Dive/vis reports and dive spaces 2026.
Early season dives for Friday 27 to Sunday 29 March have been lost to strong winds. Dive spaces are available to dive the wreck of the Spyros in 30 metres on Sunday 26 April. Good neap tide. Meet 1045 for 1115 leave. Second dive included. Anyone interested, please contact Rob on robertgdawson@gmail.com
Dive/vis reports: Having been blown out by persistent easterly winds through April, the season finally kicked off on Saturday 25 April when we headed to the WW1 wreck of the Clan Macvey in 18-20 metres. Very good neap tide with vis around 2-3 metres, which was what we expected for April. We followed this with some training drills in the Solent. On Monday 27 April we ventured mid-Channel where vis was in the region of 10 metres, diving an unexplored area. The following 3 days, also booked to go mid-Channel, were blown out by strong winds. The early May BH weekend was brilliant. No wind, flat seas and though at times the skies were overcast we had a good deal of bright sunshine – apart from a thundery downpour on Saturday. For our first dive on Saturday 2 May we went to the forever popular wreck of the Spyros in 30 metres. Although the wreck was quite dark, vis with a torch was a respectable 2-3 metres. Following this we headed inshore where remarkably vis was better. On the wreck of the War Knight vis was 5 metres. Next day, Sunday 3 May, we headed south-west to dive the wreck of the steam coaster Braedale in 36 metres. This time vis was better at 5-6 metres in ambient light. For a second dive we headed to Alum Bay to dive part of the bow section of HMS Pomone where again vis was excellent at 5 metres. The final day, Monday 4 May, divers wanted to dive the wreck of the submarine HMS Upstart in 38 metres. Steaming towards the site vis looked great, but then we went into vast areas of brown/sandy patches of dirty water, more characteristic of an ebb spring tide, interspersed with streaks of clear water. Nevertheless everyone dived on the wreck, but vis was poor at about 1.5 metres, with the light disappearing at 15 metres. A second dive on the wreck of the steamer Joannis Millas was a completely different kettle of fish, as the water was clear with vis again in the region of 5-6 metres. All in all, an excellent weekend, with better than usual vis for early May, with the signs suggesting the water is on the verge of changing very much for the better. We are due a good season with good vis!
Dive/vis reports: The weekend of Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 May was blown out by strong winds. Not good for mid-May! However, the wind died away and we ventured south-east of the Needles on Monday 11 May to dive the 1865 wreck of the schooner Brackenholme, otherwise known as the Train Set. Diving LW slack, vis wasn’t great at 2-3 metres and somewhat silty, but the contrast with the second dive on the War Knight could not have been greater. With a gently flooding tide, vis was an easy 6-7 metres, and if we’d had sunshine it would have been better still. Next, on Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 May we were due to head mid-Channel, but once again strong winds blew us out. These conditions are not unusual for May, which can be a quite unsettled month, as it is proving to be.
Dive/vis reports: On Saturday 16 May we went out to dive the wreck of the ocean-going tug Witte Zee in 33 metres. Weather conditions were less than ideal with a westerly swell, confused sea state and overcast skies – and if that wasn’t bad enough, vis was poor at about one metre. It was a fairly big spring tide but the contrast in water clarity from the previous Monday was stark. A second dive on the War Knight, where sea conditions and vis were worse still, was memorable for the wrong reasons. Next day, Sunday 17 May, and with a similar forecast, we decided to head south and more offshore in an attempt to find better vis, rather that the intended wreck off St Catherine’s, which was the original intention. In the event the sea state had settled down and with brighter skies we dived the WW1 French steamer Azemmour in 38 metres. Vis was actually better at about 2-3 metres, even though we were now on the top of the spring tide, but it was dark without torches. Nevertheless, everyone stayed down and enjoyed the wreck.
Dive spaces: There are spaces to dive the wreck of the WW2 armed trawler Warwick Deeping, 36 metres to the seabed, on Friday 29 May. Wreck stands about 4 metres, upright and fairly intact. Second dive included. Meet 0800 to leave 0830. Let me know if interested.
Dive spaces: There are two spaces available to dive the WW2 wreck of the MV Dallas City in 60 metres on Saturday 30 May. Meet 0730 to leave 0800.
Dive/vis reports: Saturday 23 May and we headed south-west to dive the WW1 steamer Fluent in 40 metres. Water colour is improving as the neap tide comes on, but below about 20 metres the light goes but despite that vis was in the region of 2-3 metres, largely due to the plankton bloom. The siltiness of the previous week has settled. Water temperature at depth is still on 12°. Next day, Sunday 24 May, again steaming south-west, this time a little further to the west, we dived the WW1 wreck of the cargo liner Aparima in 40 metres. In contrast to the day before, vis was 6 metres in ambient light. That’s two days of no wind and wall-to-wall sunshine! Finally on BH Monday 25 May, taking advantage of the weather, we dived the mid-Channel wreck of the steamer El Kahira in 60 metres. Vis offshore is great at 10-12 metres in ambient light. Six or seven juvenile crawfish, crabs, lobsters and an octopus were all seen.
Dive/vis reports: On Tuesday 26 May and Wednesday 27 May, with marine archaeologists on board, we dived the site of human habitation, 8500 years old, at Bouldnor Cliff, east of Yarmouth. Vis on the last of the ebb tide and through slack was what we expected – fairly poor, but on the flooding tide, working through the current, vis was 2-3 metres. A number of worked flints were found.
Dive/vis reports: It’s Friday 29 May, the weather is fine and we head off to dive the armed trawler Warwick Deeping in 36 metres. Vis looked quite good on the surface and indeed it was – but it was dark on the wreck, so a torch was essential, giving vis of 3-4 metres. Good dive, followed by that old favourite, the War Knight in 12 metres. With three lost shots on the wreck from previous visits, all three were recovered! Vis was again quite good at about 3 metres, and with the plankton beginning to disperse vis should improve markedly on the next neap. Next day, Saturday 30 May, it’s a mid-Channel dive on the WW2 wreck of the motor ship Dallas City in 60 metres. The weather is great, bright, sunny skies and light winds. Vis is much better offshore, in the region of 8-10 metres, not quite as good as usual but perfectly diveable in ambient light. Finally on Sunday 31 May, we’re diving inshore. The weather has begun to break down and we opted for a slightly earlier start to avoid the increasing wind, forecast for the afternoon. In the event the sea state was uncomfortable and this affected the vis on all dives. We were only diving the War Knight, where dives were cut short due to poor vis, in contrast to Friday’s dive. It looked quite good at about 3 metres on entering the water, but below 7 metres there was too much silt and plankton. Heading for the relative shelter of Alum Bay, a second dive was on HMS Pomone in 7 metres, followed by a third dive under Totland Pier. We probably managed to get the best out of the day but an unsettled week beckons, to the extent that Monday 1 June has been blown out by strong winds.
Dive/vis reports: Saturday 6 June – blown out due to gales.
Dive spaces: There are 4 spaces available for a 40 metre wreck dive on Sunday 14 June. Meet 0800 to leave 0830. Anyone interested, please let me know.
