Scuba diving off the Isle of Wight

Our dive vessel ‘Penetrater’ has a large deck space and is fitted with step a through transom onto a purpose made dive platform and dive ladder with help on hand to make exiting the water easier. The cabin is a dry area and the toilet is accessed from the aft deck. There is a cooker, fridge and microwave and complimentary tea and coffee.

There is plenty of storage for cylinders and kit. The dive sites to the East and West of the Island are the same distances from our berth in Cowes so should the weather set in it can be possible to change the dive sites to save the days diving being cancelled.

The skipper will monitor the weather and make the final decision as to the days diving Going ahead, be aware that the dive sites may change from the East to the West of the Island or visa versa as the weather dictates. A copy of our dive charter conditions are available on request. A £25 deposit secures your place for the days diving.

Wreck diving to the West of the Island

 

Dives include:	Venezuela	28mtrs	Merchant Steamship	1918
	Fenner	23mtrs	Sailing Cargo ship	1881
	Borgny	30mtrs	Merchant Steamship	1918
	Albion II	29mtrs	Admiralty Trawler	1916
	War Knight	15mtrs	Merchant Steamship	1918
	Witte Zee	32mtrs	Ocean Going Tug	1964
	HMS Warwick Deeping	36mtrs	Submarine Chaser	1943
	Westerville	36mtrs	Merchant Steamship	1917
	Molina	33mtrs	Norwegian Steamer	1918

Drift dives along the back of the Island between Brook and Chale are always interesting. The wreck of the War Knight lies in 15mtrs close inshore near Freshwater Bay.

The ‘Margaret Smith’ a 300 ton gravel dredger that sank in 1978 lies in 16mtrs just off Yarmouth and can be a satisfying dive when conditions elsewhere are not so good, or for an evening dive.

Alum Bay is virtually non tidal, an ideal area for training at12mtrs max.

Wreck Diving to the East of the Island

Diving to the East is again from our berth in East Cowes.
Mostly two wreck dives are the norm in this area, the second being the large wreck site of the Luis in 17mtrs a steamship 380ft by 53ft, she was torpedoed in 1918.

Dives include:	HMS P12 (stern)	22mtrs	Naval Patrol	1918
	Camswan	18mtrs	Merchant Steamship	1917
	HMS Boxer	20mtrs	Destroyer	1918
	U1195	30mtrs	Uboat	1945
	Camberwell	30mtrs	Merchant Steamship	1917
	Kurland	35mtrs	Armed Merchant Steamship	1917
	Leon	35mrts	Armed Merchant Steamship	1918
	Highland Brigade	27mtrs	Merchant Steamship	1918
	Cuba	32mtrs	Troop Ship	1945
	Polo	30mtrs	Cargo passenger	1918

An ideal reference book for diving the area is:
A Divers Guide, Dive Wight and Hampshire
By Martin Pritchard & Kendall McDonald.
ISBN 0-946020=30-2  at £14.95