Dorset - Weymouth & Portland

Weymouth’s history as a seaside resort goes back over 200 years. King George III and the Royal family spent their holidays in Weymouth and this connection allows the town to lay claim to being the United Kingdom’s first holiday resort. Weymouth is blessed with a superb, award winning, golden beach. The views along the wide promenade with it’s backing of beautiful Georgian houses and hotels are very impressive. In recent years the area around the picturesque harbour has been refurbished.

A wide range of pubs, bars, cafés and restaurants around the seafront and harbour offers the visitor the opportunity to relax and enjoy a drink or meal in the afternoon or evening sunshine.

The coastline of Weymouth Bay is dominated to the East by the white cliffs stretching as far as the eye can see towards Lulworth cove and on to Poole. To the South lies the imposing and somewhat foreboding mass of the Isle of Portland.

Whatever the visitor is looking for in the area Weymouth makes an ideal base with easy access to a wide range of activities. Just a short walk from the town centre takes you to the sea-life centre, an RSPB nature reserve and colourful gardens. Walks along the cliff tops of the Dorset Coastal path reward the energetic with stunning views and access to deserted coves.

Rock climbing, caving, mountain biking, angling, fossil hunting and sailing are all widely available in the area. If you wish to combine any of the above activities with a diving holiday The Aqua hotel at Portland can help you organise an activity break.

DIVING INFORMATION
The area around Weymouth and Portland is probably Dorset’s most popular wreck area. Portland’s Naval heritage has ensured that a wide variety of wrecks from both World Wars are available to the diver. A wide range of dive operators and charter boats are available in the area.

Portland harbour is very protected and diving is often possible on its sheltered wrecks even when gales from the South and west blow out everything else in the area.

Chesil beach has been a graveyard for sailing ships and means that a number of interesting wrecks can be dived from the shore if you have the energy to climb over the huge pebble ridges.

DIVE SITES
Chesil Cove (SY 683 733)
The eastern end of Chesil beach provides a very pretty shore dive. Without doubt this is the best shore dive in the area. The cove has weak currents, depths up to 16 metres, an underwater nature trail, and prolific wildlife. It is very protected from winds from the North and East. Be aware though that winds from the West can make it nigh on impossible to get out of the water here.

Royal Adelaide (SY 644 755)
Nor (SY 665 775)
Landing Craft (SY 669 750)
Three of the many craft that have come to grief on Chesil Beach, these wrecks are within a couple of hundred metres of each other. The wrecks are well broken up but they make a very interesting dive for all grades of diver. Depths are from 7 to 12 metres and visibility can be superb.

Countess of Erne 50 35.18 N; 02 25.18W
This wreck broke loose from her moorings and sank against the breakwater in 1935. She is approximately 240' long and with a 29' beam she lies upright on the bottom (7-14M) making an excellent dive for novice and experienced alike. The Countess has three holds that are open on either side, a number of attractions from a large rudder to ladders and even a toilet bowl! The Red Band Fish and Lumpsuckers that visit the Countess seasonally make this a dive you could do over and over again. Be aware though that careless finning can quickly reduce visibility to zero!

HMS Hood 50 34.10N; 02 25.22W
Sunk as a block ship at the entrance to the harbour this 380' battleship is upside down and was one of the area's most interesting dive sites until in 2004 Portland Harbour Authority banned all diving on it without any outside consultation. For more information visit The Hood Campaign page.

M2 50 34.60N; 02 33.93W
The M2 is an official war grave having sunk in January 1932 with the loss of 60 Officers and men. This 300 foot submarine sits upright and intact at 30 M. The conning tower rises some 9M. This is a tremendous and atmospheric dive.

Aeolian Sky 50 30.55N; 02 08.33W
A fine modern and recent wreck lying off St Alban's Head. She's a Greek registered bulk freighter of 14,000 tons and lies on a limestone sea bed on her port side. She stands about 13 metres throughout with her bows to the South and stern to the North. This wreck is huge and in bad visibility it is possible to get lost in her holds without even realising you have entered them! Currents outside slack water periods can be fierce.

Salsette 50 29.66N; 02 43.02W
This huge wreck is without doubt one of the most exciting on the south coast. She is over 440ft long with a beam of 53ft. Her decks are at about 32m but with depths of up to 48m this is an advanced dive. It is very easy to get a lot deeper than intended.

These are just a few of the huge number of dives reachable from Weymouth and Portland. A wealth of further information on Dorset Dive sites can be gleaned from John & Vicki Hinchcliffe's book ‘Dive Dorset’.
(Underwater world pub. ISBN 0 946020 26 4)

WEATHER & TIDES
Many of the sites accessible from Portland & Weymouth are tidal in nature and some of the wrecks are subject to strong currents. For the sake of safety dives should be conducted at slack water. High water Portland is on average one hour after High water Devonport and 4 hours 40 minutes before high water Dover.

Tidal predictions
Weymouth is blessed with a generally mild climate; the influence of the Gulf Stream ensures that sea temperatures rarely fall much below 9 or 10°C. Strong winds from the south can reduce visibility dramatically and make diving difficult on many offshore sites.

Inshore forecast Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis

Admiralty Charts
3313 – Berry Head to Portland Bill
2255 – Approaches to Portland & Weymouth
2610 – Portland Bill to Anvil Point
2268 – Portland Harbour

LAUNCHING
There are a number of launching sites in the area but do be aware that the use of the club rib may not be suitable for some of the offshore sites. It will be much safer and more comfortable to use one of the many charter boats.

Chesil Cove SY 683 733
Free Launching if you take the boat up Brandy Row, lift it over a wall and carry it down a ramp and across the pebble beach. Possible but not recommended!

Castletown Beach SY 688 744
Launch from a small shingle beach near the Aquasport hotel. There are also a number of dive operators and air stations nearby.

Ferrybridge SY 667 761
There is a launching ramp at Ferrybridge Marine Services on the Portland side.

Sandsfoot Castle Cove SY 673 772
Follow the signs from Weymouth towards Portland. On leaving Portland you climb a short but very steep hill. Branch left just after the crest into Old Castle road. It is possible to launch from a small beach at the end of the road. Be warned it is very shallow.

A further convenient launch point is a ramp outside Fathom and Blues dive shop. Details below.

DIVE SHOPS, GAS AND CHARTER BOATS.
There are a number of very good dive operations in the area.

Old Harbour Divers
Air, Nitrox, Trimix charter boats.
BSAC, PADI and RYA Training School.

Breakwater Diving Centre
A BSAC centre of excellence, Gas, Boats, Bed and Breakfast.

DiveDorset.com
PADI, SDI and TDI courses, Gas, kit hire, boats, a shop and accommodation. Some great offers on Advanced and Technical courses.

Fathom and Blues
PADI School, charter boats, air and nitrox, shop and equipment hire.


CHARTER BOATS
www.autumndream.co.uk
www.divetime.info
www.kyarratoo.com
www.skindeepdiving.co.uk
www.outrage-charters.co.uk
www.tangoofweymouth.co.uk
www.scimitardiving.co.uk

ACCOMMODATION
As Weymouth is very much a tourist town, there is a plentiful supply of accommodation to suit all budgets. The following are especially diver friendly.

Harbour Walk Guest House Weymouth, contact Maureen McAndrew on Tel 01305 770410
Elwell Manor Guesthouse Contact Martin Burville Tel 01305 782434
Alverstoke Guest House
The Old Castle Hotel Tel: 01305 784642 Proprieters Chris & Russ Ball
The Sailors return Tel: 01305 773377
Greenwood Guest House Tel: 01305 775626
Guide to Portland

TOURIST INFORMATION
Tourist Information Centre
The Esplanade  Weymouth  Dorset  DT4 7AN
Tel 01305 785747

GETTING THERE
From London & the East follow the M3, M27, A31 and A35 to Dorchester and then the A354 to Weymouth and Portland.
For those coming from further North I would recommend Using the M40 & A34 and then as above.

From Wales or the West Country it is probably best to follow the M5 to Exeter and then the A35.

Local BSAC Branches
Weymouth & Portland
Old Harbour Divers .

SW England page

UK main page