Why duo-divers, well why not?
Why this web-site, well I thought a while ago, how things have changed in the last……..too many years, but some things haven’t like the lack of accurate information on interesting dive sites.
Small changes like prescription masks, BCD’s, bigger things like dive computers, look at these shots from Cyprus back in ’82 then Egypt in ’11 and work out how much has changed yourselves and mostly for the better.
I remember the first re-breather I saw, it was a modified bag of bits used by the regional mine rescue team and the user wasn’t keen on trying it in 12 ft of water at Bishop Auckland swimming pool! Now the ubiquitous ‘Yellow Box of Death’ can be seen most weekends, oh and yes I am a user, but I’m not a total convert to closed circuit technology.
Back to the ‘why’, there are a huge amount of good, lets face it bloody good, shallow shore and boat dives around the UK and whilst information about them is not hidden away it is not readily available, sure some books and guides are available but much of the web based data, consists of a paragraph….nothing telling you where to park, what you might see, a particular route and heaven forbid some emergency contact details.
So that was the main ‘why’, well written and reasonably detailed guides which would be posted only after a significant amount of dives and research about a site. Sorry there aren’t 1000 great UK dives here, but what you have here will be accurate, free guides to a limited number of good sites and there will be regular additions!
The rest of the site, the albums, the diary and the links are just little things that you might find interesting.
Oh I’ve just thought of another big change, underwater photography, limited to 36 photographs on film….no flash photography…..leaky home-made housings….trips to the swimming pool trying to find a leak was just another rite of passage!
If you have any comments, drop me a line and thanks for visiting the site!
Rich W
PS, the re-breather was used by Alan Bowser, a blast from the past who members of Bishop Auckland Club should remember!
Latest Photographs


A Crawfish or should that be Spiny Lobster, doesn't matter as it's the same thing (Palinurus elephas) I did half heartedly attempt and extraction but it was 'so-so' size and without implements I wouldn't have been able to extract a lobster and crab, hey-ho!
The bedrock here is rather undulating and carpetted in Dead Mans Finger (Alcyonium digitatum), it's pretty obvious that it is 'very' tidal!
A Long Legged Spider Crab (Macropodia rostrata) there are loads on all or most sites, this one didn't have a huge amount of camouflage, I guess that he had recently shed his exoskeleton
All polished
A high altitude gun, you would have needed some 'minerals' to be operating this even with the aeroplanes and airships of the period!
A shot of the sea-bed in about twenty five meters off the Harcarrs, its all flat rock, small gravel beds and short drop offs.
The grunions were soldered in place although they were a push fit.
Sea-squirts and rock boring sponge, so different from North East species!
The cascabel is turned and there is a 10mm hole machined in the brass blank and it's time to go!
The softer compound rivets are also rotting away on this wreck
A view into the propellor shaft, simply taking a bearing along the shaft and follow over the sand and you will reach the other part of the wreck
I really delayed polishing and you will see that at this stage the trunions were still to be machined from the blank.......
As is my wont a scenic shot of the bows.
A bit of a clincher regarding the dating of a wreck.
I think it was 1858 when sailing ships were compelled to carry a red port lamp and 1837 for steam ships.
If you find any glass from lights then you can date the sinking from after these dates.
The back end of a lobster (Homarus gammarus).
The vis tends to be good as the bottom and walls are stone rather than silty mud like some other UK inland dive shites, ooops sites!
Scenic shot of the deck towards the rear of the wreck with the teak decking partially eaten away by tide, time and small animals!
A Lobster (Hamarus gammarus) I extracted him to show my buddy how to do the deed!
A spider crab, I think to be specific a Toad Crab (Hyas coarctatus) as usual difficult to spot unless they move but when they realise that you have seen them then they will display!
This is the main reason people dive the harcars, seals and lots of 'em! I'd ignored this pup for ten minutes so it was really up for interaction