A CARDIGAN scuba diving instructor has won national recognition for her photography after coming up close and personal with a grey seal.
The stunning image of the seal was highly commended in the British Sub-Aqua Club’s nationwide Great British Diving photo competition.
The photo was taken by Fran Hockley, 29, who is an open water instructor with BSAC’s Cardigan Sub-Aqua Club and also dives with Cardiff University Sub-Aqua Club.
Fran said: “It was a really lucky shot, I was diving with Cardiff University Sub-Aqua Club at Skomer Island which is a national marine reserve off the coast of Pembrokeshire.
“There were lots of mums with their pups playing around and I took a few shots, but it wasn’t until I got home and had a look at the photos that I realized how well this one had come out, with the seal’s head half above and below the water.”
Fran, who has a PhD in freshwater biology and works as a freelance dive instructor for the Ministry of Defence, won third prize in the topside category of the BSAC Great British Diving photo competition.
The photo competition was run online via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #GreatBritishDiving, between 15 July and 7 October.
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