Marina Dive: Focus on SeaSquirt

This is the third post relating to a dive I did in North Marina a few weeks ago and this time I’m going to show you one of the harbour’s most common marine species, although it’s also the one with the funniest name…

Here’s a photo of a couple of them:

Sea Squirt in North Harbour

Sea Squirt in North Harbour
photo: (c) Jon Martin 2007

Read more »

Marina Dive: Focus on Starfish

Following on from a previous post here’s your chance to go underwater and see what’s it’s like in North Harbour.

The photo below shows one of around 30 starfish that I swam over during my dive:

One of Many Starfish in North Harbour

One of Many Starfish in North Harbour
photo: (c) Jon Martin 2007

Read more »

Dolphin Rescue in the Outer Harbour

Here’s something you don’t see very often - in fact its only the second time in the 7+ years I’ve lived here in Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne.

It’s may end up being quite a sad tale…

Last time it was a porpoise and this time it’s a dolphin, that has somehow got separated from it’s pod, and has ended up swimming aimlessly in the outer harbour boat channel of Sovereign Harbour.

As you can see from the photo, a lot of wellwishers turned out to watch with their fingers crossed that everything would turn out ok…

Crowds gather to watch the stranded Doplhin

The crowds gather on the beach to watch the stranded Doplhin
photo: (c) Jon Martin 2007

The story continues…
Read more »

Marina Dive: Focus on Jellyfish

I went on my first dive of 2007 in the Marina yesterday, and I’d like to share some of my photos with you.

Thought I’d start with something you can see without having to get wet :-)

This time of the year, all areas of Sovereign Harbour are awash with jellyfish like the ones in the picture below:

Some of the Jellyfish in North Harbour

Some of the Jellyfish in North Harbour
photo: (c) Jon Martin 2007

Read on to hear what it’s like to dive with them…
Read more »

Podgy Pet Problem

According to recent figures from Halifax Pet Insurance…

More than One Third of Britain’s cats and dogs are overweight.

Read more »

A Tale of Four Cats and a Growing Problem for the Marina

They might have 9 lives, but spending even part of 1 life as a homeless cat isn’t much fun.

2006 was an emotional time for this particular cat lover and a few of our neighbours, as we rescued not 1 but FOUR cats, that had been left to fend for themselves by their previous owners in and around the Key West area of South Harbour.

Though what we discovered as we tried to do the right thing astounded us:

Apparently the Cats Protection League volunteers are no strangers to Sovereign Harbour, as there have been a growing number of stray cats left to rely on handouts, and at the mercy of any sympathetic residents.
Read more »

Seahorses Released in Sovereign Harbour

If you thought that Eastbourne’s Sovereign Harbour was just a cold, dark, wet place with not much at all going on below the surface then think again.

Did you know that it contains, amongst other things, some seahorses…

Read more »

Is She, or Isn’t She?

Whilst this was the catchphrase from a woman’s deoderant advert from the early 1980s, it has a much greater local relevance, and relates to an ongoing maritime saga that’s happening just off our immediate coastline in Pevensey Bay.

The ‘She’ in question is the HMS Resolution (known to have foundered in Pevensey Bay during the Great Storm of 1703), or could it be a Dutch Warship (lost during the Battle of Beachy Head in 1690)…

The mystery deepens…
Read more »

Nautical but Nice …

Friday 9th Feb was a busy night for members of the Planet Divers scuba diving club as they were treated to not one, but two guest speakers.

Paul Stratford, club member and licensee of the recently discovered wreck in Normans Bay(believed to be the British warship Resolution built in 1665) invited Ian Barefoot from the Nautical Archaeological Society (NAS) to discuss the role that this voluntary organistion has in educating, recording and interpreting British Maritime History. Read more »

Sussex Seasearch Presentation Review

Kate Cole of Sussex Seasearch gave an informative and entertaining presentation to members of the Planet Divers scuba diving club on Friday 9th Feb at the Pevensey Bay Aqua Club.

Seasearch is a national project that encourages divers to help build an accurate picture of the marine life encountered on their dives. Read more »