Will that octopus be hanging around again near Cannon 3 ? What about the one-clawed lobster in the cave below the west wall , back after a seven-week trip ? Fewer prawns on the soft corals at the ‘ bus stop ’ near Cannon 1 , eh ?
Head off the wreck and you ’ re into brittlestar beds , with stone crabs on the prowl and lumpsuckers hunkering down . Magic stuff .
Don ’ t forget that shallow water kelp though . Pause a while on your return and appreciate the life among the intricate holdfasts and the delicate seaweeds and sponges on the stalks – too easy to overlook .
Yes , repeated dives on a familiar site turn out to be so rewarding , a lesson for me in these troubled times . As far as ‘ adventurous ’ diving goes , this site ’ s a walk in the woods rather than an ascent of K2 . But sometimes what you need is an easy dive in your own back yard . Oh , and no twisted ankles , torn drysuits or cracked domes . �
PHOTO : BILLY ARTHUR
SHETLANDSPECIAL
Lumpsuckers can be found on the site
PHOTO : BILLY ARTHUR
Top-notch winter visibility as Scott approaches cannon 3 below the west wall
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