Dive Into Dorset
Illustration by Chris Johnson
Words by Kat Lewis
I still remember the first time I breathed underwater and my excitement that finally I could inhabit the incredible underwater world for longer than a fleeting breath hold. What sticks in my mind most from this initial foray into scuba diving is how natural it felt to breathe underwater. Having spent many years since talking to other divers, I now realise I was unusual in feeling like I was meant to be underwater. But with that first breath, I was hooked.
When you start scuba diving, there is a lot to remember and concentrate on. All of a sudden, you have a whole extra dimension to move in – there’s no longer just left, right, forward and back, but also up and down. In my early dives I was clumsy (as most are), but the more I dived the more my skills developed and improved. As a diver, you have the ability to constantly evolve, develop new skills and, in doing so, open yourself up to new adventures in the beautiful underwater world, whether you’re diving deeper, exploring caves and wrecks or simply diving for longer.
Dorset is a fantastic place for diving, with a wealth of incredible dive sites located in its waters. The Jurassic Coast not only creates incredible topography above land, but also underwater. Then there are the wrecks. Look at any marine chart and you’ll see dozens of them dotted on the seabed, some of them are little more than pieces of old vessels, others are fully intact ships (we even have submarine wrecks).
There are drift dives (where you allow the current to take you for a ride), as well as sheltered, shallow bays for more sedate dives. Wherever you dive, there is an abundance of marine life, from colourful soft corals (yes, corals are not restricted to tropical waters) and vibrant cold-water reefs, to cheeky tompot blennies, schools of silvery mullet and feisty blue-velvet swimming crabs.
One of the reasons why Dorset is so attractive for divers is the variety of underwater experiences it offers. There are beautiful, shallow shore diving sites that are fantastic for divers of any level (like Swanage Pier), as well as plenty of exciting boat dive sites that range from wrecks in 20-30m of water (like the Kyarra), to those that are 50m and deeper (like the HMS Boadicea). That’s not to mention the drift dives and interesting underwater ledges and crevices that also stretch out from the cliffs of the Jurassic Coast. There is something for everyone. The following are just a few of Dorset’s top dive sites…
Swanage pier → Level: beginner
A gorgeous shore dive under the Victorian pier in Swanage, which is sheltered and shallow with plenty to see. The supports of the pier are covered in life (keep an eye out for colourful nudibranchs) and the weed that grows under and around the pier provides a fantastic nursery for young fish. You can expect to see the likes of bib, ballan wrasse and pollock here. Swanage pier is also known for its colourful tompot blennies.
East tenants reef → Level: intermediate
Considered to be one of the best reef dives in Dorset, East tenants reef is well worth a visit if you want to see a stunning example of a cold water reef. Its large boulders are home to stunning pink sea fans, dead man’s fingers (a type of soft coral) and sponges. Dogfish, cuckoo wrasse and topknots are among the fish to look out for here.
M2 → Level: intermediate to advanced
The M2 is a fully intact submarine wreck located in Lyme Bay with a tragic history. It sank in 1932 during a training exercise, with all hands lost. As such it is a designated war grave and you are not allowed to explore inside the wreck. The M2 sits upright on the sea bed at a depth of around 36m, its exterior encrusted in soft corals, anemones and sponges. It’s a beautiful wreck that has attracted a lot of life, from lobsters and edible crabs to conger eels and schools of bib and pollock.
How to get started with diving
If you’re keen to dive in and start exploring the underwater world in Dorset (and then beyond), you need to begin by completing a scuba diving course. The best-known training organisation is PADI, and their Open Water course is a good place to start. It qualifies you to dive to a depth of 18m.
However, PADI is far from the only diver training agency. BSAC (the British Sub-Aqua Club) teaches courses in a club environment, with one of the benefits the exposure you get to other, more experienced divers as well as the opportunities to join club dive trips once you have qualified. BSAC’s Ocean Diver qualification allows you to dive to 20m.
There is also SSI, with its Open Water course qualifying you to dive to 18m, like PADI, and RAID Open Water 20, which, like BSAC, qualifies you to dive to 20m.
Dorset is home to various dive schools and training centres, so there are plenty of options if you want to learn to dive and begin having your own underwater adventures. Avoid picking a dive course based on price. Scuba diving can be a dangerous sport, so this is not the kind of hobby you want to jump into with the cheapest operation going. Do your research, read reviews of different dive centres and speak to the instructors to learn about the courses they offer and how they approach training before you make your choice. You want to feel comfortable and safe with the school and your instructor.
Remember, learning to dive is just the beginning. There are so many experiences and adventures awaiting beneath the waves. Enjoy the journey, because your diving course is just the first step.
