All of the diving I have done so far here in Ireland has been on the exposed Kerry coastline and the one common theme of every dive has been kelp!

The kelp line begins around 6m below the surface where it is just out of range of all but the most severe seas and extends down to around 12m where the failing light is no longer sufficient for the photosynthesis the algae needs to survive.

This species called Cuvie (Laminaria hyperborea) has become a landmark of depth for me, greeting me on my way back up to the surface and keeping me company on my safety stops.