you can expect to find Pharaoh cuttlefish, thorny seahorse and broad-banded pipefish. It also sounds like a cake, which is a winning formula for most divers!

Diving holidays for macro, muck and critter lovers

Below are some inspirational trip ideas from the Dive Worldwide website for getting to the best macro meccas in the Philippines. Not all the dive sites are beautiful to the eye at first glance, like muck and rubble, but what lies within them are some of the most vibrant and fascinating creatures you ever did see!

Discover the Visayas
This popular itinerary includes dives in Malapascua, Monad Shoal and the Moalboal peninsula.

Visayas Liveaboard
Access some of the best diving locations in the Philippines by liveaboard, including Dauin, Balicasag, Pescador and Malapascua.

Island Hopping Dive Safari
A stress-free diving adventure exploring stunning islands in the Visayas. An excellent choice for viewing macro life and pelagics.

Magic Dive Experience
Experience the magic of the Philippines! This trip combines two dedicated dive resorts in the Visayas – expect superb reefs, turtles, and exceptional macro life.

Dive Into Luxury
A luxury island-hopping itinerary, spending five nights in two of the Visaya region’s finest dive resorts – Atmosphere Resort & Spa and Amun Ini.

If you are interested in any of these trips, please get in touch with the friendly team of travel consultants and diving experts at Dive Worldwide or call 01962 302 087. You can also subscribe to Dive Worldwide’s regular enewsletter.

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