As the first lockdown measures began to ease , a small group of us decided to jump on Andy Bengey ’ s Obsession catamaran at Ilfracombe to spend some quality time with the grey seals at Lundy . As we were among the first people to return to the island , it seemed the seals were on sociable overdrive and we were lucky to have some of the best seal encounters of our lives . This young female was particularly ‘ fins-on ’. We realised later that she had cataracts on both eyes , which may have explained her fearlessness around us . Here she was at the surface , upside down , putting on the greatest show for the camera I ’ ve ever seen .
Bobtail squid are curious little things , best seen on night dives around the Portland areas . Some of the bobtails you come across simply want to hide in the sand , a fascinating thing to watch as they use their little tentacles to pull sand over them . Others are quite happy to swim around , and will follow divers ’ lights in search of prey . They are a simply glorious species to photograph ; the details that come out in the photos , despite their diminutive size ( 0.5-2cm long ), never cease to amaze . This little specimen is surrounded by a blue ‘ Ready Brek ’ halo , boasting some of the most vibrant colours I ’ ve seen in our temperate waters .
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