Wave Shape
Wave Shape

Trip Report: Swanage, 8 May 2022

Waves Shape
Trip organiser Kristina Pedder reports

Dives: Fleur de Lys, 13m; Under Swanage Pier, 4m

A group of seven Dacorum Scuba members travelled down to Swanage for an unexpectedly sunny day of experience dives.

In the morning, the group dived the Fleur and barge wreck site from Swanage Boat Charters shuttle aboard Mary Jo. There were lots of firsts achieved; first UK boat dive, first sea dive, first drysuit dive in the sea, first time on a diver lift, first time diving the barge. The underwater viz was around 5-6m, but the water was slightly milky. No plankton bloom was apparent. Notable things seen included shoaling bib, ballan wrasse, cuttlefish, conger eel (under plates near the stern), feather worms, sponges, and numerous smaller things.

After a break for lunch, all three groups dived under the pier. Sadly the conditions didn’t live up to the photos posted on UK viz reports Facebook group in the preceding few days, but the further along the pier you went the better the viz. Being a neap tide, the walk into the water was tricky and there were a few weighting issues, but there was plenty of smaller life to see, including wrasse, spider crabs, sponges, seasquirts, other fish and an elusive black faced blenny.

Everyone agreed that they had fun and had experienced something new.

See the trip gallery for more photographs

Dive charter boat Mary Jo

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