Local Dive Sites

The prevailing winds are south westerly and we tend to dive the north Pembrokeshire coast most of the time.

If we get strong northerlies we either take Wandrin' Star down to Porthclais on the south coast of the St.Davids Cape or trailer JanHazel down and launch from there.

This is a rule of thumb, but there are often other variables such as the tides and swell that will also have an effect on the conditions and where we decide to dive.

NEW FOR 2008 ! - HMS Whirlwind - Aberporth

Second World War Royal Navy hunter class, she saw action in the air strikes on Medan, Palembang and Sumatra, in the bombardment of the Sakashima group, in the reoccupation of Hong Kong and in the landings on Okinawa.

Built in 1943 by Hawthorne Leslie as a "W" Class Destroyer. HMS Whirlwind (R87) served in the Home Fleet until 1945 when she was transferred to the Pacific. In 1953 she was converted to a type 15 Frigate (fast anti-submarine) and given the new pennant number F187

W and Z class
General Characteristics
Displacement:	1,710 tons (standard), 2,530 tons (full)
Length:	362 ft 9 in o/a (110.5 m)
Beam:	35 ft 8 in (10.9 m)
Draught:	10 ft mean(3.05 m)
Propulsion:	3 x Admiralty 3-drum boilers, steam turbines, 2 shafts, 40,000 shp
Speed:	36 kt
Range:	615 tons oil, 4,680 nm at 20 kt
Complement:	186 (leader; 222)
Armament (W):
4 x single 4.7 in L/45 QF Mark IX, mounting CP Mk.XXII 1 x quad 2pdr “pom-pom” mount Mk.VII, or; 1 x twin 40mm Bofors mount "Hazemeyer" Mk.IV 4 x lightAA guns; twin 20 mm Oerlikon guns single Bofors 40 mm mount Mk.III or "Boffin" Mk.V single 2 pdr "pom pom" mount Mk.XVI 2 x quad tubes for 21in. torpedoes Mk.IX

Date of Sinking 01/11/1974 whilst being used as target after severe weather and probably due to damage previously inflicted by missiles.

Site at 36 mts, on the Aberporth missile target range. She lies on her port side, fairly intact and identifiable about 100 mts long - covered in Dead Mans Fingers, lots of life, a fantastic wreck dive. There are places to penetrate; the forward section and battle bridge.

The Herefordshire - Cardigan Island

She was built in 1905 by Harland & Wolff at Belfast with a tonnage of 7182grt, a length of 452ft 4in, a beam of 54ft 4in and a service speed of 15 knots. Sister of the Worcestershire she was launched on 31st August 1905 and completed on 29th November.

On the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 Bibby Line's seven well-equipped steamers were all requisitioned by the Government. She remained on the Burma run until 25th July 1916 when she was requisitioned as a hospital ship for 380 patients serving Salonika, Mesopotamia and East Africa.

On 1st January 1918 she was decommissioned and on 4th February was narrowly missed by two torpedoes during her first Mediterranean convoy. When the torpedo tracks were spotted her Master, Capt.G. E. Millson, ordered the helm hard over and one engine to full astern which slewed the ship around. One torpedo passed under the counter stern missing by a foot or so and one of the torpedoes went on to hit P&O's Sardinia.

In 1920 she was refitted by her builder and converted to oil burning. She was rebuilt for cargo services only in 1929 and equipped with, in addition to modifications for transiting the Manchester Ship Canal, a heavy lift derrick on the foremast.

In April 1933 she was laid up at Dartmouth and on 9th March 1934 left in tow bound for Clyde shipbreakers. On 15th March she grounded on Cardigan Island and was a total loss.

The wreck is well broken up but large parts, boilers, turbines and girders scattered lying at about 15 mts, plenty of life and nice topography.

Needle Rocks - Dinas

Depths are down to 15 metes The bottom is covered with large boulders, gullies and some scallops.

Dinas Head

Drift dive lots to see on the way; slate bottom, sponges, scallops, lobsters and crabs.

Gramsbergen - Fishguard

Coasting cargo vessel 498 tons built 1954 - Sank 1954. Sheltering from heavy storms she broke her anchor and hit the rocks before the engines could be started.
Depth 11 metres, lots of interesting wreckage, wrasse, pollack and crabs.

Cambridge University Underwater Exploration Group
Click here to see their video some shot on the wreck

William Rhodes Moorhouse - Fishguard

Milford registered trawler (ex-Naval MFV) left Milford Easter Saturday 1968 for Cardigan Bay fishing grounds. Trawl winch developed fault on Easter Monday - April 15th – and fishing gear could not be fully hauled up. That evening the fish-hold started to flood. Six man crew took to life-raft and were rescued by an oil tanker (Esso Purfleet) and then transferred to Fishguard Lifeboat. Lifeboat attempted towing vessel but she listed and tow-line had to be released - A smallish wreck at about 30 mts, lots of life, plenty to look at - a nice no stop dive.

Who was William Rhodes Moorhouse ? To find out: click here

For more info on the The William Rhodes Moorhouse shipwreck click to read John Liddiard's article: At Ease With Plan B's

Cow and Calf Rocks - Fishguard

Around 15 meters, there is a sheer wall all around the largest island, gullies, rock outcrops, wreckage, dogfish, crabs, wrasse, lobsters, octopus.

Pen Anglas Point - Fishguard

Canyons full of life, should be a canon from the last French invasion down there somewhere.

Baron Carnegie

Port of Registry: Ardrossan - Propulsion: triple exp 3cy 225nhp - Launched: Thursday, 30/04/1925 - Built: 1925 Ship Type: Cargo Vessel - Ship's Role: tramp steamer - Tonnage: 3178 grt - Length: 336 feet 3 - Breadth: 48 feet 5 - Draught: 22 feet 2 - Status: Torpedoed & Sunk - 11/06/1941

Torpedoed by aircraft 15 miles west of St Davids Head. Later sank in tow 25 crew lost

She lies broken but intact upright with guns and lobsters in 45m, not for the faint hearted !

If you would like to read the Captain's report on the night of the sinking please click here for:
Page 1 - Page 2

Divers interested in visiting this site must have proof of recent deep/ technical diving experience and qualifications.

For more info on the Baron Carnegie and our wreck dive sites please click to read John Liddiard's feature Legends in Their Own Lunchbox or The Pride of Pembrokeshire

SS West Quechee - AKA Empire Panther

1919 WEST QUECHEE, US Shipping Board, Portland, Ore.
1933 Lykes Bros, Ripley SS Co, New Orleans.
1940 EMPIRE PANTHER, MOWT managed by Stanhope SS Co.
Mined and sunk off Strumble Head

Another deep one at 51m - Twisted, mangled and smashed - We are still trying to locate the bow section...

Divers interested in visiting this site must have proof of recent deep/ technical diving experience and qualifications.

Salus.

A wooden sailing ship, sank in a force 9 gale off Strumble Head. A rescue was attempted over the cliffs, but the ship broke up within minutes and the crew were lost.

She lies at between 4-11 meters, there are a few wooden beams scattered and angle irons - a very pretty dive site with interesting topography and wildlife.

Seal Bay - Strumble Head

Kelp and rocks; great place for seal encounters...

CUUEG video : "The One With The Seal"

Calburga - Strumble Head

She was the last of the square rigged sailing ships to be lost in this area - 1,406 tons, length 210 feet, beam 39. She was hit by a hurricane which blew out her sails and downed three of her masts. She finally hit the cliffs and sank in deep waters.

She lies at 43m, the wreckage covers a large area, there is a drop off to a stoney bottom, there you can find the pins and make your way to a crevice that brings you up to a huge anchor that looks like it has been stuck to the side of the wall ! - depths from 10 to 40 meters. Dogfish, wrasse, lobsters, crabs, octopus...

Vendome - Pwil Deri

Depth 30 - 35 meters, lots of features. Wreck Tour 82 The Vendome - Published in Diver magazine by John Liddiard Click here for the full Article

Dan Beard - Pwil Deri

From Larn's "Shipwreck Index" -

"At 13.55 on 10 Dec. 1944 a single torpedo fired by the U-2102 struck the port side of the Liberty ship level with number 9 hold, causing her to break in two immediately. The survivors abandoned ship in two lifeboats and one liferaft, a third lifeboat capsizing whilst being launched, a fourth swamped. The last to leave the vessel were the master and the armed guard commander, both men jumped overboard and were picked up by no. 2 lifeboat. Distress flares sighted by Strumble Head Coastguard saw the Fishguard lifeboat launched at 6 p.m. but on reaching the wreck found it surrounded by oil and abandoned. One of the lifeboat crew was taken ill and the boat turned back for Fishguard where the man was transferred to a police car, but on reaching home died. One of the ships lifeboats with 23 survivors reached the shore safely, whilst a liferaft with 13 men on board was picked up by Fishguard lifeboat, one of survivors who was seriously injured died before they reached the lifeboat station. The bow section drifted ashore 2.5 miles south of Strumble Head"

The Dan Beard was a US Liberty Ship that had seen action during the D Day landings. Her bow now lies about 14 mts, the wreckage is well broken up and scattered amongst boulders. There is a cave nearby in which a mast is lying and very often there are seals present.

We are still searching for the stern section which lies in much deeper water.

Who was Dan Beard ? To find out: click here

Charles Holmes - Abermawr Bay

886 ton sailing vessel - sank in 1859 She hit a rock in a terrible storm and scattered her cargo - thousands of pieces of pottery. Allegedly a chest of gold was on board which has to this day not been recovered. The pottery pieces are still being picked up today. Very broken up and scattered. The bodies of the crew were washed ashore and are buried in the local church yard.

Bola Bleiddyn - Abercastle

Reef that rises up from 22 meters to 8 meters, lots of dogfish, pollack, dead mans' fingers and we spotted the daddy of all crayfish !!

Abercastle Blow Hole

An underwater cave, which extends into the cliffs 8m or so and ending at a small blow hole.

Leysian - Abercastle

Depth 15m - Lots of wreckage, that attracts a variety of fish, a safe, interesting and relatively easy wreck dive with plenty of features.

Abercastle Reef

Fantastic reef full of life depth down to 22 meters.
For more info on this and our other scenic dive sites please click here to read John Liddiard's review

Steamship sunk 1898 - Weight 1451 tons, length 243 feet beam 34 feet. She ran into thick sea fog carrying a cargo of coal, but on a wrong heading.

Depths 10m to 13m - Boiler intact, prop still there, lots of wreckage.

Traeth Rock

A rock rising from 25m to 6m. Out from Aberieddy beach.

The Tower Off Abereiddi Beach

A large pinnacle of rock.

The Sledges

A group of large rocks, off Aberieddy beach, still a danger to shipping today.

Musgrave

Steamship sunk 1892. Depth 28m to 32m, fairly intact but broken in two parts, lying upside down, rudder, prop, boiler with conger eels, blennies and dab.
For more info on the Musgrave and our wreck dive sites please click to read John Liddiard's feature Legends in Their Own Lunchbox or The Pride of Pembrokeshire

Monkey Rocks

Lots of gullies, scallops, depths at around 20m. Also a good drift dive.

Amazonese

St Davids Head : Cargo Steamship built 1879 in Southampton. Hull material: Iron. Size: 1791 tonnes - Length: 88 m - Beam: 10 m
Sunk: 15/4/1881 Cause: Hit Rocks in Fog. Lies in 16 m upright. Orientation: bow to E - Condition: extensive breakup - Seabed: gravel

This wreck is well broken up but makes a good shallow second dive. There are bits of cargo still recognisable including some large iron wheels stacked together.

The Frederick - AKA The Musket Wreck

There is not much left of this shipwreck apart from the cargo, a huge lump of metal that was probably a load of swords. She has been named "The Musket Wreck" due to divers previously recovering whole flinlocks and parts. There are great gullies at this site that are full of life and if you look very carefully at about 20 mts you can still find small trading beads that the seabed will give up from time to time.

Nimrod - St. Davids Head

A Paddle Steamer from Ireland, 583 tons, length 177 feet, beam 25 feet. Sank in 1860 off St David's Head in depths of between 18m and 32m. Forty five people died, unable to climb the cliffs to safety.
The Captain had previously declined help from a passing ship.

The wreck is in three parts, her anchor lies at 20m and the chain leads down to 30m.
The middle section is nearby at 35m - Two boilers are still standing.

For more info on the Nimrod and our wreck dive sites please click to read John Liddiard's feature Legends in Their Own Lunchbox or The Pride of Pembrokeshire

The Graffoe - Ramsey Island

For info and photos from this shipwreck click to read John Liddiard's article: At Ease With Plan B's

The George - Porth Lyski

Steamer, boiler still intact, wrasse and conger in residence.

Pie Gulley - Solva

Depth down to 20m, anenomies, starfish, tubeworms, fans, nudibranchs, absolutely teeming with life.

Green Scar - Solva

Depth 18m. Bits of steamship wreckage are scattered on the bottom, a boiler sticks out from the sand, chain runs across to an anchor.

Black Scar - Solva

Small reef with plenty of life - seals often bask in the sun on the exposed rocks.

Reef Solva

SW of Green Scar, runs north to south. Large gullies to 20 metes Plenty of life; dog fish, sea cucumbers.

Grassholm

By special arrangement. We can take divers close to this incredible island.
11 nautical miles offshore, get mobbed by seals, dive bombed by gannets and escorted by porpoise !

There are 3 Shipwrecks: Dalserf - 26m, Mersey - 10m and Walter LM Russ - 10m

Weather conditions and tides have to be correct - we can only dive this site on certain dates please discuss with us prior to booking