Pembrokeshire is one of my favourite places in the UK, so to dive there has always been on my wish list. The area hosts some great reefs, thanks to being home to one of Britain’s Marine Conservation Zones, and a load of interesting wrecks thanks to the historic boat traffic associated with Milford Haven being a natural deep harbour. Our group of divers was diverse in its experience – recently qualified Ocean Divers with only a few sea dives, up to Advanced Divers and instructors, but there was something for everyone enjoy.
On the first day we did the Dakotian because it was too foggy to do any other sites. Even after the surface interval the mist was still lingering, so instead of a second dive we tried our hand at fishing but couldn’t muster anything large enough for dinner. Weather on the second and third days was much more cooperative and saw us enjoy the best of the scenic sites the area has to offer at Hen & Chicks, Stack Rocks, North Wall, and High Point. Nobody spotted the elusive octopus on any of the dives, but there were enough spider crabs to shake a stick at, and an impressive amount of lobsters and schools of sea bass. During the surface interval on Saturday we dropped the lines in again and George managed to catch enough mackerel for all of us. With dinner sorted we headed to St. Brides Bay to enjoy BBQ of our fresh haul, and a stunning sunset. On the last day we stuck to the Haven to allow us to make a quick getaway to London, diving the wreck of the Behar and doing an interesting dive on the river just beyond the bridge; a very dark and gloomy 20m drift dive on a wall, but dotted with cat sharks, crayfish, and nudibranchs amongst a thick and colourful array of sponges and bryozoas (credit to our recent in house Marine Life Appreciation SDC for enabling me to name those!).
Many thanks to Len & Alan of Dive Pembrokeshire on Predator for running a great boat, and Upper Neeston Bunkhouse for a comfortable stay.
