UAE East Coast Temperatures

[Searcaigh]

Been over a month since I last dived the east coast. Thermocline at 5m where is goes from 26C straight to 23C, just glad I decided to wear my 5mm but forgot my hood, it was frikken cold.

First dive on Anemone Gardens was in really poor vis too about 3m, so no better than off Dubai shore diving, but at least it's warmer off Dubai.

A few squat lobsters around.



As well as Hypselodoris pulchella



Inchcape 2 had slightly better vis, but was just as cold, full of nudis including this pair of bonking Hypselodoris carnae



And the highlight was a Janolus sp moving around rather quickly

 

[hedonist222]

23° in August!

 

[Searcaigh]

The Wadi Haam dam behind Fujairah Tennis Club yesterday, still plenty of water in it.

Wondering what the risk would be to dive there e.g. Bilharzia ?

 

[Searcaigh]

Back to the east coast today with BDC, with some nice weather and low water temps of 26C, nice and cozy in my 5mm

At Angels Reef we found the Pineapple Fish that has been reported over the past few weeks.



There were plenty of nudis on Inchcape 10 to keep me happy, and 10m vis too.

My favourite shot of today is this Hypselodoris carnae



Probably be another month before I dive the east coast again though as I'm out of the country next weekend.

 

[Searcaigh]

A couple of "meh" dives yesterday on Inchcape 10 and Car Cemetery 2.

Having not dived the east coast for well over a month and having heard from my usual buddy that the temps on Inchcape 2 were 24C last week, I packed my trusty W7 5mm wetsuit only to find the water temp was 28C.

I was diving with BDC as usual, and my buddy Hannah and myself opted to dive the local sites. The two other boats were heading north, which adds 20-40 mins more on the travel time.

Visibility on the first dive wasn't fantastic, in fact it was zero in the bottom couple of meters and I hit the sand unexpectedly and had to ascend to get my bearings and find my buddy. No nudis either

On the second dive we eventually found some nudis and at that moment my camera (D7100) decided to stop working which really pissed me off, but not much you can do at 20m, so I became spotter instead of photographer. Then, during the last 10 minutes a mini sandstorm rolled in covering the bottom 5m and reducing the vis to zero, so we ascended and giving each other expressions of WTF just happened! Really weird, but I've seen this phenomenon before at CC2, and roughly at the same time.

Probably my best shot on Inch 10



and from CC2 nothing!

 

[BoltSnap]

my camera (D7100) decided to stop working

Time to upgrade to a Z9. It is only a $15K upgrade for the system, go ahead and do it. You can still use the lenses from the D7100

only to find the water temp was 28C

Were you OK in the 5mm suit in this temp.? I'd have been overheating and uncomfortable myself.

 

[GDHLEWIS]

Were still 30c in Qatar. But temps have dropped recently so hoping the water temps drop a little as well

 

[Searcaigh]

Were still 30c in Qatar. But temps have dropped recently so hoping the water temps drop a little as well

Still 30C in the Persian Gulf side last Friday when I had an impromptu dive with my friend Oliver who wanted to drain his tanks to fit new valves.

Time to upgrade to a Z9.

Then I'd need a new housing etc., so no thanks, I still have my D300 + housing, but looking for another D7100 / D7200 body.

 

[BoltSnap]

Then I'd need a new housing etc., so no thanks, I still have my D300 + housing, but looking for another D7100 / D7200 body.

New Z9 with housing circa 12 - 13K, no big deal

 

[Searcaigh]

Back to the east coast again today with BDC and on the Dhow.

Vis was sh!t on both dives (Angels Reef and Inch 10) the latter due to some plonkers from XR Hub who silted out the bottom four meters around the wreck with their scooters

A couple of seahorse shots using my "new" D7200 with 40mm Micro lens from Angels Reef.





Water Temp 24C on Angels Reef and 26/27C on Inch 10