When you talk about scuba diving it generally brings to mind the image of some exotic tropical dive location in the warm waters of Australia or the isles of the Caribbean, but the United Kingdom has a number of exciting dive spots just waiting to be explored by divers like yourself if you can make a good time in colder water diving. The sights are wonderful…
One of the greatest spots to do some diving is in the U.K. and located in Scotland, in the Sound of Mull. The Sound of Mull is located between the Isle of Mull and the Morven Peninsula. It is an extremely popular destination for all divers in general because it offers an unparalleled range of diving in very reasonable conditions.
The area is cursed with bad weather, which has resulted in countless shipwrecks over the years so there are many different sites to swim. Most dives in the area are launched from Tobermory, Lochaline, or Oban. The Hispania is, by far, one of the most popular wrecks in the area, due to the fact that it is still relatively intact and greatly populated with marine life. It is shallow enough to get a good long dive in, and visibility is generally very good unless the water is rough on a windy day.
Another phenomenal dive spot is located on the south coast of England, in the waters of Sussex. The Alaunia, a steamship sunk by a German mine in 1916, is one of the more popular diving destinations on the Southern coast. The wreck has broken apart over the years but there are still significant parts of the ship left intact that are interesting enough to draw a crowd. Be on the lookout for a series of portholes to help navigate the site. If you can manage to find the bridge area, you can still see that the anchor still hanging from its chain in the original spot it has been since the wreck. There is a lot of ground to cover in this dive so it would take a few separate trips to explore the entire ship. Shoals of bib, spider crabs, and massive lobsters are sure to keep you entertained. See if you can spot a dead man’s fingers while you are down there.
Another extremely popular dive is located near Plymouth, where the wreck of the steamship Maine found its final resting place. It can be found approximately a mile off Bolt Head. This wreck was highly noticeable for a number of years, as the masts of the ship broke the surface of the water and you were able to see right where the ship lay. The wreck has since been cleared of its mast, with most of the debris swept to its port side mostly for safety reasons. It rests in water that is approximately 30 meters deep. The ship had been torpedoed in March of 1917 and, after a great effort of rescue took place, the ship came to rest in waters within easy reach from Salcombe. While this would be an amazing exploration for any diver, it is not recommended for novice divers due to the strong currents. There is a good amount of sea life, and this destination is sure please anyone who visits.
Next time we can explore some warm water destinations where the wrecks are not as plentiful as the wreaths.