Some of our Dive Sites
 
     
 

The A 7 was on exercise in Whitesands Bay on a cold January day when she was lost with all hands. It. It was five days before she was found; by then there was no hope for the crew. Navy divers found her in 36 meters of water, buried in the mud. H M S Exmouth tried to lift her but failed. She sits on the seabed, her conning tower standing proud. A good dive but please remember this is a grave.

Unfortunately we can no longer dive on this wreck as it is now a protected site.

     
  TOTNES CASTLE. A paddle steamer that carried day-trippers from Dartmouth to Totnes. At the end of her working life she was converted into a restaurant but in 1964 as she was being towed from Dartmouth to Plymouth to be broken up, she broke her tow and sank in Bigbury Bay. She lay forgotten in 44meters of water until 1994, when the survey vessel Gleaner revealed her position. Excellent dive with usually good vis and plenty of sealife including two quite friendly congers.
     
  ROSEHILL Built by S. P. Austin & sons in 1911, she was first named the Minster by her owners Stephen Clark & Company. 314 feet long & a gross tonnage of 2788. She was sold in1914 to W. J. Tillet, a Welsh Steaming Company & in1917. On route from Cardiff to Devonport the German submarine U 40 torpedoed her. Today she lies in 30meters of water on a silt seabed in Whitsands Bay. Her stern gun points to the surface & her boilers have become a haven for conger.
     
  JAMES EGAN LAYNE. One of the hundreds of liberty ships to be built by the Americans in 1944(400 feet long & over 7000 tons) In March 1945 on route from South Wales to Ghent she was torpedoed by U1195. Her Captain nursed her towards Plymouth, but was not permitted entry so he tried to beach her in Whitesands Bay. She sank just a mile short in 21meters of water, her stern breaking off & lying just 20 meters away. A classic dive, her bow stands 10m proud, a home for an abundance of marine life where you can often see John Dory, Bass and many more.
     
  THE PERSIER. Built in 1918 by Northumberland Shipbuilding Co & named the War Buffalo (5000 tons). On completion she was sold to the Belgium Maritime Co.& renamed the Persier. In February 1945 She was torpedoed near to the Eddystone. Her wreckage lay undiscovered until 1969, when a fisherman found a large wreck in Bigbury Bay. Her bell was found by divers & on it was the name War Buffalo.
She lies in 30 meters of water, in an area of usually good vis, with abundant sealife..
     
  THE OREGON. A steel, hulled sailing vessel of 800 tons, about the same size as the Cutty Sark. In 1890 She hit rocks close to Thurleston Beach, despite a valiant attempt to re sail her, Captain Lowe ordered the lifeboats to be lowered. In the huge seas, one lifeboat sank but all hands managed to get into the second. Eventually, they reach the safety of Hope Cove. The Oregon sank almost immediately. She now lies in 34 meters of water, very broken with her masts lying out on the seabed. Her bows are the most prominent feature, a small wreck with plenty of life from conger to scallops.
     
  THE GLEN STRATH ALLEN. In 1928, shipbuilders Cochran & Sons of Selby, Yorkshire were contracted to build a steam trawler of 690 tons, 150 feet long, a beam of 24 feet with a speed of 10 knots. The firm that had ordered her went bankrupt before completion. She was bought by millionaire Colby Cubbin, who converted her to a pleasure yacht. She was lent to the Royal Navy during the 2nd world war as an escort vessel, after which she was returned & Colbin enjoyed her until his death. In his will he wished her to be used as a floating school and when the time came that she was no longer useful, she was to be sunk.
She now lies in 15 meters of water where she can still be enjoyed by divers & sea life. A gentle dive amongst scattered wreckage, often with cuttlefish & john dory.
     
  The Eddystone lighthouse is 12 miles south of Plymouth with a variety of marine life. This site is a delight for the under water photographer with depths varying from 0 to 50 meters, and the vis regularly 15 meters plus.
     
  Hand Deeps are also 12 miles from Plymouth with depths from 10 to 50 meters. Spectacular beds of jewel anemones are a highlight of this dive at 18 & 30 meters. The drop offs are awesome with vis often 15 meters plus.
     
  Hilsea Point a number of gulleys dropping down from 4 to 30 meters with a variety of life. Divers are able to stroke the friendly dog fish. Sea cucumbers & wrasse will often keep you company throughout your dive. The vis is normally 8 meters plus, with quite strong tide which will give a pleasant drift dive.
     
  The East Rutts is a reef with depths vatying from 10 to 35 meters popular with the angling boats due to a variety of fish and crustations. The vis is again 8 meters plus
     
    The Elk was built in 1902, by Cork, Welton & Gommel of Hull, She is 108 feet & 181 tons. She started as a working trawler out of Grimsby & was requisitioned in world war one as a minesweeper.
She went back to her owners after the war & was sold to start a fresh life fishing out of Milford Haven but at the start of world war two she became HMS Elk and once again became a minesweeper. She ended her service life in November 1940 & now lies in 34 meters, two miles south of Plymouth breakwater. There is a variety of fish life with the inevitable conger who has made its home in the chain locker.
     
    The Medoc. She was a French cargo carrier, 237 feet with a 34 foot beam & some 1166 tons. She was carrying a cargo of ammunition when in the vicinity of the Eddystone in November 1940. She was spotted by an enemy aircraft who opened fire & dropped a torpedo, she sank like a stone.
Today she lies upright in 54 meters of water, her bridge standing 7 meters proud. A deep dive but I have known the vis to be so good that she could be seen from 30 meters.
     
These are just some of many sites for all levels of experience from the new diver that only wants 5 or 6 meters to the technical diver who wants to go deep.

for the deeper wrecks go to our tekkie page