We had been watching the forecast all week and Saturday looked like the one — light winds, minimal swell, and a decent slack window at Portland Bill. Six of us made the drive down from Kent on Friday night and camped at the site.
The entry was straightforward down the rocky slope on the east side. Once in the water, the visibility was immediately impressive — easily 8 to 10 metres, which is brilliant for February. The water was a fresh 9 degrees but the drysuits kept us comfortable.
Within minutes of descending we spotted the first lobster, antennae poking out from a crack in the rock. Over the next 45 minutes we found at least a dozen more, along with spider crabs, wrasse, and a beautiful nudibranch that Sarah spent far too long photographing.
The highlight was undoubtedly the grey seal that appeared from nowhere about 20 minutes into the dive. It circled us for a good five minutes, clearly curious, before shooting off into the blue. Moments like that are why we dive.
Back on the surface, we packed up and headed to the cafe for a well-earned bacon roll. Already planning the next trip.