Divers

Report. R.Lane 21st March 2011

There has been a singular lack of Divers off Porthpean this March month, and yet Danny Cooper saw 20+ GNDivers off Black Head on 13thMarch. Took me several days to work out what's happening. GNDivers particularly, collect in rafts further off-shore than usual (winter), something to do with pairing perhaps? (BTDivers do the same off The Dodman Point).
In most years the rafts of Divers can just be seen '2 Kms' out, where they may number 30+. This year although apparently 'missing', Danny has shown that they WERE off Black Head (not visible from Porthpean).
Today at Porthpean I believe I found out why. Where they used to 'raft' is now occupied by the string of, so-called' "lobster keep pots", which they are apparently not, since a naval type vessel was attending to the 'pots' (as most days recently). It is this (human) activity which has driven the Divers further out from P'pean than usual. In fact I managed to see 3 x G.N.Divers and 4 x B.T.Divers at extreme distance, beyond the 'pots'.
Incidentally if anyone knows what these 'pots' really are, please let us know, on this Blog.Thanks.

Very interesting observation Roger. I hope someone can come up with the answer.