UK Diving Blogs
A Simple Yet Secret Cave At Fraggle Rock
(The underwater photos in this article are screen grabs from video frames)
I was told by a diver recently that he hated long poetic descriptions of underwater scenes and just wanted the facts. Something like, ‘jumped in the water and saw a fish, went in a cave, saw some more fish – went home’. I guess that would make for a shorter article but it would be a shame to confine such a nice dive into such brutally compact wording.
I was out with Mark Milburn from Atlantic Scuba near Falmouth, doing a recce for some new GoPro video courses I am running. Mark was very enthusiastic about a site he called Fraggle Cave and so that’s where we headed. The short trip started well with five or six common dolphin scooting across our wake and 10 minutes later we were at the site near Fraggle Rock.
A shallow dive this one, and we rolled back off the inflatable into 5 metres of water and a sea bed covered with long fronds of gently waving kelp some of which were decorated on top with Snakelocks Anemones.
Mark led the way over and through the maze of kelp until we came to what looked like a dead end of rock. Then he disappeared into it. Of course I followed and found myself looking into the darkness of a small but perfectly formed cave. As my eyes got used to the dark I could make out a hint of light about twenty metres ahead where the cave had an exit. To be correct this was a tunnel and not a cave but who cares, it was still quite a find.
At first I thought the inside to be totally scoured by the huge swells that storm this coast every winter, but as we looked closer into the nooks and crannies of the walls so life started to appear.
The first to catch my eye was a Tompot Blenny sharing a crack in the rock with a Velvet Swimming Crab. Tompot Blennies can be very territorial especially during spawning from March to May when a single male may guard the eggs of several females. Living for up to five years these Blennies are generally left alone by divers but are taken from rockpools for display in aquariums.
The Velvet Swimming crab though is taken in great numbers. It is estimated that 500 tonnes are taken in the UK every year for the European food market. It has the name ‘velvet’ because of the soft texture to its back and it’s called ‘swimming’ because it has flattened rear legs which can be used for swimming. They do in fact swim quite well especially when escaping from predators such as cuttlefish.
Further along a large Prawn seemed to be guarding a baby Edible Crab. Both these species are fished in great numbers for the food markets. It always makes me cringe when I think of them being dropped alive into boiling water. Some say they feel no pain but that’s one I have to argue and in fact do so in another of my articles ‘Do Fish Feel Pain’. If you want to research this yourself I can suggest you start by reading a book with this very title written by Professor Victoria Braithwaite http://fishcount.org.uk/fish-welfare-in-commercial-fishing/fish-sentience/do-fish-feel-pain
Finishing the dive, as we emerged from the cave, there was a Lobster. Hiding under a small ledge it looked at me briefly, decided I was no threat and scrambled away to a better hiding place. It’s interesting that Lobsters as well as other marine species have the same major internal body structures as humans including a brain, heart, nervous system, stomach and intestines and depending on which web site you look at, can live up to 80 years in the wild.
I heard that the next day a diver took the lobster up for supper. It’s a shame that no will ever see it again when they come out of the cave, but perhaps another one will replace it over time.
Thanks Mark for a great dive. http://www.atlanticscuba.co.uk/
Have you ever dived Fraggle Cave? Let us know in the comments below!
With over 20 shipwrecks within a half hour steam, glorious sheltered sea loch sites, islands with rocky reefs and sheer wall faces, and a thriving marine life….it’s no wonder why we decided to base ourselves on the Firth of Clyde.
Email: dive@wreckspeditions.com / Web: www.wreckspeditions.com
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The Diving
From our base in the Holy Loch, Dunoon we are able to offer diving all year round due the sheltered waters that surround us, and we are also able to provide pickups from various locations throughout the Clyde. We offer air fills for divers who visit us in Dunoon, along with FREE cylinder and weight hire.
Email: dive@wreckspeditions.com / Web: www.wreckspeditions.com
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Expeditions
We also run amazing expedition trips to some incredible remote locations around Scotland’s South West corner including the Isle of Arran and the Mull of Kintyre.
Email: dive@wreckspeditions.com / Web: www.wreckspeditions.com
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Our Environmental Policy
At Wreckspeditions we are extremely conscious of our impact on the environment and we want to make sure we do as much as possible to secure the planet for future generations.
It’s our way of holding ourselves accountable and committing to the cause.
Email: dive@wreckspeditions.com / Web: www.wreckspeditions.com
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Our Boat
The Starfish Enterprise boldly goes where no boat has gone before!
She is a Redbay Stormforce 7.4m RHIB catering for up to 10 persons on board or up to 8 divers. She is fully coded to meet the MCA requirements for category 3 Restricted (up to 20nm from a safe haven in favourable conditions in daylight, and up to 5nm at night).
She is kitted out with a new rigid dive ladder, tea & coffee facilities, a portable toilet and a seating/dive rack arrangement similar to those on most hard boats, making even the longest of journeys much more comfortable for all onboard.
So come on…..Let’s go diving!
BOOK NOW:
Email: dive@wreckspeditions.com / Web: www.wreckspeditions.com
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The UK Dive Season has begun, so to get you all excited about the adventures that await you this Summer, we’re throwing the spotlight on some of the fantastic dive spots that can be found in UK waters.
You’ve got to make sure you’ve got the right kit for the job, of course, so we’ve teamed up with some leading dive equipment brands who offer the gear you’ll need to experience UK Diving.
So let’s get started!
SCAPA FLOW, ORKNEY
For wreck diving this has to be the premier dive location in the UK, where the remains of the German High Seas Fleet lie after being deliberately scuttled by the German Navy in 1919. Along with the blockships like the Tabarka, that lie in shallower water, there are also several WWII vessels to explore. There is a shipwreck for every experience level in the Flow, and one trip may not be enough!
XDEEP @ NAUTILUS
Email: info@nautilus.uk / Web: www.nautilus.uk/brand/xdeep/
XDEEP Facebook / XDEEP NX Series Facebook Group / Nautilus Facebook
For over a decade XDEEP has innovated in the scuba industry sector and evolved into a manufacturer reknowned for cutting edge design and development. Born from the need to explore, the design and implementation of advanced exploration equipment has made its way into the recreational and technical diving arena, much as Formula 1 motorsport. Now each product is recognised as ground breaking in its design and being the most effective in its class. Premium components and the most advanced manufacturing techniques mean reliability is second to none whilst retaining both function and form.
Email: info@nautilus.uk / Web: www.nautilus.uk/brand/xdeep/
XDEEP Facebook / XDEEP NX Series Facebook Group / Nautilus Facebook
ST ABBS AND EYEMOUTH, SCOTLAND
This protected area of coastline has a wonderful array of marine life. The rocks here are festooned with soft corals, anemones, sea urchins and starfish. A huge diversity of fish including wolf fish and conger eels keep divers coming back trip after trip.
OTTER DRYSUITS
Email: sales@drysuits.co.uk / Web: www.otterwatersports.uk / Telephone: 01274 379480
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Otter understands what it takes to make a great drysuit. When we say our suits are ‘exploration grade’, we mean it – with over 37 years of experience behind us, Otter suits are the choice of some of the biggest names in dive exploration. From the deepest wrecks to the longest caves, diving explorers choose Otter to protect them from the harshest conditions.
Otter Drysuits was founded in 1986 by John Womack Snr in Bradford, West Yorkshire. A renowned diver in his own right, John was directly involved in major technical diving expeditions sponsored by Otter, including three on the renowned Britannic wreck in Greece, HMS Victoria off Lebanon and the wrecks of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse in the South China Sea.
From the outset, Otter Drysuits has been known for innovation, and this is as true today as it has ever been. Our popular Brittanic drysuit offers amazing fit and comfort and is one of our toughest suits, with a telescopic section allowing easy movement out of the water. The Atlantic range offers unequalled stretch and movement for the wearer, whilst using hard-wearing materials and even Kevlar to protect in even the most extreme environments. Top-quality components from YKK, Apeks, Si-Tech and KUBI ensure Otter Drysuits can offer the ideal drysuit to suit the needs of even the most demanding of divers.
The result of years of development and unrivalled experience, our award-winning suits are renowned for their quality, fit and durability. Available either made-to-measure or in a full set of standard sizes, we offer a range of materials including membrane (trilaminate), neoprene and now the incredibly tough Kevlar.
We offer every possible option on our drysuits – from multiple valve positions to pee valves and field-changeable neck and wrist seals. With each suit made entirely by one single craftsperson, we work closely with our customers to provide a customised suit at an outstanding price. As our many customers across the globe will attest, our reputation for quality, value and customer service is second to none.
Our trilaminate drysuits are renowned across the world for their quality of build and incredible durability. It’s not by accident that you see so many Otter drysuits worn by professionals on television and in the media. They’re built to perform; dive after dive, year after year. Wherever your diving takes you, choose Otter.
Email: sales@drysuits.co.uk / Web: www.otterwatersports.uk / Telephone: 01274 379480
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ANGLESEY, WALES
Anglesey, across the Menai Strait, has a great number of shore dives at shallow depths, easily accessible and with fantastic marine life. A whole holiday can be spent doing relaxed gully and reef dives accessible from the local beaches. With several hundred wrecks along the coast, including the SS Missouri and a B-17 Bomber, there are boat diving options too and diving for all experience levels.
AP DIVING
Email: info@apdiving.com / Web: www.apdiving.com / Telephone: 01326 561040
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AP Diving began life over 55 years ago as a small family business. Today we are an award-winning internationally respected dive manufacturer with a legacy of pioneering and landmark products – from the AP Valve, the TEKWING and the COMMANDO BCD range to the constantly evolving and world-beating INSPIRATION closed circuit rebreather. Our mission has always been to help divers dive better, explore further, stay longer, and enjoy the adventure. Take your diving to the next level with AP.
Email: info@apdiving.com / Web: www.apdiving.com / Telephone: 01326 561040
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PEMBROKESHIRE, WALES
Home to the Skomer Marine Reserve, this spectacular reef is teeming with life, from dolphins to nudibranchs, seals to seahorses. Walls drop off to deep water, caves lure explorers and hundreds of wrecks mean there is something for everyone.
URSUIT @ LIQUID SPORTS
Email: info@liquidsports.co.uk / Web: liquidsports.co.uk
Ursuit Facebook / Liquid Sports Facebook
Ursuit Oy is a Finnish company established in 1964. The factory is located in Turku, Finland.
We manufacture Ursuit® drysuits for all kinds of water activities, both under and above the surface. Main product groups are diving, rescue and recreational drysuits. The Ursuit drysuit range consists of over 15 standard surface drysuit models and over 10 standard diving drysuit models in many colours for both men and women.
All of the Ursuit drysuits are handmade and therefore they can easily be modified according to customer needs and wishes. A standard model can easily be customized with different kinds of pockets, MOLLE-system, relief zippers etc.
The drysuits can directly be produced according to the user´s measurements, even in big quantities. We have produced made-to-measure drysuits with individual customizations for fire departments, coast guards, police and military forces, maritime crews and several other professional instances.
Our production is carefully controlled and audited annually by a Notified Body according to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, SOLAS/MED and EASA/ETSO requirements. These quality assurances make it possible that the user can concentrate on the most essential, the activity.
Email: info@liquidsports.co.uk / Web: www.liquidsports.co.uk
Ursuit Facebook / Liquid Sports Facebook
LUNDY, DEVON
Lundy Island, in the mouth of the Bristol Channel about 12 miles off the coast of North Devon, is a Marine Conservation Zone with fabulously rich marine life, impressive visibility and numerous wrecks to explore. The local seal population can be very playful and the biodiversity some of the best in the UK waters. Tidal currents can be strong, so this is best dived by experienced divers.
FARNE ISLANDS
Famous for its brilliant seal encounters, the Farne Islands have a large and playful population of grey seals. Diveable year round when the weather is calm, there are sites for all levels. Rock faces covered with crevices and gullies to explore shelter a host of marine life, such as lobsters, crab, nudibranchs and anemones. There are also several good wreck dives in the area. The islands are also home to the beloved puffin, which can be seen in the nesting season.
BIGBLUE DIVE LIGHTS @ LIQUID SPORTS
Email: info@liquidsports.co.uk / Web: liquidsports.co.uk
Bigblue Facebook / Liquid Sports Facebook
Big Blue is dive light manufacturer providing new innovations in all market segments : Recreational, Videography, Photography, Technical, Commercial, Back-Up and Rescue. Big Blue is the fastest growing dive light manufacturer in the industry building our brand through quality, creative and great customer service. With advanced designs and unprecedented affordability, Big Blue offers the most affordable and technologically advanced LED lights on the market. We incorporate the latest technologies producing the most efficient portable illumination. In addition to brilliant design features, we offer the most ideal lights for underwater illumination, night diving and video lighting.Whether you are looking for a simple recreational dive light or a full-blown technical underwater illumination system. With a lumen offering from 250 to 65000 Big Blue has a light for you!
Email: info@liquidsports.co.uk / Web: www.liquidsports.co.uk
Bigblue Facebook / Liquid Sports Facebook
PORTHKERRIS, CORNWALL
Porthkerris lies on the Lizard peninsula of Cornwall. It is a famously treacherous area of submerged rocks like the Manacles which has resulted in hundreds of shipwrecks, now a haven for sea life. Dive sites in the area are suited to a range of experience levels, from an easy yet beautiful shore dive at Porthkerris beach to boat diving offshore pinnacles like Vase rock, now covered in swathes of jewel anemones. Basking sharks are also seen in the area in late spring to early summer feeding on plankton blooms.
KUBI DRY GLOVES
Email: Sales@kubistore.com / Web: www.kubistore.com / Tel: 01162 388 255
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KUBI Dry Gloves represent innovation and quality in diving equipment. Designed to keep divers’ hands warm and dry in cold water environments, KUBI gloves offer a reliable seal that prevents water from seeping in, ensuring comfort and dexterity during dives.
Crafted from durable materials and engineered with precision, these gloves prioritize both functionality and durability, making them a trusted choice among professional and recreational divers alike. Beyond gloves, the KUBI brand extends its expertise to essential accessories like transport bags and dry bags. Crafted with the same dedication to quality and functionality, these accessories offer divers reliable solutions for storing and transporting their gear.
The KUBI brand is synonymous with excellence in diving gear. With a commitment to meeting the needs of divers worldwide, KUBI continuously pushes the boundaries of design and performance. KUBI’s dedication to innovation and customer satisfaction has earned us a reputation as a leader in the diving industry. Whether exploring vibrant coral reefs, descending into the depths of wrecks or going deep into a cave/mine divers can trust KUBI Dry Gloves to provide the protection they need to enjoy their underwater adventures to the fullest.
Email: Sales@kubistore.com / Web: www.kubistore.com / Tel: 01162 388 255
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DORSET
Dorset has several excellent wreck dives, from submarines, to warships, and sailboats to tanks. The M2 submarine off Portland is a stunning wreck with a tragic story. If wrecks are not your thing, or you’d like a shallow dive to finish off the day, Swanage Pier is an easy and excellent shallow shore dive. The Victorian era pilings are covered in life and the structure provides a nursery for pollock, bib and ballan wrasse. The shallow depth means the light is superb for underwater photography and there are usually plenty of willing subjects like the ever popular tompot blenny and cuttlefish.
MAXSHOW LTD
Email: enquiries@maxshow.co.uk / Web: www.maxshow.ltd.uk / Tel: 01162 388 255
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Maxshow LTD is a premier distributor known for its diverse portfolio of up to 10 esteemed brands catering to the diving industry and more. Among its offerings are Miflex hoses, renowned for their durability and flexibility, providing divers with reliable hoses for their underwater adventures.
KUBI, another staple brand, delivers innovative Dry Gloves and Thermal Gear, ensuring comfort and protection in cold water environments. OmniSwivel offers advanced swivel systems, enhancing divers’ mobility and safety during dives.
Maxshow LTD also represents other brands such as Best Divers, Varma, Oceanarium, Sticktite, and Bags of Paper, each offering unique solutions for divers’ needs. Best Divers provides a wide range of accessories, while Varma offers quality wool apparel. Oceanarium specializes in creative products, Sticktite offers adhesive solutions for sight and Bags of Paper provides environmentally friendly packaging. AquaSketch rounds out the lineup with innovative underwater writing slates.
With Maxshow LTD’s commitment to quality and diversity, divers can trust in the reliability and performance of these brands for their diving endeavors.
Email: enquiries@maxshow.co.uk / Web: www.maxshow.ltd.uk / Tel: 01162 388 255
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RATHLIN ISLAND, NORTHERN ISLAND
Rathlin to the north of Ballycastle has some fantastic diving. The strong tidal currents in this area mean the marine life is numerous, varied, vibrant and healthy. The northwest cliffs drop to depths of 200m just offshore making an impressive wall dive. Tides hitting the cliffs can create powerful up and down currents, so experience and staying close to the rock is important, but well worth the effort. On the east coast the wreck of the S.S Lochgary, a converted government transport ship, which was involved in the WWII Dunkirk evacuation, before sinking in her current location in 1942.
Happy diving!!!
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