Just been reading AndyW's recent diary entry

Sounds pretty cool Andy. I used to do that on a smaller scale when I worked at bristol Zoo. In order to both clean the inside of the glass on the aquariums and feed the moray eels I had to dive in the tanks. The biggest tank had a few leaopard sharks in, but the biggest was only a few feet long. In that that it was the puffer fish you had to watch out for... He had a taste for toes and it bloody hurt when he bit them!

The others tanks I used to have to get in were freshwater tanks, one with European fish in, another with'primitive' fish such as sturgeon and paddle fish, one with Amazon fish such as huge Pacu, a friendly Doradid and a couple of freshwater stingray (they were pretty dodgy). The worst tank was one full of Piranha. They had a go at me a couple of times as well. I always used to wear two wetsuits in that tank and feed them well before i got in, but even so they often took a chunk out of my suit. Some of them were about a foot long and ugly with it too!!

Sounds like you had a good tme... now get out there and find some dolphins. Did you see Pauls letter and photo in Boards Magazine this month??

Al.

Yeah it was a cool day out, raised some money for charity too.

It was pretty safe in there as everything was used to being hand fed but amazing to see close up from the inside of the tank.

Unfortunately the underwater photos haven't come out, too little light. But the video footage should be available soon so I'll try to make it available one way or another.

And yes I saw Paul's mention hence the reference to a trip to Marazion. Actually I'm going down there for two weeks in July but it may be too busy at that time of year to see any Dolphins. I have seen the Dolphins at New Quay though, from the jetty, that was pretty cool.

A long way togo but I moonbeach is great for dophins saw them everyday for at least a few minutes. Went out on the rescue boat one day and got in water with facemask and could see them swimming around and below me. Had a dophin either side of me on one day as I was planning back to the beach they came in so far then I was back in the shallow water and tried a gybe and wiped out. The better sailors would have the dolphins following them for ages. It was a bit scary when they first appeared under the board they look really big up close(and the first thought is SHARK! ) Even such a shot time sailing with the dolphins I will remmber for ever.

befs

There was a dead seal on the beach here yesterday.... Does that count??!!

We do get quite a few dolphins around here as well. I've been out surfing with them a few times, but they don't ever come really close...usually only within about 15 foot or so. Seals we get a bit at Borth too, but not loads of them. And I've never seen a shark here!!

Trouble is the water isn't exactly crystal clear, so its pretty difficult to actually see any of these marine creatures which is a shame. It must be nice to see fish and mammals constanly swimming around underneath you while you're surfing / windsurfing.... Maybe I need a holiday to somewhere with clear waters and constant winds.

Al.