Diving the most westerly point in Europe,
The Blasket Islands

19th to 21st July 2003

These digital images were taken on a trip that was planned by Alan with BBC Natural History Unit producer John Ruthven and photographer Ed Whiting to capture both stills and video footage of the British little cuttlefish Sepiola sepiola during a series of late night dives that seemed to produce best results during the small hours between midnight and two am the morning. Some of Alan's results of these nocturnal, 2.5cm, patience-testing cuttlefish are shown in images 19 to 24 below.
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The location was Scraggane pier in the Maharees, where all facilities such as full-board accommodation and unconventional dive timing were all conveniently catered for by Waterworld dive centre and the Fitzgibbon family, who, Alan has known and worked with for many years.

Being able to sleep both prior to and after night dives allowed some time and energy for daytime diving. Young Ronnie Fitzgibbon, a skilled underwater photographer, diver and boat handler, boldly suggested some exciting, all-day 50 mile rib trips to Ireland's most westerly dive locations. Each of these ended with a traditional visit to Murphy's pub at Brandon harbour, to break the homeward journey back to The Maharees.

The results numbered 1 to 18 below were taken at "An tearaght" island and cathedral rocks on Inishnabro
Island using the Nikon D100 and a full range of Nikon AFD lenses.