South West Dive Rally on Valentia Island
I referred to and said many times of the beauty of the underwater world and also said many times that each location surpassed the previous in terms of absolute beauty, peace, tranquility and harmony with the greatest creation of all time. Could one say this was the Eurovision of beauty?
Even as I wrote this article my mind and heart are still in Valentia and I am still dreaming of the dives we did there but common sense must prevail as I have deadline to meet.
Valentia Island, a gorgeous part of county Kerry, experienced an influx of divers descend to the island’s main village, Knightstown to participate in the annual South West Dive Rally over the weekend.
The sun shone brightly in the pastel blue sky, illuminating the natural beauty of the countryside as we travelled to the picturesque Knightstown on Friday.
The little Skelligs was our first destination of choice for Fridays’ dive. Towering out of the Atlantic Ocean, with the ever present gannets cruising the skies and the puffins skimming the glistening waves as we approached, listening to the chorus of chatter from the gannets, guillemots and puffins, deafening at times, as we kitted up.
The presence of seals was a delightful sight, curious and inquisitive in nature, keen to show their interest in us visiting their home and relaxed enough in our company that they were happy to rest and bask in the glorious sunshine on the rock formations.
As we rolled off the boat, the cooling effects of the water was refreshing with water temperatures reading 13 degrees reminding us although the sun was shining brightly, we were still in the Atlantic Ocean. Kelp dominated a lot of the immediate descent, thriving in the nutrient rich waters. Below the kelp, a kaleidoscope of colour opens up to those who wish to delve deeper.
The underwater cliff faces were dramatically covered with a carpet of soft corals and sponges vibrant in colour. The jewel anemones provided a swirl of colour dotted along the cliff faces. Shoals of wrasse and pollock in large numbers populated the terrain. Crayfish and spiny lobsters on guard ready to show authority of required.
Making our way back to the mainland took considerably longer than our journey out as sea conditions changed, pinnacles of rock formations , that stood above sea level were slammed by waves causing white water to flourish over them.
Saturday brought with it the opportunity for a day of diving so Puffin Island was our first port of call. Puffin Island is a designated nature reserve under the conservancy of Birdwatch Ireland. It’s separated for the mainland by a narrow body of water. As a result of being isolated from the mainland it is home to a large number of breeding seabirds.
Another feast of resplendent beauty awaited us here with sea urchins being a frequent site along with starfish and sea cucumbers filling up all available empty spaces. Dogfish lay relaxed on the sandy sea bed watching the activity pass by while shoals of fish escorted us through their beautiful home. All the while nudibranchs sporting brilliant colours and eye catching patterns could be found dotted along the way.
As sea conditions settled, come the evening it was our time to visit Skellig Michael and find out what beauty lay under the surface of the water. Above the waves the Skelligs are stunning but I can gladly confirm that the beauty extends beneath the glistening blue waters.
The steep terraced terrain continues to depth, forming opportunities for a multitude of sea life to take advantage of the natural crevices and make themselves at home in such beauty.
Diving under Skellig Michael was an ample opportunity to slow down, take in and enjoy the views that were on display before our eyes in abundance. So much beauty could be found that there was no real need to move too far out of your dive spot.
Under the shimmering blue waters was a spectacular show of dogfish, docile and relaxed in nature, frequented by several shoals of fish, flat fish scurrying and camouflaging with the sea floor, an abundance of sea urchins flanked by vibrant anemones contrasted by the darker colour of the sea cucumbers.
As the day drew to a close we probably found it harder to cease operations and to call it a day but time is time and we had to head back to base, still admiring the views that nature had put on for us.
A huge thank you to the organisers of the South West Dive Rally for opening up and sharing their incredible diving world with all of us who travelled for the weekend. It was great to catch up with old friends and make many new buddies. Certainly lifelong memories were made over the weekend, and they’ll be treasured for time to come. Until the next time, slán.