Destination unknown

Grab your fins and mask and get ready to dive into the world�s largest space pool. The University of Essex unveiled plans for the ultimate space training experience for future astronauts this week � a 50 metre (164ft) deep pool. While some dive enthusiasts may be foaming at the mouth to take a swim in this deep blue artificial sea, the training pool is still in the �exploratory discussions� phase of getting off the ground. Partnering with Blue Abyss, who developed the concept, the university hopes to increase funding for the project. The space pool would not only create an environment akin to 100 feet under the ocean, but...

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Smooth

Surprise! Today was the flattest, calmest day out on the water I've seen on a long time, it was like a mill pond, absolutely fantastic. The boat moved like it was on rails which is strange because I couldn't figure out why there was still people on the boat puking all over the deck and the gunwales. If they know they're prone to hurling, take a preventative for goodness sake, we don't want to stepping over your vomit. Anyway, that aside, onto the diving!And we're off!Seeing as Captain Nige and Captain Nat were skivving and Captain Dave doesn't do weekends any more, it was up to Captain James to step once more unto the breach, dear friends.South...

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Left of Centre

If it wasn't for Jenna, we wouldn't have even known about this. Turns out that the weekend edition of the local paper had a centre page special on Cayman wildlife with a selection of 11 photos, 45.45% of which were mine.Of course no one from the paper would even dream of contacting anyone to make them aware that their pictures would be appearing. Thanks Compass (not).Congrats to the other folk who made it in there as well with some superb shots of the diverse wildlife of the islands. I'm going to have to up my game some in the very near future.My shot of Captain Nige gets in there as well with his lionfish culling antics, Debs should be please...

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Into the lens

Hooray, new lenses arrived today! Boo, I'm using a 5 year old camera body with them until my new body arrives at end of August. It's like having a Ferarri but being restricet to 20mph. Ah well, I've waited this long, I can wait a little longer.........The macro lens has some serious heft to it and you could physically beat someone to death with the fisheye converter, it's got that much glass in it. Old fisheye adapter on the left, new one on the right. Like comparing a minnow to a whale, the size difference is pretty substantial. Couple of quick shots taken in the back garden with the 90mm macro so don't read to much into them as I just stuck...

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Dance little sister

Hooray! Decent weather and reasonable conditions allowed us to get in at LHP, the first time in a few weeks because the weather has really had it in for us recently. Fine through the week, but come the weekend, it all goes pear shaped. Today was about 12-15 knots ENE, overcast, with 2-3 foot swells and a healthy does of surge in the shallows, but it's better than a finger in a wolfies hole! (old St Abbs joke).It was all about the small things today and right of the bat we had a great selection of nudis, gobies and blennies. I can photograph these things all day every day. And I do!We had an occasional barracuda cruise by not to mention a three...

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12 eyes of evil

Surprise surprise, the weather was forcast for a 19-22 knots Easterly but it only felt like a 12-13 so we only had a few lumps on the trip out to Old No.12 for the first dive.I don't honestly remember having done this particular site before and there was a chance of seeing sharks but neither sharks or great viz failed to appear on this particular dive. The scenery was ok, but I wouldn't put it on my list of sites to visit especially when there are multiple other sites here that are triple A. Maybe I've just been terribly spoiled........I did get some shots of Captain Nige in full "angel of death" mode as he rooted out the lionfish from the nooks...

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