A small selection of rather average pictures from an Easter trip to Loch Fyne...
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A long-clawed squat lobster. You see lots of these in among rocks defending the hole they live in. This one has claws about 6 inches long.
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A sea toad, also known as a great spider crab.
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A spiny starfish. This one has arms about 8 inches long, but you can't really tell because it is wrapped around a clump of mussels it is eating.
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A Dab (flatfish) and a starfish.
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Me! The water behind me looks green because it is thick with organic matter (plankton) which reduces visibility underwater.
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Underwater I use a computer on my wrist to monitor my dive. When I took this, I was at 15.6m and I could safely stay underwater for another 35 minutes. I was 22 minutes in to the dive. I also have an air guage (not pictured) to see how much air I have left!
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This Dab followed the light of Brian's torch for much of the dive.
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A sea mouse - this is actually a type of worm! Today was the first time I ahve seen one so I was quite excited, especially since their underside is so flourescent!
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Sea Loch Anemones, usually found in slightly deeper water (maybe 15m or more) these are about 1 or 2 inches across and are very beautiful in your torch light
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A solitary sea loch anemone.
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A common sea urchin. In UK waters these are everywhere, grazing algae off the rocks. This one is a little one, maybe 3 inches across, but they grow to many times that size in some areas.
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Two starfish legs showing over a rock, one of which has been bitten off from the looks of things - I wonder what creature had that as a snack?
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Another common sea urchin. Why do I post so many photos of these? The clue's in the name.
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Another Sea Mouse.
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A hermit crab. These crabs live in empty whelk shells to protect themselces, and this one has a beautiful cloak anemone living on the shell and obscuring it completely. He is about they size of my thumb, and they are full of character.
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A dogfish hiding under a rock.
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Dogfish swimming away in alarm (not a very good photo!)
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Another dogfish lurking in the rocks. These are a member of the shark family common in UK waters, but only growing up to about 3 feet long. This one has a head the size of a fist.
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Close-up of aforementioned dogfish.
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