Malta 2008

Dive 19

Started in car park, walked down a slippery slope and steps. Got in, Boggie's o-ring went, Trevor couldn't get down -> changed his mask. Did mask clearance and out of air practice. Once the guides were happy with everyone we went off. Went along, down drop off (15-20m). Saw loads of small fish, beautifully clear. On way back Trevor pointed out a scorpian fish. We saw some pots dropped off by a local artist. At 50bar when we were heading back guide beckoned us back to look see an Octopus. We headed back and surfaced earlier than the others, staying near the surface. Waited 3 mins and I surfaced on 10 bar. (Aiden wouldn't be happy!) We were planning on doing the DSBM but I had gone through my air too fast. We'd spent most of the time at the back of the group. Took some video with Trevor's other camera. Saw some fire worms but weren't told not to touch them!!

Dive 20

Stride entry by same steps as before (Trevor washed my msak for me). Spoke to guide about my rate of air use and agreed to borrow his pony rather than plan a different dive to the others. At back again so stayed shallow to minimise air. Dropped down to boat (sunk by Captain Morgan's for the tourists 9 years ago) looked in hull, didn't go up through steps as lots of other divers. Saw super-structure, swam through cabin, along to bow, Trevor filmed some largeish fish. We were last to leave the wreck. Swam to meet others by archway in reef. Trevor asked me about air because the guide was signalling. I was on 60 so he gave me the pony. I switched to it and didn't notice the baracuda. Headed back to shallows and caught up the others (Aiden shook his head disapprovingly at use of pony - <b>Update</b> there's a definite trend emerging here now I'm writing up these log entries!) then I did a solo DSMB. Up on 50 (pony) and 60 (main).

Dive 21

The wreck is in two halves like this (from above) the stern has sheered off:

bow
        stern
/-----|
\-----| |---\
        |---/

Swam along surface out to the wreck, descended down to bow, swam over the bit where it had broken, went down through a hole, lost instructor, everyone was following me so I stayed with Phil, minute later we spotted him by propellor. Went back through bits of wreck along galley way, then into kitchen. 9 men died welding and caused an explosion which is why the ship was skuttled. Felt a bit dizzy. (apparantly I sat on Emily's head or when looking at the sign but I don't remember that bit). Saw loads of fish and baracuda in the distance. Swam back through the galley and saw the oven. Came back up on the reef. Instructor pointed out a wiggly fish then we went back along a gulley and saw a scorpian fish. Headed back with boats going in and out. Felt a bit sick and my watch had complained I had ascended too fast (had it on the most conservative setting possible).

Dive 22

For the next dive we were given a choice of a reef dive or another dive on the wreck. Most of us chose the reef dive.

We all went out as a group again and descended to the plaque in the shape of an old-style diving helmet. Soon reached a narrow, vertical cave, I was one of the first to go in. Aiden was one of the last so Martin and I were out before Aiden had gone in and we weren't sure he'd make it. Sure enough he eventually came back out the bottom. After that we really just had a leisurely stroll along the reef. I took a keen interest in pretty but Martin had seen most of it before. At the end after our saftey stops my watch wanted me to stay down for another 10 minutes or so (presumably because I had come up faster than it wanted before). Aiden and one of the guides stayed with me while the time expired but I felt a bit silly because everyone else had done exactly the same two dives and was out of the water ages before me. Still, better to be safe than sorry. The guide was rather cold by the end.

Dive 23

I was last off the boat, we dropped down through a circular hole and out the bottom (I don't actually remember that now!). Next we swam along a wall. Lots of fish were facing downwards to catch food drifting up the wall. We turned around and swam back along the wall and up through the hole. At the top (back at the bit by the boat) we swam around looking at the shallow coral/fish. Earlier I had pointed out a nudibranch. Phil pointed out a fan worm. We had a poke around and then began to surface at 57 mins. Phil noticed the time so we swam around for a further 3 minutes for my first 60 min dive! Had lunch at the blue lagoon, swam with Reiko to have lunch on the rocks with the lizzards. The others followed about 10 minutes later. Saw some flat crabs and another scorpian fish but missed the morray eel everyone else seemed to see.

Dive 24

The last dive had to be a shallow one because we were flying the next day.

Cave dives. I missed the start of the dive brief (can't remember why now) so didn't know we'd be swimming through so many small caves. Jumped off the boat last, (forgot to clean the chocolate mucus out my mask!). Went down and swam through lots of caves. Memorable points ->

• Started by feeding the fish with left over lunch. Proper feeding frenzy, they ripped through the plastic bag and even nibbled my fingers. You couldn't see me for fish and they didn't mind bumping into me either -> very slimey.
• When I wasn't keen to go through a small dark hole when I couldn't see light at the other side. Phil motioned me forwards and I obeyed. We surfaced in a cave and I said no more small dark holes please. We did 3 more!
• Phil went up a gently sloping sand bank into a cave, everyone else had gone off in their pairs (Rita and Emily had surfaced because Rita was having an ear problem). I waited with Trevor and Chris. We swam back, (3 caves forwards and backwards) and an arch.
• Back at the boat we swam around for a few minutes. Phil watched another group feeding the fish and we surfaced.