Chesil Beach Cove, 08/31/2013

Observer Name: Gary Keegan
Observation Start Time: 11.05
Observation End Time: 11.50
Weather Conditions: Calm
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 10m (Average)
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): 8-10m
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Low
Water Current Direction: N/A
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): N/A
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 18C
Notable Flora: Kelp and seaweed
Notable Fauna: Anemones, shoals of Pollock, 2 John Dory (one very closeup), lots of sandeels and small crabs. 
Other Observer Comments: Slightly choppy on first dive. Dive entry point straight out and in. (Followed by second dive to the South with similar observations).

Chesil Beach Cove, 08/27/2013

Observer Name: Joan Johnson
Observation Start Time: 13.50
Observation End Time: 14.50
Weather Conditions: Sunny and calm
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 8-12 m
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): 10m (High)
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Low

Water Current Direction: Nil
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): Nil
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 17C
Notable Flora: Kelp and seaweed, red algae
Notable Fauna:Lots of grey mullet in shoals at the coastal strip (at least a dozen large), 5 John Dorry and shoals of small fry. 1 Pipefish.
Other Observer Comments:

Chesil Beach Cove, 08/25/2013

Observer Name: Roger James Hoyle
Observation Start Time: 11:00
Observation End Time: 12:00
Weather Conditions: Overcast
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 16m
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): 6-8m
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Current Direction: North to South
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 18c
Notable Flora: Kelp, Sea Grass
Notable Fauna: Yellow Sponges, Brown Crab, Lobster, Velvet Swimming Crab,Wrasse
Other Observer Comments: Nice dive with lots of small fishes at 8m

Chesil Beach Cove, 07/18/2013

Observer Name: Nina Hukkanen
Observation Start Time: 15:00
Observation End Time: 16:00
Weather Conditions: Sunny, calm
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 8m
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): High (6-10m)
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Current Direction: none
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): low
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 15C
Notable Fauna: Spider crabs, jelly fish, John Dory, cuttle fish

Chesil Beach Cove, 07/17/2013

Observer Name: Nina Hukkanen
Observation Start Time: 16:10
Observation End Time: 17:00
Weather Conditions: Sunny, calm
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 8m
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): High (6-10m)
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Current Direction: none
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): low
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 15C
Notable Fauna: Spider crabs, jelly fish, John Dory, sea hares (small)

Chesil Beach Cove, 07/11/2013

Observer Name: Nina Hukkanen
Observation Start Time: 15:20
Observation End Time: 16:30
Weather Conditions: Sunny, calm
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 10m
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): High (6-10m)
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Current Direction: none
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): low
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 14C
Notable Fauna: Spider crabs, jelly fish, Dog Fish, cuttle fish

Chesil Beach Cove, 07/10/2013

Observer Name: Nina Hukkanen
Observation Start Time: 14:40
Observation End Time: 15:30
Weather Conditions: Sunny, calm
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 7m
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): High (6-10m)
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Current Direction: none
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): low
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 14C
Notable Fauna: Spider crabs, jelly fish, John Dory

Countess of Erne, 08/21/2012

Observer Name: Matt Knifton
Observation Start Time: 19.30
Observation End Time: 20.15
Weather Conditions: Sunny, large southerly swell
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet):
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): Medium (3-6m)
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Current Direction: S-N
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): Irrelevant
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 18C
Notable Flora:
Notable Fauna: Light bulb sea squirt, phallusia mammillata, ascidia virginea, dead mans fingers, boring sponge, tompot blennies, gurnard, velvet swimming crabs, spiny spider crab, common limpet, king scallop, candy stripe flatworm, beadlet anemones, polycera quadrillineata, nudibranch, pollock
Other Observer Comments:Good visibility considering topside conditions. Wreck unchanged since the last time I dived it. Mooring to the front end of the wreck has been removed.

Countess of Erne, 08/21/2012

Observer Name:  Gerry and Angel White
Observation Start Time: 19.26
Observation End Time: 20.17
Weather Conditions: Low light, strong winds
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 12.5m
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): Low (0-3m)
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Current Direction: S-N
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): N
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 18C
Notable Flora:
Notable Fauna: 4 sea scorpions, 1 pipefish, pollock, black faced blennies, tompot blennies, wrasse, spider crabs, velvet swimmer crabs, violet sea slugs, candy striped flatworm, devonshire cup corals, fried egg anemones, pink sea fans, light bulb sea squirts, dead man's fingers.
Other Observer Comments: (Gerry:) It has been a while since I dived the Countess but there did seem to be a few areas of what looked like bright new rust areas, maybe some areas are coming apart? Very very hard surface swim back to the boat, won't be in any hurry to repeat it!!

Chesil Beach Cove, 08/12/2012

Observer Name: Gerry and Angel White
Observation Start Time: 11.36
Observation End Time: 12.44
Weather Conditions: Sunny and light offshore breeze
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 15m
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): Medium (3-6m)
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Current Direction: Non
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): Non
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 17C
Notable Flora:
Notable Fauna:2 lobsters, 2 cuttlefish, grey mullet, 2 pipefish, 3 nudis, large shoals of sand eels, lots of baby bib, pollock, rock cook, bream, wrasse including one large wrasse, spider, edible and velvet swimmer crabs, sea squirts.
Other Observer Comments:

Chesil Beach Cove, 08/11/2012

Observer Name: Gerry White
Observation Start Time: 11.06
Observation End Time: 11.55
Weather Conditions: Sunny with light onshore breeze
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 16.5m
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): Medium (3-6m)
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Current Direction:Non
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): No current
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 17c
Notable Flora:
Notable Fauna:Lots of boring cponges, sea orange, elephant hide sponge, potato crisp bryozooon, cuttlefish, 2 pipefish, pollock, sandeels, edible, spider and velvet swimming crabs, bib, wrasse and lobster.
Other Observer Comments:Interesting to see a cuttlefish come past with a pipefish in its mouth! Thought the viz would have started to improve after trying different times of the day but it did not.

Chesil Beach Cove, 08/09/2012

Observer Name:  Gerry and Angel
Observation Start Time: 16:54
Observation End Time: 17:44
Weather Conditions: Sunny and flat calm
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 10.4m
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): Medium (3-6m)
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Current Direction: Non
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): Non
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 17C
Notable Flora:
Notable Fauna:2 lobsters, 1 of them large. 1 cuttlefish, wrasse and bib.
Other Observer Comments:Stayed over the small piece of wreckage for some time, very pretty in good light.

Chesil Beach Cove, 07/26/2012

Observer Name: Nina Hukkanen (w/Izzy)
Observation Start Time: 16:00
Observation End Time: 17:10
Weather Conditions: Sunny and calm
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 7-8m (parallel to shore)

Water Visibility (high, medium, low): Medium avg. 4 m
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium (Particles and plankton)

Water Current Direction: S-N
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): Low with slight undertow
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 15C
Notable Flora: Seaweed, kelp (& kelp forest)

Notable Fauna: Sea hare populations, pollock, wrasse
Other Observer Comments: Check out the Chesil  Factsheet or Chesil Photo Album


Izzy and I decided to continue to sketch underwater way-points for the two anchor/monitoring sites (Preveza and old pipeline) following an underwater trail towards the South and keeping at a maximum eight metres depth parallel to shore.  Of the marks in the sketch below the boulders seems to have the densest population of sea hare especially where there is strong undertow. The pipeline (to the right of the sketch) is where a genuine kelp forest starts, leading out the length of the pipe (where we are unable to spot any Monkfish although there have been previous reports). There are a lot of spent fishing line at certain point of the pipe which will need a separate dive and some effort to remove. Pollock and the occasional wrasse (did we say sea hare?!) are the main population in this stretch but careful study of the pebbles will reveal baby pipefish. It is probably too shallow for the smaller cuttlefish though. As soon as the kelp forest starts (boulder to the left of the pipe  in the sketch) the wrasse are larger and in many colours from the rainbow to yellow. A more extensive report and video will follow -- as well as a trip to recover and remove the line from the pipe.

Chesil Beach Cove, 07/26/2012

Observer Name: Gerry and Angel White
Observation Start Time: 11:57
Observation End Time:13:10
Weather Conditions: Sunny and Flat Calm
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 16.8 max
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): Medium 3-6m
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Current Direction: Irrelevant
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): Low

Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 15C
Notable Flora:
Notable Fauna:7 cuttlefish including babies, loads of sand eels, 1 ling with a school of small Bib, (only) 3 nudibranches spotted, edible crabs, spider crabs and pollock.
Other Observer Comments: Bearing SW found another piece of wreckage we hadn't seen before. Great to see so many baby cuttlefish about.

Chesil Beach Cove, 07/26/2012

Observer Name: Gerry and Angel White
Observation Start Time: 15:12
Observation End Time: 15:58
Weather Conditions: Sunny and flat calm
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 14.6 m (Avg.10)
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Current Direction: Non

Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): N/A
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 16C
Notable Flora:
Notable Fauna:Topnott, 2 lobsters, a John Dory, spidercrabs and sandeels.
Other Observer Comments: A little milky compared to first dive but still good. The piece of wreck in appx. 7 metres is fantastic to see in the bright sunlight.

Chesil Beach Cove, 07/26/2012

Observer Name: Izzy Imset (w/ Andy)
Observation Start Time: 13:00
Observation End Time: 14:10
Weather Conditions: Calm and Sunny
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 10-12m
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): Medium 5-6m
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium (Plankton)
Water Current Direction: S to N

Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): Low
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 15C
Notable Flora: See Cheryl's Log
Notable Fauna: Pollock, wrasse, sea hare populations, 3 lobsters, plenty of sand eels, several (one very large) 'edible' crabs, notably not many velvet swimmers or spider crabs around. In fact, not a single large spider crab - worth looking out for numbers and sightings. On the shore line under the 'green weed' there are smaller crab and baby pipefish hiding (distinguished mainly by their tails that protrude out of the pebbles). There are also a number of baby (curious) cuttlefish about.
Other Observer Comments: Gery and Angel (w/ Nina) spotted a number of cuttlefish on their dives and have taken some very good photographs and video of them.  More of our photos are here.

Chesil Beach Cove, 07/25/2012

Observer Name: Izzy Imset (w/ Nina)
Observation Start Time: 11:40
Observation End Time: 12:45
Weather Conditions: Calm and sunny
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 10-15m
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): Medium 5m
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium (Plankton)
Water Current Direction: S to N
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): Low (+undertow)
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 15C
Notable Flora:
Notable Fauna: A number of baby cuttlefish and sea hares close to the shore, the latter appear to be mainly in mating chains. Large 'edible' crabs and one lobster sighting under the rocks between 10-12 metres. Occasional Pollock and plenty of sand eels over the sand beds. One dogfish (on video). This time no Plaice sighting. Of interest is the observable decline in the nudibranch population (colonies replaced by individuals 'hanging about') but a major increase in the population of predominantly brown-red sea hare. It does appear sea hare especially like where the undertow is strongest, clinging on to branches and weeds as they are 'tossed about'.
Other Observer Comments: Liter underwater in the form of spent fishing lines and lost hooks that have gathered together and much more on the shore line where the tide cuts in. Most of the liter on the beach was gathered in spots -- easier to collect if pickup could be organised.

Chesil Beach Cove, 07/24/2012

Observer Name: Cheryl Lombardo (w/ Nina & Izzy • Start of 3-day PB Chesil dives)
Observation Start Time: 16.39
Observation End Time: 17.52
Weather Conditions: Sunny and Calm
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 5-9m
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): Medium 3-6m
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Low
Water Current Direction: Low
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): Non
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 15C
Notable Flora: Kelp, Sugar Kelp, Aplidium punctum, Boring Sponge, Morchellium Argus, Hydrallmania Falcata, Pot Weed, Sea Mat
Notable Fauna: Sea Hare (many, mostly mating), candy stripe flatworm, compass jelly fish, very large edible crab, school of juvenile bib, ballan wrasse, ling, large plaice, Ling, velvet swimming crab, spider crab, sand eels, Onchidoris Luteocincta (Fried Egg Sea Slug), Mermaids Purse -- Other divers saw 'baby' cuttlefish too.
Other Observer Comments: Dived at low tide in a group (Nina Hukkanen & Izzy Imset). Dropped in on a direct line from the ramp and on a bearing of 220 hit wreckage (the Preveza) at 5m. Large population of Sea Hare would appear to be their mating season. Click for a photo album of the Project Baseline Chesil Beach Dives - July 2012 

Cheryl Lombardo, Underwater Explorers Portland • PB Diver

Chesil Beach Cove, 07/22/2012

Observer Name: Gerry White
Observation Start Time: 11:43
Observation End Time: 12:36
Weather Conditions: Sunny and flat calm
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 17.1 m
Water Visibility (high, medium, low): Medium 3-6m
Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Medium
Water Current Direction: Non
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): Non
Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 15C
Notable Flora:
Notable Fauna:1 lobster, 4 edible crabs and a couple of spider crabs in close. Big shoals of sand eels. Only a few pollock though. Leopard spotted blennie and a few wrasse. Other divers saw dogfish too.
Other Observer Comments: Quite a lot of fishing line and a lot of wood has washed up on the beach. There were quite a few clumps of seaweed that had been uprooted. With the big tides the visibility was reduced the further you went out. 

Dredger 07/22/2012

Observer Name: Nina Hukkanen

Observation Start Time: 13:30
Observation End Time: 14:20
Weather Conditions: Sunny
Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 7M

Water Visibility (high, medium, low): Medium (6M)

Water Turbidity (high, medium, low): Low

Water Current Direction: None
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): None

Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 16C

Notable Flora: -
Notable Fauna: Bass, large snakelock anemones, several schools of baby bib

Other Observer Comments: No spider crabs