Seven tenths of our planet is covered by water, and we live on the relatively small area of land that sticks up out of it - Portland, resembling but a pimple on that global landscape. Our sea tends to be on the cold side, the visibility under water is less than we would like, and it is subject to strong tides. Yet every weekend during the diving season - especially along the south coast - you will witness large numbers of divers venturing out to sea. Why?
Britain's cold and murky conditions are an attraction for divers - creating an irresistible sense of mystery and adventure. 50,000 members belong to The British Sub-Aqua Club - a thriving institution grouped in local branches, and they regularly want to go diving. So what do they see when they go diving?

Since the days of the Armada, gales, fog, navigation errors and two world wars have dotted Britain's coastal waters with a huge number of shipwrecks, and these form the bulk of our popular dive sites. Wrecks are being rediscovered all the time and most sites are easily accessible by boat. There is something very exciting about swimming around the remains of a vessel lost at sea. Some would say it was something of a privilege. Of course, scuba diving in the less-than-hospitable conditions found off Britain's shores requires good training with the right techniques and equipment, and this is provided within the clubs or by diving schools, some of whom have links in our Library.
If you know what you are doing but are unfamiliar with this area - here are some tips.

Portland Harbour, all six and a half thousand acres of it, is probably the best place to start. It's not all available for free diving, but a fair proportion is. You need to get a permit if you want to dive near the Breakwaters and you also need a permit for your boat - remember to display the 'A' flag and to monitor channel 74 at all times.

Every year an increasing number of divers leave this area dangling from the winch-wire beneath the Coastguard chopper - heading for Poole and the decompression chamber. A few go straight to the morgue. Make sure it is not you or your mates.

For further details and permissions contact The Harbour Master, Portland Port Ltd, Castletown, Portland, Dorset, DT5 1PP. Tel: 01305 824044. Permits are also available from: Bluecastle Chandlers, Castletown, Portland. Ferrybridge Marine Services, Ferrybridge (at the head of the causeway). Old Harbour Dive Centre, Nothe Parade, Weymouth.

So what can you see around here for starters?

THE COUNTESS OF ERNE
Sitting upright in approx. 12m of water, with most of her superstructure now gone, she was once 'an old paddler' who saw the end of her days as a coaling barge working the harbour. Although she sunk in 1935 a fair amount of her remains to this day, despite being on a fairly silty site she is an easy dive and used a lot for training in wreck penetration.

HMS HOOD
The story of how she came to be here is contained elsewhere on this site. The Hood - a Sovereign Class Battleship from 1891 - has been sitting upside down across the South Ship Channel of Portland Harbour for 90 years and is beginning to show her age. Swept twice daily by fairly strong currants, the interior is still accessible to the more experienced diver - however, care should be taken. Follow this link for a dive tour of the Hood by John Liddiard

THE ENECURI (or THE SPANIARD) (Permit Required + advance notification to HM)
A 3000-ton Spanish Steamship, about which very little is known concerning her history. On 28 December 1900 during a force nine north-westerly gale she dragged her anchor and went aground on rocks close to Breakwater Fort. The lifeboat was unable to render assistance due to the severity of the weather, however the crew of twenty-six were able to escape to the harbour wall and were saved by the Chief Engineer who heroically swam to shore with a line attached to him. Despite the advice of the coastguard, and for reasons unknown, the Captain and his dog boarded the vessel the next day and made no attempt to escape when the Enecuri finally slipped off the Breakwater and sank. A few years later, divers working on the wreck discovered his skeleton and that of his dog in the cabin. Badly silted and well broken up, the Enecuri lies at the foot of the wall in 12m of water, almost unrecognisable as the great Steamship she once was. Lying along her port side, is a Pontoon, quite prolific in marine life.

BOMBARDON UNIT (Permit Required)
A 2nd world war experimental wave breaking unit and can only be described as a star shaped barge surrounded by lots of hatches and girders? Although in only 15m of water, the bed on which it lies is very silty. Directly alongside is a barge with rudder and propeller still intact.

LCU (Permit Required + advance notification to HM)
A landing craft with the bow doors open. The wreck is intact and home to much marine life. At a depth of about 12-15m and on a silty bed. Care should be taken if entering the wreck and only then by the more experienced diver. I failed to find out what LCU is abbreviated from, perhaps unclassified? - (follow this link to find out about life on a landing craft)

DREDGER (Permit Required)
The wreck known as the Dredger was possibly once a sand Dredger. Makes an excellent training site as it is only in 10m of water and unlike much of the harbour, lies on a sandy bottom. Lying in a sheltered spot (apart from in an easterly), with no tidal worries, this site is easily accessible by boat. The wreckage is very broken - although it is possible to identify 2 sections, one of approx 12m and one of about 6m, though they are some distance apart. Good first dive with varied marine life. NO PERMIT REQUIRED The majority of Portland's Harbour wrecks can still be dived without the need of a permit. The shore dives are still FREE, and if bringing your own vessel cost as little as £2 per day*(1999).
*Based on vessel up to 6.1m when paying daily harbour dues and using the FREE Castletown slipway and diving in a no permit area of the harbour or passing through Portland Harbour waters to dive one of Portland's other many excellent diving sites (where no restrictions currently exist).

NEWTON'S COVE - SHORE DIVE
Ideal training location with interesting rocky area. Only 5-8m depth. Best at HW.

FERRY BRIDGE - SHORE DIVE
Some sheltered diving under the Ferrybridge. Dive at slack water (1hr after HW Portland). Depth 5-8m. Look out for the underwater trail.

YACHT - RECENT WRECK
20ft Fiberglas yacht. Good navigation exercise.

HAM - WRECK
At a depth of only 8m, a good beginner's dive - Once a soft wooden vessel, now broken wreckage lying on a silty harbour bed in a sheltered position, no currents.

VIXON - WRECK
Fuselage of a Vixon aircraft deliberately sunk and used for underwater escape and lifting exercises by the Royal Navy. A large lobster, the size of a small dog is reported to live there - watch out!

OIL TANK BEACH - SHORE DIVE
Shallow dive - good snorkelling. Harbour bed almost pure sand - good visibility - Ideal beginner site.

HIMALAYA - WRECK
When launched in 1853 she was the largest three masted steamer in the world and weighed a massive 4,600 tons. After serving in the Crimean war, as one of the largest troopships, she was sold as a coal hulk and anchored in Portland Harbour. Four bombs dropped by German JU-88 Aircraft on her deck on 12th June 1940 consigned her to the seabed. Her Scattered remains now lie at a depth of about 12m. Take care though, of the four bombs dropped, only three were reported to have detonated!

LCT - WRECK
Pretty much intact in 17-20m - Hard to find on sounder but easy dive. Very silty. One of the many tank and infantry landing craft to be found in Portland waters, sunk during preparation for the D-Day landings of June 1944.

BALACLAVA BAY / GROVE POINT BEACHES
Varies from 12 to 30m in depth along rocky ledges prolific in marine life. Balaclava Bay makes an excellent night dive in good vis. Good training spot and drift dive. Beware of strong currents especially at Grove Point!

The above wreck listings courtesy of Portland Oceaneering and Old Harbour Dive Centre.