Diving trip in SOF Cassis (pics)

[AndieMac]

Bart: great report, thanks for taking the time to prepare and post it.
Just curious, how do you keep your trailer in such fantastic shape?
Do you rinse and clean it after every usage?

Imho neither, J.
"Live and let live" in not only the more appropriate approach, in an environment where we're just guests, but also the safer.
The animal in the pic is unfriendly because it's scared by the diver, which is pretty big, full of weird bits, makes a lot of bubbles and possibly flashes. A sort of monster, from its viewpoint...
In fact, that's not an unusual reaction - see below.
But not dangerous either, as long as you're not messing with it.
Here the camera was at 2 to 3 ft, I'd guess in Bart pic the distance was similar.
You have to be very close to the subjects underwater, to get a decent lighting from the flash.

Your eel doesn't look as nasty as Barts......it actually looks drunk and laying on the sea bed..

 

[BartW]

Your eel doesn't look as nasty as Barts......it actually looks drunk and laying on the sea bed..

yes andie, you're right, my eel looks more agressive, and really in top shape

 

[Kilter]

Bart, thanks for posting those! Just the thing for cheering up the winter gloom!

 

[MapisM]

Your eel doesn't look as nasty as Barts......it actually looks drunk and laying on the sea bed..

Trust me, it was very lively... And you don't want to mess with it even if drunk, anyway!
For further details, just have a look at this page and scroll down a few pages, up to "Leopard Moray Eel"...

 

[AndieMac]

Trust me, it was very lively... And you don't want to mess with it even if drunk, anyway!
For further details, just have a look at this page and scroll down a few pages, up to "Leopard Moray Eel"...

I think it must be the teeth Mario...the eel in your link is certainly a ferocious looking beast.

 

[GrowingLad]

I thought the first photos were good, the underwater ones are fantastic....

Thanks for posting!

 

[longjohnsilver]

OK, I'm a novice diver, like 10-12 dives. That conger looks very unfriendly. What's the score? Is it actually very friendly and it's only kidding when it snarls and shows its teeth in a "I'm gonna bite your arm off" way? If I see one like that should I stroke it and make friends? Or should I craap myself? (I find even the photo scary!) How close was the camera?

Jfm, that's a moray eel, not a conger. Seen hundreds of big congers over the years , they almost always live in holes, very rarely seen swimming. I remember one notable exception in very poor vis, maybe a metre or so, I was finning along and came face to face with a big eel. I don't know who was more surprised but he certainly moved away faster than me! Have never heard of a diver being attacked by one.
But moray eels are a whole different ball game..............;-))

 

[jfm]

Jfm, that's a moray eel, not a conger. Seen hundreds of big congers over the years , they almost always live in holes, very rarely seen swimming. I remember one notable exception in very poor vis, maybe a metre or so, I was finning along and came face to face with a big eel. I don't know who was more surprised but he certainly moved away faster than me! Have never heard of a diver being attacked by one.
But moray eels are a whole different ball game..............;-))

Thanks LJS. Hmm, I think I'm just going to keep clear of all large eels, till I can tell my Congers from my Morays

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Jfm, that's a moray eel, not a conger. Seen hundreds of big congers over the years , they almost always live in holes, very rarely seen swimming. I remember one notable exception in very poor vis, maybe a metre or so, I was finning along and came face to face with a big eel. I don't know who was more surprised but he certainly moved away faster than me! Have never heard of a diver being attacked by one.
But moray eels are a whole different ball game..............;-))

You tease, you! How do you tell them apart and what exactly will the moray do to you? Are they edible and do they bbq well?

 

[longjohnsilver]

You tease, you! How do you tell them apart and what exactly will the moray do to you? Are they edible and do they bbq well?

Mike, morays are nasty buggers, they'll happily have most people for a snack, but in your case it would be like a full 3 course dinner............;-))

You can eat conger but it's quite boney, not my favourite fish. No idea about morays.

 

[BartW]

Mike, morays are nasty buggers, they'll happily have most people for a snack, .

LJS, can't agree with that, I think it is myth,
moray eels eat small fish, and are very scared.
they are night animals, in day time they are quite.
In my diving career (800 dives) I have seen many Moray eels,
you can find them in most seas, med, red sea, caribbian, Pacific, ....
I have never seen one attacking a diver,
even if you touch or torture them (not me)
they swim away or hide deeper in the hole.
It is very rare that you see a free swimming moray in day time,
it happens, but ususally it is a scared one swimming away from the divers.

I believe you can eat them, but not very tasty. Not really sure, heard something about a certain poison insite a Moray (?)

Perhaps one could advice a basic Padi course as a start

 

[longjohnsilver]

LJS, can't agree with that, I think it is myth,
moray eels eat small fish, and are very scared.
they are night animals, in day time they are quite.
In my diving career (800 dives) I have seen many Moray eels,
you can find them in most seas, med, red sea, caribbian, Pacific, ....
I have never seen one attacking a diver,
even if you touch or torture them (not me)
they swim away or hide deeper in the hole.
It is very rare that you see a free swimming moray in day time,
it happens, but ususally it is a scared one swimming away from the divers.

I believe you can eat them, but not very tasty. Not really sure, heard something about a certain poison insite a Moray (?)

Perhaps one could advice a basic Padi course as a start

Bart, don't go telling Mike and jfm that they're lovely cuddly creatures, next you'll find the seas full of moray hugging divers. Do you really want that? ;-))

And as for PADI, please. The only proper diver is a BSAC trained one...............;-))

Hopefully see you somewhere next September. Great looking boat by the way, and excellent pics.

 

[BartW]

Bart, don't go telling Mike and jfm that they're lovely cuddly creatures, next you'll find the seas full of moray hugging divers. Do you really want that? ;-))

OK, I'll tell some stories about sharks, there are a lot of them down there, that will keep them away

And as for PADI, please. The only proper diver is a BSAC trained one.

apparently you BSAC divers have the same feeling about pady divers like us CMAS divers

Hopefully see you somewhere next September.

look forward to the trip, and meet some of you over there,
perhaps I can skip the diving part

 

[AndieMac]

look forward to the trip, and meet some of you over there,
perhaps I can skip the diving part

Come on Bart...I know what you are up to.....skip the diving part, and get on with the drinking part.

 

[MapisM]

The only proper diver is a BSAC trained one

As long as you don't consider TDI, surely?...

 

[maverickofpoole]

Fantastic post Bart and thanks for sharing. As said earlier in the thread just whats needed for the winter blues

I love seeing pictures of your boat, perhaps that's because she looks so like mine

Martin

 

[BartW]

I love seeing pictures of your boat, perhaps that's because she looks so like mine

Martin

we could start a Karnic owners club, we are 3 on here that I know,
and one fan
so at least we can play cards

best wishes to all of you

http://www.amptec.be/xmas/

 

[V1701]

LJS, can't agree with that, I think it is myth,
moray eels eat small fish, and are very scared.
they are night animals, in day time they are quite.
In my diving career (800 dives) I have seen many Moray eels,
you can find them in most seas, med, red sea, caribbian, Pacific, ....
I have never seen one attacking a diver,
even if you touch or torture them (not me)
they swim away or hide deeper in the hole.
It is very rare that you see a free swimming moray in day time,
it happens, but ususally it is a scared one swimming away from the divers.

I believe you can eat them, but not very tasty. Not really sure, heard something about a certain poison insite a Moray (?)

Perhaps one could advice a basic Padi course as a start

Morays will bite if they feel threatened, I was bitten by one on a wreck dive...