Marian’s Blog 23rd June, 2006.
It was a tough choice … my 300th dive at the NDAC quarry in Chepstow, or on the SMS Karlsruhe, a 5,400 ton light
cruiser scuttled in Scapa Flow in 1919… hmmm. The wreck has been well salvaged, but there are still guns with
barrels wider than I could reach with my arms. We saw two congers hiding in pipe work. They weren’t small either.
After I’d dragged my buddy (the lovely Mark) back through a swim through to see it, the torch light and its owner
were looking like an easy target for lunch so I rushed Mark back out to open water and safety. I knew I was bigger
than it, but with a face ~6” across (the conger’s face!), I wasn’t going to test it in an arm wrestling match. The
girth of the eel didn’t compare to that of Elvis, a moray I met on my 100th dive 18 months ago, with girth bigger
than the Karlsruhe guns, last known resident of the disused oil platform off Mabul (near Sipadan, Borneo). This dive
in Scapa is high up in my list of faves. Anyone who likes cold water and interesting dives, get on up to Scapa and
see what this place has on offer. I’ve had a fantastic holiday, its just a shame that good things have to come to an
end…
