We love to hear about each others sightings of all sorts of strange and wonderful creatures of the deep, but none are stranger or more wonderful than my encounter last year.
It happened during our safety stop on a dive on Ireland's Eye. We had been at an excellent presentation on marine life that morning by Nigel Motyer. He really brought the sea to life as he went through the underwater food chain, how plants and animals depend on each other, and how to spot the tell-tale signs of life lurking in nooks and crannies. His photos were stunning. As part of the talk Nigel had encouraged us not to waste our safety stops when we’re in kelp, but to use them to explore the abundant life lurking there.

My buddy and I were finishing off a lovely dive with our faces buried deep in the kelp trying to spot something, and hoping that we could relate it to Nigel’s beautiful photos (easier said than done!!). Of course we were keeping a close eye on each other as well, as buddies should. We were feeling quite satisfied with our dive – we had seen plenty of life, and remembered some of the names! We were tripping over lobsters there were so many, but we were a bit disappointed with the much-anticipated wrecks … all we came across were some clumps of timber!! It was my buddy's first 50 minute plus dive, so happy days!

During the safety stop my buddy and I were exploring under the kelp, keeping our faces close enough to each other to keep an eye out for problems, with my buddy’s legs stretching out towards the south, and mine pointing towards Wales. Safety stops really are a great chance to relax and unwind at the end of the dive. I was in a different world.

Then I began to notice something very strange. I felt a gentle weight all over my lower body – not enough to cause distress, more like a current pressing down. I also felt a beautiful warmth passing through my wetsuit and heating my body, as if I had magically been transported to warm tropical waters (which was very nice after a 50 minute dive in wetsuits!). The forensic search under the kelp stopped. I turned around, not sure if I was in heaven, or in the Caribbean, or maybe heaven is the Caribbean!

And there she was, a most beautiful creature, with a long sleek body, bright smiling eyes, comfort and warmth oozing from her body. She caressed my legs as if I was the answer to all her prayers. After a few seconds, and a lot of eye contact, she released her embrace, and proceeded to dance and tumble and gyrate through the water like an underwater gymnast. She beckoned me to follow her, and for a second I was tempted, but I remembered one of the golden rules … ‘stick close to your buddy’! Then she was gone.

As we climbed the last 3 metres to the surface, I thought of what might have been. And I regretted that I didn't have a camera. And I wondered why the only species that Nigel hadn’t mentioned earlier was the Mermaid!

I won’t tell anyone about this, because, as John O’C would say, it happened if not beyond Lambay then fairly close to it, and what happens beyond Lambay, stays beyond Lambay! Nor will I say who my buddy was on that day - she was horrified that I would think of heading off with the mermaid, even for a split second! She obviously hadn't heard any of the stories from Gozo last year!

What did you say, Cora? You did see a mermaid, didn't you? She definitely was a mermaid, Cora, wasn’t she? A what? Ah no, surely she wasn’t just a seal? A what? Ah no, not a male seal... ah jas's no, never?!

This narcosis is a terrible thing!

Anon

Newsletter Articles

Notes From the Chair
Beyond Lambay
Borneo
Breathless
Cuba 2008
My Trainee Weekend