UK DIVING
The raw power of the sea is evident
WAbove : Jellyfish drift through the gullies
and arches creating a surreal feeling as we explored these remote islands
The name Rona may come from Old Norse meaning rough island . The island is 270 acres in size , 108 metres above sea level at its highest point , and its ruggedness continues far beneath the waves . The steeply sloping reefs support an abundance of life including soft corals , sea stars and kelp forests – enough to keep any diver intrigued as they explore the spectacular scenery .
Several deep and narrow surge gullies cut through the rock . The raw power of the sea is evident here with only thin crusts of life hanging onto the walls in the forms of sponges , sea squirts and jewel anemones .
The islands support abundant seabird populations including puffins , guillemots , fulmars and gannets . One afternoon on North Rona , as the main dive group headed off to one site , we elected to spend several hours in a quiet bay snorkelling with the guillemots and puffins . We were quickly checked out by inquisitive guillemots and after a short while , some of the puffins began to pay us some attention , probably wondering what on Earth these strange , ungainly creatures were . Watching them swim or ‘ fly ’ underwater was both an insight into their perfect adaptation for the life aquatic and the realisation of just how awkward we as divers are .
Returning to the boat some hours later , we rejoined the other divers and heard their excited tales of encounters with several crawfish … well , you can ’ t do it all .
One unexpected aspect of the trip was the profusion of jellyfish and salps encountered at the dive g
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