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Low Newton and Embleton Reef
An area which isn't dived as much now as it was back in the 80's but still a nice area to dive with a little 'rust' for those among us who must dive on wreckage. The main problem with the sites are long walks and it's a long way to take a RIB if you are diving the Farne Islands and have launched at either Beadnell or Seahouses.
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Latest Photographs
Typical geology, the surfaces are covered in Dead mans fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), the bottom being small vertical faces, rocks and large boulders....all very scenic and pretty in good vis!
The back end of a lobster (Homarus gammarus).
Typical geology, the surfaces are covered in Dead mans fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), the bottom being small vertical faces, rocks and large boulders....all very scenic and pretty in good vis!
A typical north east wreck dive, plates, boilers n bits. In this case probably Jan Van Ryswyck although a few vessels have foundered so the bits are somehwhat mixed!
A lebgth of conveyor belt, maybe used originally for lifting crushed stone from the quarry?
A Long Legged Spider Crab (Macropodia rostrata) there are loads on all or most sites, this is the most common 'camouflage'.
A very large, well the largest that I have ever seen Common Octopus (Octopus vulgaris), side on you can see how she has 'dimpled up' to look like the short weed on the rock. She was unwilling to move and I didn't want to 'provoke' her but her arms were massive and curled under her and down the other side of the stone. A very impressive site and it made the week!
Fore-deck equipment, in this case a single anchor chain winding unit, usually powered the holes at the top allow it to be used 'mandraulically' if required.
Bimble around most sites up here in Gods country and you will soon feel like the Pied Piper with shoals of immature Coalfish (Pollachius virens) following you about hoping to grab any tasty morsel that you may dislodge or cause to break cover. the knack is working back on yourself to get a photograph!
Fan worms, (Bispira volutacornis) loads on this site and many others but getting close enough for a reasonable shot without having them snap shut can be a bit of a chore
Drop over to the 'hull side' of the vessel and it's still pretty messed around.
Sea Hare (aplysia punctata)
There are plenty of King Scallops (Pecten maximus) there are loads about here having been dumped as undersize by divers.
The rudders, these stand about 6m proud of the bottom of the vessel and are intact despite the explosive forces used to remove the phosphor bronze propellors which were located very, very close.
Some of the boulders have quite a cap of filter feeders and look pretty!
After the 'engine bits' there is an area where it's like a giant meccano kit, protruding maybe 4ft out of the sand.
the thought is that it was something used in the rigging or sails of a vessel, there is a small area of wear which would tend to imply that it was rubbing but nothing concrete.
As the masts, spars and rigging of any wrecked vessel were the most valuable piece of salvage I am perhaps unsurprised that I haven't found other rings.
A Long Legged Spider Crab (Macropodia rostrata) there are loads on all or most sites, this is the most common 'camouflage'.
Common edible and tasty lobster (homarus gammarus) the area is home to a multitude of them!
All placed together and nearly done!
A view of the sections of masts if you are heading away from the Hopper, they are in a section of sand filled gully at the base of the rock face
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!
And again from the 'inside' or maybe underneath. Now make sure you have a buddy if going under any tin-work to drag you out should there be a snagging event.
Another footballer work of some description.......
A typical view of the sten section, all plates and beams
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