Diving in and near Bournemouth

Blue Duo

The skipper, John Stevenson has an extensive knowledge of the local areas fishing and diving. He also has 25 years experience as a Commercial Diver in the North Sea and holds HSE Grade 2 and Diver Medics qualifications. ... more

If your idea of the perfect holiday activity is being submerged in the deep blue ocean, swimming with colourful fish and marine life, and exploring fascinating shipwrecks, then England's definitely the destination for you.

Piers, reefs, wrecks and even disused quarries provide some really incredible scuba diving spots in England, and they are often located at scenic tourist destinations, which means you can combine your dive trip with some great sightseeing.

Many diving hotspots lie off the coast of England, and there are countless charter companies available who will take you to the best sites. Diving shops and centres throughout England rent out equipment and also offer diving classes if you do not yet have certification or if you'd like to improve your diving skills. If you're not a trained diver, there are also opportunities for snorkeling in England, particularly in Cornwall. The wonderful marine life means any dive trip off England's coast will be very rewarding.

Cornwall on the Southwest Coast is without a doubt the best place in England for underwater enthusiasts. Dive spots are quite concentrated and scuba diving in Penzance and its neighbouring coastal towns, St Keverne and Coverack, will prove most fruitful. Cornwall is one of the most scenic areas of England, with deep wooded valleys, charming fishing villages and awesome views of the endless blue sea, and a dive holiday in Cornwall will be a fantastic experience, both in and out of the water.

One of the best shore dives in the country is at Drawna Rocks at Porthkerris Reef in St. Keverne. Underwater photographers scuba diving in Penzance will find this spot particularly suited to their needs, as colourful marine life abounds and visibility goes up to 15 meters. Two angular rocks emerge up from the seabed to above the water level, making a wonderful dive site. The abundant sea life includes mullet, crabs sea urchins, starfish, jewel anenomes of all colours, and even unusual fish such as John Dory.

A brilliant dive for novices in Cornwall is the Rock Island Bridge, also near St. Keverne, in the Helford Estuary. The site is a wrecked steamship which lies buried in a sheltered cove. The dive is actually more spectacular for its wonderful sea life than the wreck itself, as plenty of pollack, wrasse, rock cooks and mullet throng around the remains of the ill-fated vessel.

Experienced adventurers scuba diving in Penzance will love the challenge and excitement of diving the wreck of the 6074 ton steamship, City of Westminster, that lies in wait jyst off the coast. The wreck is situated at Runnel Stone, a large rock which used to protrude above sea level until, in 1923, the City of Westminster, travelling in thick fog, hit it so hard that the top section shattered. The gaping hole left in the ship caused it to sink quickly, but fortunately local lifeboat crews ensured none of its passengers were lost. Divers can swim around the largely intact vessel, and good visibility means you can really explore the ship and its resident marine life, including large wrasse, cod and bass.

As if that top-class dive site isn't enough to tempt you to go diving in Cornwall, there is also the amazing 'Vase' spot, near Coverack. The vivid colours of this attractive reef dive are a feast for the eye: it's made up of a rock in three tiers covered with kelp, sea fans and sponges and stunning jewel anemones of every possible shade. There are also sandy gullies and coves within the rocks that provide shelter from the current and are home to numerous sea urchins, starfish, crabs, pollack and wrasse.

England's rich maritime history and its often rocky and dangerous coastline means that that the seabed is scattered with shipwrecks - there are approximately 11000 wrecks around the UK coast. These wrecks are fascinating locations for diving. Sometimes the remains are buried or sea-weathered, and only a few pieces of wood and metal suggest that a ship met its end there, while others are incredibly intact and are amazing underwater spectacles.

Scuba diving in Eastbourne, visitors will come across some of the most prolific wreck-diving waters along England's coast. There are several charter companies that operate from here, and the skippers will be able to fill you in the history of the wrecks you will be exploring. The biggest wreck on the East Sussex coast is the Alauania, which was a steamship that sank in 1916 after hitting a German mine. The wreck is an impressive sight, with large sections intact, and there is even a row of portholes which can be followed, that still contain glass.

Exploring the hundreds of wrecks off England's coast is a lesson in maritime history: the vessels that ended up here include steam ships, luxury yachts, ocean liners, and even German mine laying subs and U-boats. If you're a serious scuba diver, don't miss these amazing, world-class sites.