South

South

Selsey, West Sussex.

Selsey Lifeboat Station.

Under the pier of the Lifeboat station there is a popular and pleasant dive. Entry to the water is down the narrow sloping shingle beach, ( after a heavy tide the shingle can get 'stacked' making it a hard climb from the water ). Start the dive with a surface swim to the first leg of the main structure. Descend here and take your pick! This is a very shallow dive (4m) and rather like Swanage, there is no 'best' way to do it. Simply explore the area under and immediately surrounding the pier and keep your eyes open. There is a lot going on!

Lobsters, crabs, various wrasse and anemones are among the usually abundant marine life. And then there are the TomPots! If you like these curious critters, you'll love this dive. The Selsey Tom-Pots are not shy and will very often follow you around the site.

A few metres to the East are the remains of the old lifeboat pier. These mainly comprise twisted and very pointed steel rods from the old concrete legs. Care should be taken around these, but close inspection can be fruitful.

Vis can vary dramatically. After heavy seas, you might be lucky to see the end of your arm, although this is the extreme! Normally vis is quite respectable and five to six metres is not unusual. Being a shallow dive, the natural light can be quite stunning. The site is also very popular for night diving and is not to be missed.

Air and Nitrox to 300bar is available from the nearby Ocean View Diving Services.

For directions visits www.o-view.co.uk.

This is a great site for beginners and experienced divers alike but must be dived on slack. Less than five minutes walk away is 'The Lifeboat' pub, where a well-earned pint or two and good food is available. Parking is no problem on the road that runs parallel to the shore, with a footpath leading through to the beach, but please leave the bus top clear! The public toilet block is situated along the footpath.
Slack water times for Selsey East Beach will now be posted on the notice board at Ocean View.

Horsea Island. Portsmouth.

Horsea Island is a military site open to the public 7 days a week but it is preferred that you book your dives in advance which gets a reduced entry fee. The area is an old torpedo testing ground and feed with salt water, there is a dive center on site with a small shop and air station, also a burger van, toilets and showers.

The lakes maximum depth is 9m, entry is via a short slip way or by steps onto platforms at the sides. Things to see include a tugboat, Landrover, helicopter plus several other items, a few fish luck in the weeds, mostly blennies and jellyfish ( non stinging ) eel and seahorses have also been seen.

Vis can be up to 10m, but when the site is busy ( Sundays ) down to about 3m. To book ring 01489 480480. Thanks to Brenda for the Details.

Isle of Wight.

The island is completely set up for tourism, yet there appears to be no dive centres and no reference to shore diving. The coast is littered with ship wrecks, but these must be dived by boat from the main land. If you know different mail me, or open a dive centre.

Swanage, Dorset.

Swanage Pier.

Access is down some steps which allow you to enter the water close to the pier, a short swim of about 30m brings you under the pier. Car parking is free if you get there early, if not there is a small charge. Its best to dive at high water as this avoids walking over rocks to reach to water. The depth is 7m and vis can be around 5m. Life under the pier is abundant with spider crabs and lobsters and fish. Air is available in Swanage town centre. Thanks to Barrie for details

Burton Bradstock, Dorset.

Hive Beach.

It helps to have the tide running to the east and this is generally the case from 2 hours before high water Portland until 4 hours after high water. From low water until 2 hours after low water the tide runs strongly to the west. Luckily the best visibility is around high tide and this is the time when the tide is going east. Visibility can be up to 8 or 10 metres at high tide and just 1 or 2 metres at low tide. Visibility is also affected by the weather and it is not advisable to dive if the waves are more than 1 to 2 feet high as the beach is steep shelving and it can be very difficult to get out. In addition check your regulators after a dive the pea sized gravel fits neatly into most makes.
What to see - The marine life at Burton can be good and is occasionally spectacular. Typical animals are Pout, Greater Pipefish, Tompot Blenny, Butterfish, Ballan Wrasse, Corkwing Wrasse, Velvet Swimming Crabs, Edible Crabs, Hermit Crabs, Spider Crabs and Cuttlefish.

Depth - 12 metres. A great dive and very easy for beginners. Thanks Kate.

Thurlaston Sands, Devon.

The 'Empire Harry',

A short distance from beach at around 8m depth, and great for novices.

Thanks to Alan Argyle for tip.

Babbacombe Beach, Devon

A diver friendly dive site with a surprising amount of life. A pretty sheltered site. Thanks to Paul Baker.

Thurlestone, Devon.

The ' Louis Shield '.

A long surface swim to a wreck in about 10 metres. Plenty to see, often seals, occasionally John Dorys. The wreck can be located at low water when its upper parts dry out and then dived when the tide comes back in. SMB's should be used as the vessel is often visited by dive boats .Thanks to Paul Baker.

Brixham, Devon.

Fishcombe cove.

An excellent dive, very varied bottom, lots of life and nooks and crannies. Thanks to Paul Baker.

Looe, Cornwall.

Talland Bay,

The bay has a wealth of marine life and the wreckage of the French trawler Marguarite who's boiler is visible at low water, parking is available at the waters edge with two cafes nearby. For more details link to Looe divers at www.looedivers.com

Helston, Cornwall.

Porthkerris Bay.

A dive center provides facilities for shore diving the bay with Its main dive Drawna Rock max depth 18m, only 20 m offshore. Parking is permitted next to the beach for a small charge and air is available from the dive center, the dive center also offer escorted shore dives

For more details contact Porthkerris Divers

Lamorna Cove, Cornwall

Between Penzance and Lands End turn off the A30 to Newlyn follow signs to Lamorna. A very narrow steep winding road suitable for cars and vans takes you to a car park right above the bay.

The bay can be dived at any state of tide but High Water provides better depth and prevents stumbling over rocks. Usually calm, very safe shore dive. Ideal for beginners. Brilliant Night Diving. Pollack, huge spider crabs, flounders, sand eels, red mullet, plaice, cuttle fish, basking sharks can be seen. Depth 12m.

Air station - Undersea Adventures, Long Rock , Penzance. and best of all fantastic Apple pie and ice cream is available from café on site. Thanks Andrea.

Torquay, Devon.

Meadfoot Beach, Torbay.

A very pretty dive from a slipway or steep steps with gullies and sandy areas, also a snorkel out to Shag Rock is highly recommenced. Max depth 11m. Air from Riviera Diving which is on the beach next to the cafe, Tele 01803214966, the dive center will also give details of diving conditions. Link to Riviera Diving. Thanks to Rob for info.

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