Gibraltar Blog
Octopus
March 2014
Never been to Gibraltar before so looking forward to this holiday immensely. We (Mrs C and I) avidly watched the BBC's "Gibraltar - Britain in the Sun" program and decided a visit was definitely a must. Booked up for a weeks B&B at the Rock Hotel and an 8 dive package with Dive Charters (featured in the above mentioned BBC program).
Managed to book extra legroom exit seats for both flights, that's a first! Flying with BA and baggage allowance is still quite generous, 23kg each for checked luggage and an enormous 23kg for hand baggage too which you can split across two bags (although size limits apply).
Would you believe it? Two days before we fly the gas boiler has turned up its toes, merrily flashing at me the two letter code that means the printed circuit board has failed (again). Luckily we managed to get a plumber out in time to fix it before we go, at great cost, no doubt. There must be some witty observation about life that I could put here but I'm at a loss for words right now.
The Octopus was in the tyre.
Friday 14th March 2014
Stayed overnight at the Premier Inn on Bath Road at Heathrow, a package from NCP with overnight stop and long stay parking. Done it before and it worked out ok so went for it again this trip, had to be at airport by 07:00 so it made sense. A bit different this visit though; stung me for another tenner to park at the hotel - "our parking is run by another company, not us" she explained at the Premier Inn. That wasn't mentioned when i booked, and why did they want to know my car registration number if it was nothing to do with them?
Hotel bar catered mainly for the lager and cream flow fraternities but they did have some decent bottled beers so all was not lost for the evening.
Saturday 15th March 2014
Up at 5am to be at airport for 7. All went smoothly and arrived safely in Gib/Rock Hotel 2pm. Sunny and warm and just like home except they drive on the right - takes some getting your head around when there's NatWest Bank, Marks & Sparks, BHS, etc. Went for a stroll down Main Street late afternoon and feeling peckish picked the Gibraltar Arms as a reasonable establishment for a bite to eat. Ordered a burger for me and chicken & mushroom pie for Mrs C. 15 minutes later they delivered a burger and a lasagne! It was pretty poor fayre too. "The chef's new" the proprieter informed us matter of factly, no hint of an apology. Won't go there again.
Sitting on the balcony that night having a nightcap, Mrs C commented on the seagulls and how they seemed to be circling. "Long as one doesn't poo on me," she remarked casually. What do they say about tempting fate? Needless to say, Mrs C was not amused! Time to contact the dive centre to find out about my first diving day tomorrow.
Sunday 16th March 2014
Nice sunny and warm Sunday afternoon, not good weather for a dry suit! Water 15c so wish i'd brought my wet suit, I would have put up with the water being a little chilly in return for the comfort, ease of movement and flexibility, especially as we had to walk 200mtr suited up with full kit to the entry point for the shore dive. I was melting by the time we got in the water:-(.
However, it was worth it, two dives, an Octopus hiding in the rocks, and six wrecks - cable laying barges sunk as artificial reefs in 1990 (ish) at about 17mtr - Batty's barge, 480, and 4 Spanish barges. Well dehydrated when we got out so that first bottle of cold water tasted like finest champagne!
Octopus hiding in Rocks
Monday 17th March 2014
Mrs C and I did the tourist bit today, up the Rock in the cable car, then walked the length and breadth whilst slowly descending (ha ha; three steps down and two back up!) taking in the places of interest. Saw a few Macaques (hope thats how to spell it) but they were lazing in the heat and sunshine looking at us idiots walking around. Next time it will be the easy minibus tour, but at least we can say we did it.
Had a nice meal at Queens Marina this evening, sat looking enviously at huge motor boats and yachts in the sun. One day - I can dream can't I? 108 Euro million pounds would have made it happen!
Tuesday 18th March 2014
A little cooler today, being the morning, lost my hat somewhere between hotel and dive shop. Damn. It dropped off my rucksack where i thought i'd secured it.
The dive guy (Vince) parked in the shade today, real close to entry point. Decided to go with dry suit again given conditions. Back at Camp Bay and the 480 and Batty's Barge for a better look around. A lot more comfortable this dive but a strong inland current to swim against, octopus (see pic above) and scorpion fish were the highlights.
Second dive was Spanish Barges 2 & 3. A nice jelly fish paid us a visit and proved very photogenic next to scooby. Some large brightly coloured star fish had to be snapped along with a few little nudibranchs. No current this dive, must have been slack tide.
Have alerted the authorities this evening about my hat, Spanish police have begun searching everyone leaving Gib so I hope to soon be reunited.
Got poo'd on by a seagul on way back to hotel which Mrs C found amusing. At least, she did till a sparrow in a tree poo'd on her whilst we were sat outside the Lord Nelson this evening. Seems like pooing on people is a national sport for the feathered inhabitants of Gibraltar.
A well camouflaged Dwarf Seahorse.
Wednesday 19th March 2014
To Rosia Bay today, a natural habour with links back to Nelson times. No wrecks here but a good spot for a rummage around. Starfish, Octopus, Jellyfish and a Dwarf Seahorse (see pic opposite) were seen on the first dive, the starfish being; a) the Red Star Fish and b) Ophioderma (smooth brittle-star), a nocturnal variety.
On my way out after the first dive it was necessary to remove my scuba kit in the water and i unknowingly dropped my mask, not realising until we started kitting up for the second dive. Spent the next 45 mins trying to find it instead of enjoying dive two. Vince (dive guide) had been running a search pattern and finally found it, yards from where we expected it to be. No time left for the second dive unfortunately, but happy with getting my mask back and some great photographs too.
Thursday 20th March 2014
A nice wall dive today, from Rosia Bay around the headland to Camp Bay. A steady bimble with no great surprises as far as wildlife is concerned, just a chill dive.
After this we moved to the north end of Camp to Small bay for the second dive. Three great wrecks here; the General Elliott, the MV Panico and the Admiral Rooke. The MV Panico even had a resident Moray Eel in the main wheelhouse. The entry and exits to the water were exciting, steepish and with lots of rocks and small pebbles which gave way under your feet, along with waves and surf from an incomming tide, steep steps to climb and a good walk to/from the vehicle. It all reminds me once more why I hate shore dives!
Last two dives completed now and holiday drawing to a close. Typical that we finally found a pub called the Cannon on one of the back streets that has a happy hour so we both rather over indulged, topping off the night with a meal at the Lord Nelson.
Friday 21th March 2014
Champagne breakfast this morning, courtesy of the hotel. Apparently they had some "water ingress" into the breakfast room yesterday so this was by way of apology. We didn't see it, it was after we left, but it would have been rude to refuse their generosity. Off to collect dive kit this morning from dive hop. Hopefully it will be dry. Also got to pay my bill :-((. There's always a downside to these things!
Spent the rest of the morning 'On the Buses'. A Hoppa ticket costs just 2.25 Gibraltar Pounds and you can use it all day, as many buses as you like, so we travelled one end of Gib to the other, and both sides of the rock too. Happy hour in the Cannon again then back to the hotel for dinner.
Saturday 22th March 2014
Well the last breakfast of the holiday is over, no more full english until the next one. The mad scramble to pack everything so that we can vacate the room by 11am, is done, the hosenbugler is now redundant until the next guests arrive.
Overall not a bad holiday, the hotel has a quaint olde worlde charm although the bathroom seems to have been designed for migets. Not only is the room small and confined but the bath is tiny and the loo is about 15" off the ground, it feels like sitting on a potty (not that i've done that for a while!).
I was disappointed that all the dives were shore dives and all around the same place. Without using a boat the dive sites are going to be limited and i'm sure there are some wonderful sights to see and wrecks to visit just a little bit further out from the shore that only a boat can reach. I can understand the economics of not using the boat for just one or two divers but the downside for the dive shop is that i may never go there again because of it, certainly not if shore dives are all they have to offer at the time.
Waiting for the pick up for the airport now, a G&T being slowly sipped as i finish off my blog for this trip. Bye!