Great Barrier Reef

[Billabong Karen]

Brrrr... warmest water temperature 17 degrees!! I'm a bit of a wimp about the cold... but it would be fab to do, even if just to be able to compare the wildlife to other places... Hmmm...

Problem is, I can deal with either the cold or poor visibility, but both at once are just too much for me! If we have some really nice weather in the summer I'll doubtless be persuaded by the Other Half into a spot of UK diving, and I'll let you know how it goes.

Thank you for the dive site directory, very useful! K

[Kleftiwallah]

I found the narative difficult to understand from inside a diving helmet. Cheers, Tony.

[tom00_uk]

Originally Posted by Alan Livsey

Australia seems a bit far to go for a diving trip, not to mention the cost.
Although UK dive sites might not have spectacular underwater wildlife, they must be a lot cheaper. The cold and nil visibility all adds to the fun!!
There are a couple of artificial reefs in Whitsand bay, Cornwall, the James Eagen Lane and HMS Scylla, sunk in 2004. Only a 40 minute boat ride from Plymouth, busiest in summer.
Have a look at dive site directory - scuba diving information and diving reviews on dive sites and countries all over the world including the Caribbean, Canary islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Malta, New Zealand, USA, Australia the UK and the Red Sea.
I've heard on the local news that HMS Ark Royal is being considered as a new artificial reef for Torbay, that'll be worth a dive!

HMS Scylla is off limits still, has been since Nov. It has become covered in a lost monofilament gill net that the aquarium is trying to remove to enable the reef to be dived again and to stop the ghost fishing thats currently happening,

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Billabong Karen

But generally speaking the jellyfish shouldnt be too much of a problem. Divers (should) always wear protective clothing, wetsuits or similar, and gloves if they are going to be handling anything.

Some time ago there was a programme that featured box jellyfish. The common advice was to pour meths. on stung skin, but they did a test and found that the meths. exacerbated the situation because it caused more of the stinging organs to fire. To test, they laid a box jellyfish tentacle on a subjects arm. The pain was obviously extreme and he gasped with its intensity!

Jim

[Billabong Karen]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

Some time ago there was a programme that featured box jellyfish. The common advice was to pour meths. on stung skin, but they did a test and found that the meths. exacerbated the situation because it caused more of the stinging organs to fire. To test, they laid a box jellyfish tentacle on a subjects arm. The pain was obviously extreme and he gasped with its intensity!

Jim

Wow - hope he was well paid for his bravery, at least!

[Billabong Karen]

Originally Posted by tom00_uk

HMS Scylla is off limits still, has been since Nov. It has become covered in a lost monofilament gill net that the aquarium is trying to remove to enable the reef to be dived again and to stop the ghost fishing thats currently happening,

Yes, I heard that too. What is interesting is that this net has been found on the wreck because it is a popular dive site. How many nets must there be out there, posing dangers to sea life, that no one is aware of?