EVERYDAYEXPEDITIONS |
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Nudibranch sp |
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PHOTO : ALISON MAYOR |
Leach ’ s spider crab |
PHOTO : PIPPA HARDISTY |
Selsey Lifeboat Station – the dive
With your back towards the Lifeboat station , start at the groyne to the left and set out on a south easterly bearing . You should never dive directly in front of the new station , in case they need to launch . On this bearing you will discover the remains of the old lifeboat launching piers . These are made of short concrete posts and metal struts extending from the ground . This area is full of a great array of life , acting as a nursery for young fish .
The site is 5m deep on average and is best dived with westerly to northerly winds . Avoid diving with an easterly or south-easterly wind . On a day with good visibility , it is possible to see for 8-10m , at which point you can see the layout of the old lifeboat pier , and follow easily from one strut to the next .
On other days 1-3 metres is more realistic , and at these times it is far easier to stray off course . Wherever you are though , there are discoveries to be made . It may be a torch left behind by a diver , or a large undulate ray just lying on the seabed , resting . Members enjoyed enjoyed this site so much that , as a club , we visited it 20 times last summer !
In May and June expect to see plenty of smallspotted cat sharks ( also known as dogfish ), these sightings unfortunately decrease as the seasons move on , but they are replaced by pipefish and cuttlefish , with baby cuttles in July and August ( so
cute !). There are numerous types of wrasse ( notably corkwing ); plus many gobies , blennies and common prawns hiding under rocks .
You can find some lovely examples of the symbiotic relationship of the snakelocks anemone and Leach ’ s spider crabs ; lobsters ; edible , velvet swimming and spider crabs ; starfish , dahlia anemone , bib and squid . This is in no way an exhaustive list , but it does give a taste of the wildlife treasure trove that makes this site such a classic .
Alternatively , taking a more westerly direction after entering the water brings you over some otherworldly mud flats . On a night dive last year we were lucky
A shy lobster Common prawn
PHOTO : PIPPA HARDISTY
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PHOTO : PIPPA HARDISTY