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Dorset: day two.

I found my way to the medical centre over in Parkstone with one minute to spare. Blood pressure, pulse, heart and lungs. The result: fit for diving, with no restrictions. The Doc examines guys that dive to a depth of 200m – and here I am, thinking 2m is too deep!

There was light mist this morning and drizzle the rest of the day. I took a detour via Studland on my return, but didn’t stop. There are National Trust car parks everywhere, which makes things expensive on the ‘recce’ front.

On to the B&B and more study. The dive manual, chapter 4… and an afternoon nap?! I must be tired.

This evening I was invited to a bbq at the PADI centre. I met Eileen, the instructor who will be teaching me tomorrow evening, and chatted with a couple of ladies.

I need an Ordnance Survey Map, National Trust membership, and to work out where I can store my materials on the mainland to make it easier traveling back and forth to the island…

Dorset: day three.

A good day for a recce!

It’s getting expensive, I buy a pair of sun glasses (it’s really bright and I’m permanently squinting) and an Ordnance survey map, then head off to North beach. First stop: visitor centre and filling out forms for National Trust membership. Free parking is a huge incentive and close to the beach! Next, I enquire whether I can store my materials with them for the duration of the project.

I make my way to South beach. A short walk from the car park, along a path through a dark tunnel of woodland and out to a wooden hut, sun, sea, and sand! There are holiday makers, families and a guy sat with his tripod and camera; it looks like he’s waiting for something.

There are half a dozen boats moored – less than I expected – and a white and blue dive flag flapping in the wind. It’s quite close to shore, so I wonder if someone’s out there looking at sea horses?

I get a mug of tea from the hut and ask the lady how long they have been in the water. It is quite a while, so maybe I’ll be in luck.

I am!

A couple of hooded heads appear above water and slowly move toward the shore. The chap with the camera approaches them, so I think: no time like the present! It turns out to be Neil, the Seahorse Trust guy.

Jason (a freelance photographer) and I chat over mugs of tea, while we wait for the guys to dry off and pack away their equipment. His photographs are to accompany an article on the boats moored at Studland and the effect on the seagrass habitat and seahorses. In the larger scheme of things his current project is a series of commissions for the Telegraph Magazine that will appear in the run-up to the Olympic Games in 2012.

“The photographs form part of an ongoing study of the lower Lea Valley in east London and the areas that border Olympic Park. These are areas that are going through rapid change in preparation for the Games and the period after 2012.”

Sounds interesting. I will Google him when I get chance and have a look at his work.

Neil and his buddy John join us. We drink coffee and I see a couple of photos of the small male seahorse they have seen today. He is lovely, but it’s not a lot to show for a long dive; I may well concentrate on other species.

After an hour or so, the two divers leave and Jason ventures up the beach to do a recce prior to his meeting with Steve Trewhella, the chap who discovered the Studland seahorses in 2004. I can’t believe my timing: both Neil and Steve in one day! Jason’s photo shoot is at 3pm, so I aim to return and possibly have a chat with Steve when they are done.

I pop over to Middle beach and have a look around. Another mug of tea, a couple of photos and back to South beach just before 3.

Steve phones. He’s running late due to a vet visit, but would like to meet up after the photo shoot. I’m heading down the far end of the beach, so we arrange to meet there.

Exploring the tide line to the west, I find mostly weed and remains of crabs (one fresh). The end of the beach is rocky, with more spider crab remains; the crows are picking their way along the tide line beyond me. The colours are incredible.

By the time Steve catches up, time is short – but we walk and talk our way back to the car park. He is very helpful and will help out in any way he can.