Best place as a home base for Diving on the UK south coast

[BartW]

further to my other post, "cruising the UK south coast"
I would like to know which you think is the best place / marina to use as a home base for diving trips on the UK south coast. (next year september)

We have been adviced the more west we go the better the diving, therefor our initial idea was to base us around penzance, so that we could have a day diving trip to Scilly as an option when sea state allows,

perhaps some mates on here have better advice on places where underwaterlive is special, or where chances on good enough sea state for diving are better, fe bay's that are more protected from the wind etc...

we need a small marina, close to open sea, with parking place for 2 motorhomes. we do have all the diving gear/ compressor, etc...

thanks for advice

 

[longjohnsilver]

Ok Bart, there's quite a few choices depending on how far West you want to come. My favourites would be Weymouth, or rather Portland marina, provides a choice of which way to go if it's rough. Or further down into Cornwall somewhere around Falmouth, again choices which way to go and not too far from the Scillies.
Good diving to be had in both locations. Or another choice almost in the middle there's Plymouth with 4 marinas to choose from.

 

[strakeryrius]

I'd second that - Portland is a great base to go diving all along the South Coast. Apart from the sites in the vicinity of Portland itself, there is the whole Jurassic coast of Dorset within an hour's cruise; Poole is less than an hour away, and the Solent/Isle of Wight less than two hours.

If the weather is favourable the whole of Lyme Bay is open to you too and as has already been posted there's lots to do underwater in that vicinity.

 

[Nick_H]

Portland is more restrictive in poor weather, and lets face it, in September in the West Country you're highly unlikely to get a week of settled weather. I'd suggest Plymouth, as you have the protected areas of Plymouth Sound in poor weather, that still have some good diving, and a huge variety of diving with lots of wrecks when you can get out of the Sound.

 

[Major Catastrophe]

I would base yourself in Studland Bay. Apparently there are loads of seahorses and underwater photographers to observe.

 

[pissativlypossed]

Plymouth is the place, base yourself at the Mountbatten Centre

http://www.mount-batten-centre.com/

There are facilities for camper vans, easy and free launching, air on site, pubs and restaurants galore, and some of the best and varied diving anywhere in the British Isles.

 

[Nick_H]

Bart, you want to get this guide if you'll be diving in Devon. There's also one covering Cornwall if you go further west. They have GPS co-ords for the dive sites.

 

[BartW]

Thank you Nick,
havent' come across this book yet,

I have a book on Scilly's,
have one of south Cornwall on order,
will order the one of Devon re your sugestion
and then I can snooze, and make my mind up,

just one remaining question;
most mates on here adress me to Devon / lyme bay / plymouth / ...
but completely no advice on scilly's

is the area you all talk about so special, compared to Scilly
or is this because a lack of knowledge / experience / too far away ... ?
or is there nothing really special at Scilly islands ?

what do you think ?
thanks for the advice
rgds

 

[longjohnsilver]

Have been to Scilly but not dived there. Beautiful place with very clear water but main problem dive wise is that it gets very, very deep just offshore so I would guess limited number of dive sites.

 

[Nick_H]

just one remaining question;
most mates on here adress me to Devon / lyme bay / plymouth / ...
but completely no advice on scilly's

Only because i've never dived there

 

[BartW]

Tickets are booked

Tickets are booked for the channel crossing with car + trailer with boat on the ferry, from Calais to Dover, on 12 september
and back home on 18 september.

Our plan still is to go to Cornwall,
first base ourselves in Falmouth,
and if the weather allows, to go to the scilly's
eventually from Newlyn marina.

if the weather forecast is really bad, we might decide not to go that far west.

 

[Gemini]

South Cornwall

The 2 main marinas in Falmouth may not be suitable to set up camp so worth checking , if you go to Mylor they have a slip Petrol/Derv and space for the mobile homes and a very nice place, but slightly out the way , there a number of wrecks in the area, but the vis can deteriorate due to rain water from the Helford and Fal rivers, but does clear,

If you can get around to the Lizard about 20 mile by boat, there's the Vass Reef Manacle Chain & Reef ( 50m Bounce dive ) Famous Mohegan Wreck, Juno, Volnay, the list goes on.

Just be mind full of the SW winds picking up and tidal hazards Outer Manacles during springs is about 4.5 hrs prior to HW Falmouth Shore based dives from Portkeriss, Porthoustock, Coverack has a Slip[ way tidal are all good and loads of room this time of year.

On a day when you can't get out, visit St Keverne you will pass it on the way to Porthoustock Lunch or dinner in the Three Tons Pub and stroll around the church grave yard, the head stone make fantastic reading and reflect the history of the coastline and local wrecks.

Enjoy it, you will want to go back .

Regards

 

[BartW]

if you go to Mylor they have a slip Petrol/Derv and space for the mobile homes and a very nice place, but slightly out the way ,

is that the marina near churchtown ?
these are very small roads, do you think I can get there with a 4ton, 9m trailer behind the car ?

looks interesting on Google maps, I prefer these smaller marina's !
we might go there instead of Falmouth
thanks for the advice !

promise to visit St Keverne when the sea state doesn't allow to go out
kind regards

 

[AndieMac]

these are very small roads, do you think I can get there with a 4ton, 9m trailer behind the car ? /QUOTE]



What's your max. beam Bart? 8 foot or over-width?

 

[BartW]

these are very small roads, do you think I can get there with a 4ton, 9m trailer behind the car ? /QUOTE]



What's your max. beam Bart? 8 foot or over-width?

beam is ok, trailer is 2.4m, beam of the boat at its widest point is 2.6m

but I am mostly concerned about "small" roundabouts
and
"state of the road" the trailer suffers a lot on bad roads, or traffic bumps,

we had a lot of repair work on the trailer recently, full story to be posted as promissed ;-)

 

[Gemini]

Mylor

I've only been there by boat, so not sure of the actual road conditions, it is a full working marina and Ive seen 40 ft + low loaders in there collecting and delivering boats.

Meet some friends there who has a trailer outfit Bayliner 2400SC about 2T in weight, if that help

May be worth giving Mylor Marina a call 01326 372121 and ask their advice on access.

Also worth doing a search on local BASC branches in Cornwall ( Porthkerris Divers) they will be able to advice on local conditions and launching etc.

Have a good trip and keep us informed

Regards

 

[BartW]

I've only been there by boat, so not sure of the actual road conditions, it is a full working marina and Ive seen 40 ft + low loaders in there collecting and delivering boats.

Meet some friends there who has a trailer outfit Bayliner 2400SC about 2T in weight, if that help

May be worth giving Mylor Marina a call 01326 372121 and ask their advice on access.

Also worth doing a search on local BASC branches in Cornwall ( Porthkerris Divers) they will be able to advice on local conditions and launching etc.

Have a good trip and keep us informed

Regards

just called Mylor marina before I read your post,
if everything goes according to plan, our boat will be moored in the marina next sunday evening
thanks for posting