UAE East Coast Temperatures

[Simon-]

I usually stay at the Alia Suites if I am staying over on the east cost. A little basic but far far cheaper

 

[Searcaigh]

I might use the Radisson next door, got loads of Carlson points to use.

Some pics from the last few days;

Merry Christmas



Jerry the Jawfish



Clipped the tail on this boxfish, but I like the rosy cheeks



Catfish on Inch 1



---------- Post added December 28th, 2014 at 11:58 PM ----------

I usually stay at the Alia Suites if I am staying over on the east cost. A little basic but far far cheaper

There isn't even a bloody kettle in the HBM, so Alia Suites is probably better, what is the rate Simon?

 

[Simon-]

If memory serves me correctly. it is around 350 dhs for a 3 bed apartment per night

 

[Simon-]

First dives of the year on Friday with Al Marsa. Speedboat trip to Octopus Rock and Ras Marovi. 24c at both sites.

Couple of pics from the dives:

Harlequin (Sexy) Shrimp





Blenny





Flabelinna

 

[Searcaigh]

First dives of the year on Friday with Al Marsa. Speedboat trip to Octopus Rock and Ras Marovi. 24c at both sites.

Couple of pics from the dives:

Anemone ( still Sexy) Shrimp Thor Amboinensis

Sorry to disappoint Simon, this is the Harlequin Shrimp, Hymenocera picta



Good shots though

 

[Simon-]

No problem Gordon, always happy to bow to superior knowledge :yelclap:

 

[Searcaigh]

No problems, just finished processing some pics from the Damaniyats, will post them tomorrow with a write up about Oman Dive and Sail.

 

[Abdullah]

Abdullah, did you spot them in UAE? I have only seen them in SE Asia.

Well am just back after three days diving with Blue Planet and unfortunately staying at Holiday Beach Motel. Unless you like loud music from their nightclub until 3am I do not recommend it, plus overpriced for what you get, not even a kettle in the room to make a culpa in the morning, cheaper to stay next door at the Radisson.

That aside, I recorded 23C each day, time for the 7mm semi dry. I did a test dive with my drysuit but had a leak on the neck seal, needs checking.

Inchcape 1 was amazing on Saturday, as mentioned the mooring chain and 55 Gal Oil drum is gone, according to Paul at DD, three boats were on it earlier in the week during rough weather when the drum parted from the chain. I am sure the divers who were below nearly sh!t themselves …. I wonder which boats?

When we arrived, Glenn from CTD had already put a line on the wreck and we put a line to his boat. Bit of a surface current, but awesome viz, I could see the whole wreck from 20M.

Our second dive at Dibba Rock was also incredible, so many schooling fish, gill raker mackerel, snapper, jack and loads of barracuda plus a massive turtle, again 15-20M viz despite all the green algae on the surface.

This morning only one dive, my daughter was getting too cold, so no point in pushing it. Still off until next Monday and planning to dive in Oman next weekend, however I might try and get a couple more dives in on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Gordon, the sea moth was near Shark Island, south side, out in the sand flat at about 12 meters. Batteries were dead on my strobe at that point and I was limited to the focus light.

I've been to DD the past two weekends and the water temperature below 5 meters has been pretty consistent at 23 degrees. That puts me in my 5 mil wetsuit.

Plenty of algae flocking in the surface layer, which is good bait for whale sharks. A juvenile was seen by a group on our boat near 3 rocks in the afternoon on the 26th.

 

[Searcaigh]

Hi Abdullah,

Thanks for the info.

I wonder if these sea moths have been transported via ships ballast tanks when they were larvae/eggs/whatever, a theory held by many of us regarding some species of nudibranch that have never been seen in this region before.

Surprised also that a whale shark has been spotted too, are we in for a good year time to charge up the GoPro and carry that with me on each dive …. just in case.

 

[Abdullah]

Hi Abdullah,

Thanks for the info.

I wonder if these sea moths have been transported via ships ballast tanks when they were larvae/eggs/whatever, a theory held by many of us regarding some species of nudibranch that have never been seen in this region before.

Surprised also that a whale shark has been spotted too, are we in for a good year time to charge up the GoPro and carry that with me on each dive …. just in case.

I googled sea moths and this article suggests they might be native to this region. Interesting creature.