Oberjoch Skiing

Out skiing with Dad in Oberjoch today, a short break before going back to school later in the day. Set out at 8:30 in the morning to arrive there before the rest of the world. Unfortunately, probably to be accounted for the lack of snow in the other ski resorts, there where more people there to begin with than usual. Still had a few rounds down a nearly empty piste before the bulk of the tourists arrived. Off piste, on piste, we did it all.

Had a short break for a drink and where planning one last round, but saw the masses of people that had arrived, so we left it at that and went back home.

Dads blog can be found here.

Kempten Photo Session

Out on a photo session with Nico. After visiting the cinema (“RoboCop”) we where above, in and around Kempten, trying to capture the night lights. 

More pictures here (if you can see them).

New Year Geocaching

Was planning on doing nothing today and ended up playing a bit of PC with Marty. Nico rang up a short while afterwards and asked if I wanted to do a Geocache. I agreed after some persuading as the sun was shinning, so Nico, Marty and me met up at Nicos. Drove towards Betzigau and started a Multicache in the Kemptner Wald. Walked for a few Kilometres and stopped at a wood igloo to look for a normal Cache. Found it after a while of searching and continued along our Multicache.

The clues ended up being on a few modern art structures in the forest. Had to go back near the end, as we had worked out one wrong. By the time we were ready to add up all the clues and find the cache it was already to dark to proceed, so we called it a day (or more like an evening, as the moon was out at that time). After a long walk back to the car in a dark forest, with only a graveyard missing we went back home to get warmed up.

Will continue looking for the Multicache on another day and the one we found is described here.  

Advanced Geocache with Nico

Probably last Geocache for this year, done with Nico in the not so wintry area.

Set of at about 9 o'clock in the morning and picked Nico up on the way to Wiggensbach. Took a while to get there, so we ended up starting the cache around ten. Finding the first clue was a challenge in itself, for which we spent nearly three quarters of an hour until Nico found it. In that time the sun had moved so we where standing in the warm rays. Carried on to the next clue which was only about 300 metres away, and that is where we got completely screwed. Searched high and low, far and near, but could not find the third stage, as the clue we found was near to in-understandable (I can only say “cables”). After using the near non existent mobile phone network to get the e-mail of the owner and writing a question to him, we decided to wait for an hour in the McDonalds in Kempten. Whilst driving there we got our answer (after only 10 minutes) so we turned round and Nico found it in the end. The rest where not as difficult as that one and in the end we found the very intuitive “treasure”. In totally we had used about 10% owner help, 30% internet help (Nicos phone battery nearly ran out in the end) and 60% our own brains.

Took us a bit over 4 hours to complete the geocache, but a lot of fun and a rewarding McDonalds in the end.

Geocache can be found here and some pictures here.

Egypt Day 14: Catching Flying Fish

Woke up after Jon today and had breakfast with him, Johanna having a rest as she was up rather late and I am the only one diving today. After waiting long enough for three other guys to turn up (they didn't in the end) we where five people going out to Gordon Reef in the Zodiac. The wind had not got less throughout the night, so there where even bigger waves today. Some of the yetis nearer to the open water had been closed. Going across the short stretch of open water to the reefs, our boat once again frightened a large amount of flying fish. The water in front of us was suddenly full of them and one of them miscalculated his flight path as we soon had another passenger on the boat. The fish had landed strait in our Zodiac and it took a few minutes and calmer sea to set it free again. We went down in not to deep water and proceeded along the sandy banks of the Gordon Reef. Spotted a large amount of sand eels standing in the distance. We didn't get closer, as they don't like divers and disappear down their holes if we get to close. Spotted a clown fish, and a Lion Fish sleeping in the rocky corals. Also a large amount of blue spotted stingrays digging in the sand. Visibility was not to good and I had my eyes out in the ocean, as I was really hoping for a hammerhead shark but not so much luck considering them for me this holiday. Resurfaced after a rather uneventful dive and went back with the large waves for some lunch and a rest in the afternoon. 

More pictures at Picasa and a detailed map of the outer reefs here, with a general map of the reefs here.

Diving depth: 19,6 metres

Diving time: 53 minutes

Speciality: Flying fish in the boat (dinner is served)

Egypt Day 13: Jackson Reef, Baron Reef & Nightdiving

Woke up as usual and had breakfast, before deciding where we wanted to go diving today. Ali was our dive guide in the morning and the plan for the morning dive was a drift dive from Jackson Inside to Jackson Outside. Getting there in the Zodiac was a challenge in itself, as the sea had been ruffed up from some strong waves coming in from the open water. On our way we spotted the usual flying fish, skimming across the waves away from our boat. The boat was near to airborne a few times, before we reached our diving location and geared up to get in to the water with waves rocking the boat around. The water felt rather warm when we went in and there was a large array of different fish, all taking refuge in the reef from the strong currents and waves out in the ocean. Ali spotted one stone fish and a few metres next to that Johanna found another one buried in the sand (Merkel Fish). Also saw a Clown Fish, which are rather common in this sea. Throughout a lot of the dive we where surrounded by a large amount of fish, probably the most fish I have seen per square metre up to date. Schools of Trumpet, Trigger and the usual small orange fish all around us. Johanna at one point was just floating in an orange fish mass. The currents pulled us along the reefs and the further out we got the less fish there where. Still saw rather a lot, Jon and me seeing some spotted fish having a territorial dispute with a Lion Fish. Somewhere in that period I managed to have my deepest dive yet, down to 30,4 metres. Only 0,2 metres more than last time, but still. Ali spotted a large, camouflaged grouper fish deeper down, it was about the size of a Napoleon fish. We where the swept across the coral by a stronger current still and Jon (my buddy) was swept away from the group towards the open ocean at one point. He got rather worried, as being out in the sea on your own, 20 metres under water is not a situation you want to find yourself in. Ali went out and picked him up, so we proceeded along the reef. We ran out of air rather fast, as we had to swim against the current in the end a bit, and resurfaced out in the ocean (away from the corals, so the boat can get us) after about 50 minutes. I thought it was fun going up and down large waves, sometimes going under them, all with the knowledge that you cant get pressed down for to long and that you always have air. Getting in to the boat was rather stressful, as the captain did not want to get stranded on the reef. Went back, jumping the waves, and after cleaning our stuff and writing our log books, of for some lunch.

After lunch we went to Baron reef, a more sheltered and closer reef than Jackson. Jumped over board and went down. The dive in itself was not as action packed as one in the morning. I was Svens buddy and our dive guide for that afternoon was Salah. The water was rather murky, probably from all the waves hitting the reefs. We saw a Lion Fish, a Trumpet Fish, a rather large Yellow Spotted Puffer Fish and rather a lot of Blue Spotted Stingrays. They like the sandy areas. Also saw a crocodile fish hiding in the sand and a large Trigger Fish. Resurfaced and got back in to the Zodiac. One of the first times I have also felt cold in the boat with 22°C air temperature. Probably be a shock getting back to Germany which currently has about 0°C. Sat down to write our log books, before waiting for the night dive.

Before dinner we then had our night dive with Ali. Went down at the back of the group with Sven and no Jon with us this time. He had enough jellys last week. I only saw tow colourful ones this time, the rest where somewhere else. Saw an inactive Lion Fish, some sleeping Clown Fish and a type of squid (I think it was). Our other diver with us had a few problems with the buoyancy and at one point shot up to the surface after scarring away said squid by nearly falling on top of it. Also saw a well camouflaged scorpion fish between the rocks. On our way back we switched our lights of like last week, this time we where still swimming. Every stroke of or flippers caused the plankton behind us to illuminate in the dark. Even better than last week and that is what I like about the night dives the most. Proceeded back and had some dinner after cleaning our stuff.

More pictures at Picasa and a detailed map of the outer reefs here, with a general map of the reefs here.

Diving depth: 30,4 metres

Diving time: 150 minutes

Speciality: Light show at night, every movement causing the water around us to glow

Egypt Day 12: Hammerhead Hunting

Shark searching was the plan for today. So after breakfast we where of to Jackson Reef (outside), the place in the area to find schools of Hammerhead sharks. Ali (dive guide) warned us that if there where no big fish to look at the reef on that side is rather boring, as there are near to no corals to look at. Spotted the usual flying fish on the way, they seem to be afraid of the Zodiac.

Jumped in when we reached Jackson Reef and had near to no current, apparently rather unusual for that spot. Descended down to about 25 metres and looked around the area if anything was there. The only thing we spotted was the other divers and a shipwreck on the coral sloop. Searched for half and hour but nothing except us was swimming out there. Ali said he saw something at the edge of visibility, but it was to deep to go after. Some people reached the limit of how long they could stay down, so in the end we had to do some decompression stops to get rid of some possible nitrogen in our blood. Was still a fun dive as we where surrounded by just a blue and the other divers.

Went back and had a massage before lunch. After that it was of to Jackson Reef for some more shark hunting. They seem to like that are as well. Whilst we went down, Jon noticed a problem on Johannas bottle. It was loosing air through some point in the valve of the bottle so she unfortunately had to resurface. She got to see some dolphins instead and probably got a bit more sun in the boat.

In the mean time we had the pleasure of meeting two sea turtles, one sticking around for quite some time. It probably enjoyed Svens attention with the camera as it swam with us. The second one tried to hide in a crack. Also saw two Clown Fish families and some sleeping fire fish before resurfacing.

Drove back and cleaned our stuff before sitting down, having some tea and writing our log book. Mine has run out of pages already, so I have had to buy another one.

More pictures at Picasa and a map of the Jackson and Woodhouse Reef here.The morning dive was above the Lara wreck.

Diving depth: 30,2 metres

Diving time: 113 min.

Speciality: Unfortunately no sharks, but two sea turtles and a dive in the ocean