Guides
Ten UK dives you might just manage
I wrote this article following on from the social media lists of 'must do' dives, I hope you enjoy reading it and look forward to your feedback on your favourite UK dives!
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Latest Photographs
Part of the engine assembly, in this case a con rod on the main shaft, not easy to get a sense of scale but it's B----I----G.
A view over the 'prehistoric shoreline' it's an obvious feature and can be seen on lots of shore sites.
Common edible and tasty lobster (homarus gammarus) the area is home to a multitude of them!
Wreckage from SS Loch Leven which foundered without the loss of life, not an oft dived site but very nice scenery plus rust!
Some of the armoured plates have been removed and the remaining ribs are quite photogenic
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
K - So the next step was to find someone to make a base, I thought about mounting on four wooden legs but that was 'too vanilla' so we went to a local blacksmith
This is a Yarrels Blenny (Chirolophis ascanii) and stayed put for long enough for a photo or two.
This is a top third shot of a Greater Spotted Dogfish, or Bull Huss or catshark or Nursehound (Scyliorhinus stellaris) they are becoming a more common visitor every year.
I think that this is part of the range-finder arrangement which was located on the conning tower, basically the wider apart the two sighting positions , the wider the angle and the more accurate the range calculations!
Knacker Hole contains loads of blue fineds, that is to say Common Lobsters (Homarus gammarus) this one was having a bimble about looking for a meal
This can only be a section of keel as it is thick, wide steel that would have had no place on the upper part of the vessel
Wreckage from SS Mistley, in this case from near the stern. This structure was only eally 'thrown up' after storms a couple of winters ago!
A view of the same boiler showing the steam pipes. I have never seen a huge amount of blue fiends living in the boiler which is odd, but whenever someone shots it with pots they fill up, so I guess that they live deep inside.....
It's been part polished now but this nameplate for the Boatswains Cabin was taken from SS Abessinia on Knifestone at the Farne Islands. There must be hundreds or perhaps thousands of dives per year and you can still, on occasion, pick up something 'nice'.
I know the location of a porthole which is currently covered, when the next storm removes the cover I will be there with my tools and implements!
A nice size brass valve, fresh water inlet, from Mistley. I'm not sure if metric pipework systems were used when she was built but the valve had a 35 cast into it.
The divers favourite a Tompot Blenny (Parablennius gattorugine) it's probably the 'mad hair-cut' that makes them popular, this one was on the steps looking for scraps
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
This section is the only bit commonly found south of the boilers, you might find some bits of bow but its a swim and they may be covered in sand
Part of the wreck is covered in a large net, which hanging over the window looks quite nice.
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