Gwynedd Sub Aqua Club Blog: Conwy River Project Update April 2012

Ceirian the Water Nymph

Today saw another practice dive at Cobden’s Pool, Capel Curig, with Liz, Dave (Platt), Kathryn and Helen taking the plunge; and myself and Nigel acting as surface support. Ceirian, Liz’ daughter, arranged herself gracefully on various rocks, grassy banks and in trees, and did a good imitation of a beautiful water nymph.

After the heavy rain of the past week or so, we were concerned the river would be in spate, but the previous 24hours without rain saw the level falling, so that again, the maximum depth was 3ms in the defile under the bridge. However, the current was 1.5-2knots, and moving deeper than previously, making the swim upstream to the white water fairly strenuous.

This was followed by a drift downstream to the safety rope across the pool so all could practice grabbing it in the event of a current taking a diver out of control.

Grap rope

A calmer exploration of the pool below yielded some interesting garbage – mostly iron drain pipes - which we salvaged and photographed for the record. This will be added to my scrappy pile to be cashed in one day.

We saw brown trout, minnows, freshwater sponges, mayfly larvae, milfoil, and grasses. As the water warms up and the juvenile fish start to appear, we will see more activity in the rivers, including eels, salmon, sticklebacks, smelt, stone loach, bullheads and various insects/ larvae/animalcules and freshwater flora.

There are otters in the Conwy, pearl mussels, freshwater shrimps, dippers, shrews and voles.

Conwy Falls and Fish Tunnel

We have now explored the upper reaches of the Conwy as far downstream as Beaver Pool, where access allowed. We have met some interesting people and seen some beautiful sites, including the lake, gorges, waterfalls (Conwy Falls is spectacular and worth exploring), Victorian fish ladders, the fish tunnel by the Falls, deep pools and shallow meanders. Everyone has been very encouraging and eager to support the project. We have permission to dive the Conwy Falls area from the right bank, thanks to Ollie and Rebecca of Conwy Falls Hotel (who have an amazing selection of homemade cakes in their café!), and are waiting on permissions from Dwr Cymru, National Trust and Forestry Commission, as well as other landowners and those with riparian rights. Hopefully, the next dive will be in the Conwy River itself, and, along with the lake, Beaver Pool looks to be a prime introductory site. This pool is just outside Betws, downstream of Fairy Glen and the bridge by the Fairy Glen Hotel on the road to Dolwyddelan. I measured the depth of the water in the pool, and it comes in at a good 8ms. The site measures approx 50ms x 75ms with a variety of habitats.

Meeting at Four Crosses earlier in the week, Nigel Milner, our fisheries guru, gave us some useful tips on methods of surveying the river. As Liz and Kathryn between them have a good amount of experience and knowledge we should be able to provide some interesting material for all those supporting the project, including RSPB, CCW, Clwyd and Conwy Rivers Trust, Conwy Valley Fisheries, Conwy Falls Hotel.

We have a database of 36 potential dive sites along the Conwy. Kathryn has devised a Riversearch Observers record, on which to collect data about the sites, and we are looking at the possibilities of a grant for equipment that would be useful to the project and the club as a whole.

We have also applied for permission to dive various of the lakes in Snowdonia – the Gwynant, the Dinas, the Idwal, the Cwellyn and the Crafnant. All dives would be to note and photograph the underwater environment and ecology. These sites would be a useful addition to our options in the event of being blown out of the sea.