We were deep, very deep, perhaps 35 metres down or more. A brooding grey sky above meant that very little light had made its way to us here. Colour had been left behind, languishing in the surface shallows. To say there was no colour at all wouldn’t be quite true. All around us was a … Read more
As I break the surface at the end of another amazing dive beneath the waters of Bray Head I’m comforted by the sight of the approaching boat with a competent coxswain at the helm. Getting back into the boat is a real team effort. The first diver removes their gear piece by piece, handing each … Read more
I still find myself thinking I’m back in South Australia whenever I come across the European spiny lobster (Palinurus elephas), which looks almost identical to the southern rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii). Here in Ireland, this beautiful creature is mostly ignored by the fishing industry in favour of the much sought-after European lobster (Homarus gammarus). From … Read more
I’ve gazed into the flowing waters of Ireland’s famous Munster Blackwater River and witnessed its many moods over the years. This river, known for some of Ireland’s finest salmon fishing, has claimed lives and bestowed both vitality and identity upon many towns in the south of Ireland. I’ve longed to discover what lies beneath its … Read more
\ Under a brooding sky and a glowing horizon, Adelaide beachgoers soaked in an unseasonably warm, balmy mid-autumn evening. Now, deep into our Irish summer, we may not reach those 30 degree nights, but with up to 17 hours of daylight, the long golden days more than make up for it. Meanwhile, in the chill … Read more
It had been far too long since I last soaked up the briny magic off the coast of Kerry. No matter how many years I’ve been diving, I still feel a flicker of nerves before that first descent, especially this time — testing out a new camera setup that had flooded once before. Once down, … Read more