Poole Dam Divers (BSAC 1924) dive weekly leaving from Poole Quay. We are lucky to be based in one of the UK’s premier diving areas and have numerous dive sites within half to one-hour hard boat journey. These include picturesque drifts and numerous wrecks ranging from 10-40 metres plus.
Poole Dam Divers undertake dives within the 10-40m ranges unless conditions and experience of divers allows deeper dives to be undertaken.

A brief description of some of the local dive sites regularly dived by Poole Dam Divers is listed below in alphabetical order.

In October 1926 this 206 foot long and 880 ton steam ship sank in heavy seas and gale force winds whilst under tow to the Isle of Wight for engine repairs. She lies in Poole Bay upright in 24 metres of water. The boiler and bow, which rises 4 metres high, are the most prominent features. The bow is covered in deadmans fingers, anenomes, tube and fan worms and soft corals and nearby also covered in marine growth you will find very distinctive railings. The heating pipes of the boiler provide homes for various small fish and crustaceans. The midships and stern is fairly broken and provide shelter for numerous crabs, lobsters and congers. To one side of the wreck there is a mast lying on the seabed.

In February 1919 this 228-foot long 1,149-ton steam driven merchantman was sunk by a German submarine. She now lies twisted and broken at a depth of 27 metres. The stern rises 6 metres from the seabed and is upside down with the keel at 6metres high and an easily recognisable 4 bladed iron prop attached. The midships is broken with mast lying just off the wreck and you may still find the toilet. The bow section rises about 4 metres high. The whole wreck is a haven for large shoals of fish.

Between Ballard Point and Old Harry Rock you can drift steadily at a depth of between 10-20 metres. There is much life to be found whilst exploring the sandy seabed and rocky outcrops. Old World War 2 shells can be found littering the seabed the evidence of an aircraft gunnery position on the cliff top. They are heavily covered in marine growth and initially can be mistaken for cylindrical shaped rocks.

This wreck lies in 38 metres of water south east of Anvil Point. In October 1917 this 265 foot long 1831-ton ship was returning from France having delivered a cargo for the frontline when she was torpedoed by German submarine UC-63. Her 2 boilers, engine block and 13lb gun at the stern are easily identifiable and throughout the wreck you may still find brass fittings, ammunition and pottery.

A French submarine chaser she measured 120 foot long and 400 ton. In December 1943 she capsized in a fierce storm and now lies in a depth of 32 metres just one and a half miles from Swanage. She is now badly broken as a result of the severe currents found in this area and stands only 2-3 metres proud of the seabed. However you can still see the gun mount, twin diesel engines, depth charges and asdic (sonar) mounting.

The area off Durlston Head provides an area of interesting rocky ledges and broken gullies within a depth range of 10-20 metres. Currents around the head can be quite strong which makes this an ideal site for drift diving.

Evans Rock

On the edge of Swanage bay in a line between Ballard Point and Durlston Head sits Evans rock. Apparently it is a rock pinnacle standing 4-5 metres high and is surrounded by a sandy unremarkable seabed. The challenge for this drift dive is to find Evans rock. Depending on the depth, which ranges from 15 – 20 metres you, can drift over scallop beds, sandy areas where various types of flat fish happily rest and lots of rocky areas covered with sponges and marine growth.

In February 1925 this little cargo steamer had been transporting coal along the south coast when she was reported lost. The wreck lies in 37 metres of water just over ¼ mile south east of the Kyarra. The bow stands 3 metres high and has a deep scour around it. The remains of the engine and prop shaft are recognisable but there is no prop in situ. Large shoals of fish congregate around this wreck so if the shot is not on the wreck follow the fish.

One of Dorset’s and possibly the UK’s most popular wrecks. The SS Kyarra traded between England and Australia with a brief period as a hospital ship bringing home casualties from Flanders during World War 1. In May 1918 at the start of a voyage to Sydney with mixed cargo she was torpedoed by UB-57 and sank. She lies at a depth of 28 metres just past Anvil point. She is a large wreck 415 foot long 4383 tons and lies 10metres proud of the seabed. Large sections of the wreck are intact and she still holds some of her original cargo including perfume, champagne and wine bottles, sealing wax, pocket watches and medical supplies. Year on year more items are found as the wreck starts to break up in the severe currents and more of the cargo holds are revealed.

Mile Posts is situated jut past Durlston Head going west. If you look at the coastline you will see two tall white posts, which are exactly one nautical mile apart. These Naval Mile Posts are the last ones left in mainland Britain and were used for ships to calculate the true speed over a set distance of one nautical mile. The drift takes place opposite these mile markers.
The landscape varies depending on where you drift and at what depth. The depth ranges from 12-27 metres and you can drift over sand and mussel beds, sand ridges, which can reach over 2 metres high, and areas of boulders covered in marine life the boulders provide shelter for crabs, lobsters and a variety of fish.

Poole Patch is located in Poole Bay and relates to 3-4 different sites in this area. The patches are areas of rocky ledges, which can house an abundance of marine life. Recent sitings of John Dory’s and Triggerfish have been reported. Recent dredging has silted up the area and the sandy seabed can be easily disturbed which can quickly reduce the visibility considerably. The sandy areas provide a resting place for flat fish and rays and the rocky outcrops are covered in large shoals of fish and marine growth. 

Located at the southern end of Swanage Bay Peverill Ledge extends outwards from the end of Peverill Point for a distance of over half a mile.
In a depth ranging from 15 – 25 metres, a series of ledges and boulders at times rising 6 metres from the seabed provide a fantastic drift dive. The ledges are covered in many types of marine life including deadmans fingers, sponges, sea squirts, rose coral and fan worms. They also provide shelter for crabs lobster and numerous fish. In between the ledges are areas of sand and large areas of sea carpet. Dives differ according to the current and can range from a gentle picturesque drift to a white-knuckle ride. No dive here is ever the same.

In March 1918 on route from Falmouth to Rouen in a convoy. This 190 foot long 730-ton ship was sunk by UB-59. She sits in 27 metres of water and is now quite broken. You can find the remains of the chain locker on the bow, boiler and engine block and can follow the prop shaft tunnel to the stern. She is not often dived and has become a haven for fish life. Cuttlefish are often found here along with large shoals of bib, congers, crabs and lobsters

In 1944 a number of Valentine tanks were fitted with canvas screens to enable them to float. The experiments to float the tanks took place in Poole Bay but unfortunately in heavy swells the tanks were overcome by the sea conditions and sank. The 2 most popular and diveable tanks lie in about 15 metres of water and are usually joined together by a line. When dived for the first time it is quite surreal to see a tank underwater. One of the tanks is complete with turret, gun barrel and caterpillar tracks and is about the size of a large 4x4. The second has had its turret blown off which now lies to one side. The tanks have become home to numerous lobsters, crabs and congers. The surrounding seabed is very flat and sandy and if stirred up the visibility can rapidly deteriorate.