James Egan Layne

HMS Scylla was sunk in 2004, after laying in disrepair for ten years. A lot of work was done to ensure the ship was safe and easy to explore inside, and as expected, she has become a very popular dive site, situated some 40 minutes by boat from Plymouth.

Cawsand and Kingsand Bay are both on the western side of Plymouth Sound in Cornwall and can both be done as shore dives, with parking 200m from the beach. Further out on the outcrop of Cawsand, close to the old boat slipway, is a great drift dive as the current moves out of the bay.

The visibility is usually fantastic as the site is 9 miles offshore and swept with clean water constantly. The diversity of sea life supported by this reef is staggering and combined with the sheer size of the drop-offs and walls makes this a favourite site to all who visit.

Found by Devil’s Point, Eastern Kings can be done as a shore dive although boat cover is advisable. There is a sloping cliff to 40m. Best to dive at high water (ideally neap tides).

On 27th April 1970, the Glen Strathallen was towed out of Plymouth and sunk just off the Shag Stone in approximately 15m of water. Today you can still find the wreck on the sandy bottom.

What makes this location interesting, apart from the marine life, is that Panther Shoal lies directly between the firing line and fall of shot from both Fort Picklecombe and Breakwater Fort. As such, the observant diver can find cannonballs and so on, which litter this area.

Drakes Island lies directly at the mouth of the River Tamar and before the Breakwater was built a number of ships that were blown into Plymouth Sound by southwesterly gales came to an untimely end on her rocky shores.

This old steam trawler which had been converted into a minesweeper now sits at 13m on a sandy bottom, with her bow facing out to sea. The wreck is quite broken up but not widely scattered. With care, you can penetrate the boiler that stands about 5m high for about 1m but is quite confined. Fascinating marine life.

The Breakwater Fort is located just inside the Breakwater and is surrounded by a variety of both ancient and modern debris of all shapes and sizes to explore. A number of structures that form a circuit can be followed via an orange cable along the seabed.

The Waterfront Plymouth Hoe is an ideal dive site for all levels, access via steps to sheltered water. Can be used for training dives and an excellent location for snorkelling and macro photography. Air fills available at the dive centre 100m from the entry point.