UK DIVING
RAbove : Some jellyfish were like
things we had never seen before
SBelow : Lobsters were found hiding
amongst the boulders and cracks
UBelow right : Edible crabs foraged amongst
the anemones and mussel-covered upper walls
sites . Being out in oceanic waters , these were not the regular species seen along the UK coasts . Salps are a form of free-swimming , pelagic seasquirt , filtering their food from the water and often linking up to form long chains or clumps .
Naming many of the salps and jellyfish required much consultation of specialist ID guides . Only one or two were more familiar , for example the uncommon mauve stinger ( Pelagia noctiluca ). Of course they also provided a huge amount of photographic potential and ensured that none of our deco-stops ever got boring . Occasionally we would spot small fish taking shelter from predators , darting between their stinging tentacles .
As we prepared to leave North Rona and head west toward Sula Sgeir , a minke whale surfaced right next to the boat … oh to have been in the water with that !
On the bucket list
Approaching Sula Sgeir it soon becomes obvious how it gets its name ; Sula is Gaelic for gannet and Sgeir means rock . Over 8,000 gannets crowd this small but special island . A central cave runs right through the middle of Sula Sgeir with several smaller caves splitting off from it . Occasionally a seal might buzz past as you explore the system .
The walls inside the caves are covered in life – jewel anemones , sponges and hydroids with barely an inch of bare rock . In such extreme and exposed environments , once an animal is established it will compete for space so it ’ s not uncommon to find walls dominated by just a handful of species . Crustaceans abound – not least the pink shrimp , Pandalus montagui . The pink shrimp plays an important role in the ecosystem , feeding on dead animals and even providing a cleaning service for fish .
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