UAE East Coast Temperatures

[Searcaigh]

22C today, 7mm semi dry nice and toasty

Bit of a greenish algae bloom on the surface enough to make the wash from the boat look green instead of white.

The BSAC boat was moored on Inch 2 so we tied up behind them and then a boatload of muppets arrived and tied up behind us.

Viz was not too great and I had an equipment issues but managed to sort them out under water after taking my doubles off to sort it out, thankful for a long hose.

Only found one nudibranch on the wreck, Hypselodoris dolfusi



Second dive was at Martini, algae bloom over the site, nice relaxed dive …. just what I needed

 

[BoltSnap]

Do you know the name of that Moray?

 

[Searcaigh]

Do you know the name of that Moray?

Siderea grisea

 

[Benzonar]

Surprised you only found one Nudi. The previous weekend we found 21 different species, a few of which were new to me. We're upto about 109 distinct species on the East Coast now.

 

[Searcaigh]

Surprised you only found one Nudi. The previous weekend we found 21 different species, a few of which were new to me. We're upto about 109 distinct species on the East Coast now.

I had a buddy!

 

[Searcaigh]

Two dives on Dibba Rock with The Palms Dive Center today. Water temp 21C and at best 3M visibility

Two nice relaxing dives though, and I was with one of the staff for both dives (Ansar), two pairs of Risbecia pulchella found

 

[BoltSnap]

I found that the "left" point of the rock was the best, is this what you think or did I miss something on the other sides?

Also, why the Palms not Free Style (where is Palms anyways)?

 

[Searcaigh]

Hi Burhan,

When I did the EDA Reef Check course they use The Palms Dive Center, which is located at the Radisson Blu hotel, in fact this resort used to be run by Glen Campbell who not runs Coastal Technical Divers in Fujairah.

Now that the road works are mainly finished around there it only took me 90 minutes from home to the dive resort. Freestyle are good but not used them since Terry passed away a couple of years back, so I thought I would give these guys a try as a paying customer and will use them again if I want to dive Dibba Rock. They have reasonable facilities too including an indoor pool for training. No Nitrox on site though.

The area we dived was to the south of Dibba Rock.

 

[Searcaigh]

Still bloody cold, 21C on the second dive, but am nice and toasty in my 7mm semi dry

More Risbecia pulchella today, and stacks of large pipefish.

 

[Searcaigh]

23C today at Dibba Rock, had a couple of 1 hour relaxed dives.

Found this unusual coloured triple fin, well the blue caught my attention, about 2cm in length.



---------- Post added March 29th, 2014 at 04:07 PM ----------

Just to add that I have ID'd the triple fin as Helcogramma steinitzi, actually I have some information in one of my books Coastal Fishes of Oman by JE Randall, as well as been pointed in the right direction by a UK based SB member.