wreck diving - Porto Santo
Stargazer of Southampton
Susie and Adam (both think they are skipper)
Thu 7 Oct 2010 21:10
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Excellent day today. The weather was forecast
to be really calm today so we thought we'd go and try and dive a wreck that was
showing on the chart between here and the little island we dived around the
other day. We had no idea if we would even find a wreck
still as the charts don't change very often but we went out in the tender
to have a look anyway. We got to the GPS position and spent about 5
mins motoring around looking at the depth sounder - then saw a buoy floating
about 4m below the surface - we then found our wreck on the depth
sounder too. Decided to tie a line from the tender to the buoy so Susie
went down to loop it around - at least then we could switch off the engine with
the dinghy moored to the wreck
We had no idea what we would find but were happily
surprised - not the most historic of wrecks - it appeared to be a deep sea
trawler - but still a pretty big boat with plenty to swim around, and loads of
fish.
No triggerfish at all today - instead we had a gang
of Groupers - Susie only saw one big inquisitive Grouper on her dive, but
Adam had 3 nosey fish to contend with They were big enough - nearly 3
ft long - and solidly built. There was a bit of current at the start of
the dive so Adam was having a rest after descending, with both hands holding
onto the ships handrails - a grouper decided to swim up between his arms to have
a look at him, he rapidly let go and had to elbow Groupers out of his
way.
Here's one of the Groupers - no sense of scale on
the picture but he's a pretty big fish - or at least it is when it's looking
straight at you from 1ft away - this one bumped his nose into my camera lens
just after the photo.
 There was all sorts of fish around the wreck -
like always the photo's don't capture everything that you see but it was covered
in fish. 50 or so metres out from the wreck were big schools of sardines or
something - there were Jacks and Barracuda all lurking around the wreck waiting
to go and get the little fish, when the did go and attack the schools they all
grouped together in a big ball which was impressive, thousands of little
fish.
Some more pics. . .
Jacks or Snappers (think they are smaller jacks -
need a fish book!) hiding out one the lower deck.
 Stern deck with Jacks - again these weren't afraid
of us, they would swim past only a couple of feet from you.
 Another Grouper and Jacks in the
background
 Illuminated Grouper! (but ran out of flash
batteries after this - not yet very practiced with my new flash)
 Stingray hoovering around the sand next to the
wreck
 When we got back to the harbour we noticed that we
were the only boat on the mooring buoys outside the Marina. We knew that
the weather was bad tomorrow and Saturday - but had thought we should be fine in
the harbour. By 6pm tonight we had been collected and advised to come into
the Marina by the harbour staff, they told us they had saved a space for
us! - so now we're in the little marina, charging up batteries, camera's
and everything else we can think of - and wondering how big the waves
coming into the harbour really will be. The wind is only forecast to force
6 but obviously the staff here are worried about the size of the waves and swell
that will work their way in. It's all peaceful and calm right now so we'll
wait and see what the weather is like tomorrow, perhaps a day to get the kite
out and be dragged around the beach by it. At least we knew today would be
calm so we managed to get a dive in - shame we can't go back
tomorrow!
We have been looking at the weather reports coming
in on the navtex over the last few days - so happy that we made the crossing to
here from Portugal when we did as we were considering leaving it another few
days - if we had we would still be in Portugal now, much the same as the UK
there have been gales along the west coast of Portugal with huge seas.
Most of the west coast ports and Marina's that we stayed in North of Cascais
were closed over the last week - we went into them when there was little wind
but it was still a bit un-nerving as the swell breaks on all the sea walls ,
they have to close them when the weather is too bad as it is too dangerous for
small boats to get in, safer to stay at sea (but not a nice prospect).
Unsurprisingly no new boats have arrived in Porto Santo for the past 5
days. Not expecting gales here - but just strong winds from the south will
bring big swell so best to be tucked away in the marina.
We are making curry for tea tonight so had better
get on with it - advanced curry as well, Adam has decided to make paneer cheese
so that will keep us busy most of the evening.
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