Preliminary note on a survey of Stoke Point rocks with self-contained diving apparatus

Abstract

It has long been recognized that a proper knowledge of the fauna of submerged rocks can be obtained satisfactorily only by direct study with diving apparatus (Gislen, 1930; Kitching et al., 1934). Although the latest methods of indirect underwater observation, photography and television, may be useful on a smooth sea floor, they can give little information about a rocky area owing to their inability, as yet, to look underneath a boulder or an overhanging ledge. The superiority of the ‘submarine biologist’ over the indirect methods lies in the fact that he can readily collect samples for positive identification, or mark individual organisms for further study; though at present, unless very expert, he is limited to depths of under 20 fathoms. The successful use of free-diving apparatus for biological work is well established. Five years ago Prof. Drach with Cousteau's now famous ‘aqualung’ investigated the sublittoral fauna of various rocky shores, reaching a depth of 30 m. (Drach, 1948). Much additional work has been done in the Mediterranean and other warm seas, while farther north Bainbridge (1952) used a Siebe-Gorman apparatus to study the behaviour of plankton in the Clyde.