Robert's Ramblings

No underwater images this trip, as my camera gear is all back in Ireland, so the vista of our little boat off Troubridge Point, anchored on the wreck of the Clan Ranald, will frame my post.

Yesterday, the universe brought tide, wind, weather, and opportunity all together at the same time. Despite early rain and ominous clouds, Jennifer and I motored out from Edithburgh and made the 18 km trip around the coast to the site of the wreck of the SS Clan Ranald in perfect sea-going conditions.

Despite our smooth run out, I was dreading this dive.

The day before was my first dive under Edithburgh Jetty since the algal bloom, and what I experienced left me devastated. My once beautiful undersea world, a world of life, colour, sound, and movement, was all but dead. Colour had turned to grey. The crackling sound of benthic life was barely audible. Ascidians, soft corals, sessile scallops, and algae were gone or dead, and not a single living fish remained under the entire jetty.

As I descended on The Clan, the green, murky water was uninviting, and I had to will myself to keep descending. Twenty metres is not deep, but with only 2–3 metres of visibility, it felt like an eternity. Finally, dark shapes loomed around me, and the bottom lurched from nowhere to greet me. I have never been so delighted to see a common sweep swim out of the gloom to greet its unexpected visitor.

The wreck was clearly not healthy, but there was still plenty of life. The large schools of yellowtail whiting were absent. There were no bullseyes hovering under ledges, and most of the colour was gone. Again, the poor visibility and minimal light did not help. What delighted me, however, were three large blue grouper that followed me the entire dive, fleeting glimpses of sizeable queen and red snapper hovering at a safe distance, a foxfish or two, and a few longsnout boarfish.

There were gulf gurnard perch all over the wreck, cowfish, zebrafish, bluethroat wrasse, and leatherjackets. I eventually found bullseyes hiding deep inside the wreck structure. Of particular note was that most fish appeared to be mature adults, with only fleeting glimpses of juveniles.

I surfaced from yesterday’s dive mostly relieved, but still sad to see one of South Australia’s most revered dives in such a poor state. It is always a privilege to dive on the wreck of the SS Clan Ranald, and despite its condition, it remains a very special dive.

I pray it survives this environmental disaster, and I long for its recovery.


#scuba #diving #wrecks #aerial #SouthAustralia #GulfStVincent #TroubridgePoint #ClanRanald #algalbloom #coastline