UAE East Coast Temperatures

[hedonist222]

There's a glut of Reticulated Filefish over the past year, not sure why, possibly an increase in food source (I've seen them eat jellyfish) or a decrease in their predators whatever fish that might be?

I remember seeing a lot of filefish last year as well.
Maybe they were already prominent where I dived last year?

Like you said, either an abundance of whatever their diet consists of, scarce predator presence, or some other variable.

What I noticed this year is there are virtually no jawfish in the areas I used to easily find them last year.
I've done about 60 dives this year and have not chanced upon a single jawfish. Very very strange (yes, double very).

Theres also a few other fish.I haven't seen this year (another post).

 

[Searcaigh]

I've only dived in the UAE this year.

I did have plans for Malta and Bali but Covid took care of that

Few nudis this year too, not sure why?

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

I've only dived in the UAE this year.

I did have plans for Malta and Bali but Covid took care of that

Few nudis this year too, not sure why?

The cancelation of the Malta trip was a heartbreaker for me. It has been on my list of dive destinations for quite a while due to the amazing wrecks.

 

[Searcaigh]

I hope everyone is well and Sidemount Santa brings you lots of goodies

No diving for me today but three of us did Inchcape 10 and Car Cemetery 2 yesterday morning.

vis was still good, water temp 24C, air temp 24C

Only found three nudis on CC2 though, lots of crocodile fish around too, including many small ones

 

[Searcaigh]

2017 was the Year of the Cockerel (in Chinese New Year terms) and I had a acquired a cockerel at a garden centre outside of well known booze shop in Umm Al Quwain for a centre piece for our CNY dinner that year.

After the event I decided to take it diving and place it inside one of the wrecks that we frequently dive (Inchcape 10), where it has been now living in the toilet.

A couple of weeks ago I did a penetration dive into the wreck and noticed that "my cock" was getting a bit dirty and needed a clean.

So on our first dive last Thursday, with my buddy Ernie we retrieved and replaced the cock after a good clean.

It could still do with a better scrub as I forgot a brush, and a few barnacles have decided to attach to it too, but it's looking a lot better now

 

[hedonist222]

2017 was the Year of the Cockerel (in Chinese New Year terms) and I had a acquired a cockerel at a garden centre outside of well known booze shop in Umm Al Quwain for a centre piece for our CNY dinner that year.

After the event I decided to take it diving and place it inside one of the wrecks that we frequently dive (Inchcape 10), where it has been now living in the toilet.

A couple of weeks ago I did a penetration dive into the wreck and noticed that "my cock" was getting a bit dirty and needed a clean.

View attachment 632658

So on our first dive last Thursday, with my buddy Ernie we retrieved and replaced the cock after a good clean.

View attachment 632659

It could still do with a better scrub as I forgot a brush, and a few barnacles have decided to attach to it too, but it's looking a lot better now

HAHAHA
This is the most comical thing I read in December.
Thank you!

Next project:
Tether an underwater video camera to record diver reactions to seeing a "cock" underwater.

 

[Searcaigh]

Tether an underwater video camera to record diver reactions to seeing a "cock" underwater.

That would be fun

 

[Searcaigh]

Had a couple of dives with Barracuda yesterday on Inchcape 10 and Car Cemetery 2. Back to 23C and happy in my drysuit

The nudis seem to be returning to CC2 and I found four species, with remarkably the first one being the smallest of all of them, a 5mm Goniodoridella savignyi

All of the others were the usual Hypselodoris sp (dolfusi, infucata and kanga), but the best shot was this a Hypselodoris infucata as all the others seemed to have their heads in the sponge.

We also found a Butterfly Ray behind the tanker, only the second one I've seen, but not really possible to photograph it in its entirety as I was shooting with the 105mm lens.

Here is it's eye

Planning some more dives tomorrow before the end of the year.

 

[hedonist222]

Looks great searcaigh

I think I'll try your neck of the woods for diving next time

 

[Searcaigh]

I think I'll try your neck of the woods for diving next time

Be good to meet up, Let me know when you plan to dive with BDC, they are busy and usually have three boats out most weekends plus the Dhow when it gets really busy.