UAE West Coast Temperatures

[Searcaigh]

A nice balmy 27/28C today and in my 3mm for the first time this year

Found the "Golden One" again not too far from where it was last week.



Also found a still to ID nudi heading into the shore at around 2m depth

 

[BoltSnap]

A nice balmy 27/28C today and in my 3mm for the first time this year

Found the "Golden One" again not too far from where it was last week.



Also found a still to ID nudi heading into the shore at around 2m depth

How come you aren't diving east coast now? It must be nice this time of the year.

 

[Searcaigh]

How come you aren't diving east coast now? It must be nice this time of the year.

When your income is limited and driving a 5L V8 with fuel over 3 Dhs per litre I'm preferring some relatively "free diving" off the beach here in Dubai.

 

[Searcaigh]

Another two hour dive this morning and again many seahorses.

Still trying to get to grips with the snoot on the Backscatter MiniStrobe



And yet another nudi to ID

 

[Searcaigh]

Nice consistent 28C over the whole dive this morning

Only found two seahorses though, perhaps the others had Sunday off.

Trying to identify this Triplefin, but not in any of my books



A bit more practice with the snoot again today as I was solo.

Slaving the Backscatter Ministrobe off my YSD2.

 

[Searcaigh]

130 min dive today under the Bridge, water temp 28C.

Six seahorses spotted and five different species of nudis. Lots of Elysia marginata all around the place.



I think this is Philinopsis buntot about 10mm in size







Great dive with my buddy Vanjie.

 

[Searcaigh]

Eight hours of diving over the weekend including a night dive on Friday.

Lots of seahorses spotted, and most of the males are pregnant. I figure that the "Golden Girl" is responsible and the guys can't resist a blond



This particular chap looks like he's about to explode



The night dive had a few surprises, lots of toadfish around



And we also came across a slipper lobster



Several nudis too, although I need to get some better shots of this one, which was happily eating away in the same area for the past couple of days



Also came across a dead octopus that was providing a buffet for these shells



Water temps have now reached 29C

 

[Searcaigh]

Two dives yesterday at the Bridge, an early morning one and another night dive.

Unfortunately there were students involved as my friend Chloe was finishing off some AOW class and they managed to reduce visibility somewhat despite my best efforts to swim away, they kept following me

Usual seahorses, I'm almost on first name terms with a few of them but I have at last identified this nudi as a Carminodoris sp.



Another slipper lobster on the night dive, roaming around on the sand like a tank



And a funky Four Ring Purse Crab (Leucosia anatum) that I'd never seen before.



Water temp a consistent 29C, however, I wore my 3mm as it gets a bit chilly in the night breeze when getting back onto terra firma.

Edited to correct some spelling errors

 

[Searcaigh]

Back to the Bridge after a 10 day SI due to catching a cold 10 days ago whilst diving the east coast in 22C of water and air temps almost 40C.

A friend from Abu Dhabi came up to dive with me, known him for years but never ever dived with him. Didn't last long though we lost each other after about 10 mins, not that it mattered though as I'd given him an extensive briefing and layout of the site and both of us managed to surface within minutes of each other at around 110 mins.

We were also both snooting, so not having another person hanging around is probably not a bad thing.

My favourite shot of the days is this Armina sp. next to a sea pen.



Water temp was 30C, not that I noticed it being overly warm in my 3mm as it was also overcast and air temps were around 39C when we surfaced.

 

[RZomerman]

where's the bridge? Been diving Alya yesterday - was really nice