Eyemouth and St Abbs Shore Dives
PETTICO WICK, ST ABBS
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Pettico Wick, a 'strenuous' Shore Dive or a sheltered Boat Dive,
A small cove around the headland to the west of St Abb's harbour, facing North it is sheltered from the worst of the weather which can make the East Coast un-diveable.
Access is by a small road between
From the small Car Park you walk back down the road and then down a grassy path.
The path down to the beach is steep and slippery, the last few metres very rough, as the path was destroyed in a land slip and has never been repaired, so it involves a scramble down a rubble covered slope to a pebble beach.
Pettico Wick from the car Park
Dive from the Old Jetty, to the right is Scenic Diving over kelp with large boulders and gullies, the marine life is superb.
To the left lies what is left of the wreck of the '
Path Showing land slip damage Pettico Wick Beach looking West
On the
The vessel drifted ashore next day at Pettico Wick where repair work was carried out on her. However, on the day before the spring tide when it was hoped to float her off, there was a storm and she was lost on
The Wreck is well scattered, and has probably been salvaged sometime in the past as there is not a lot left to see apart from a Boiler and Firebox and some small bits of metal in about 12-15m.
Enter the water at the jetty and snorkel or surface swim to the west past the large rock in the middle of the bay, then descend to 15m continuing west, metalwork can soon be found as it is well scattered over the sea bed. The boiler and engine parts can also be found, the boiler is sat on its end with its tubes full of life.
When diving the '
Rebreather Diver at Pettico Wick
Finally after all that exertion you have a long, hard, climb back up the hill to the Car park, I suggest you leave your kit at the side of the road and drive down and pick it up on your way back.
Note: I am not sure if this actually the
Shore Diving at Eyemouth ? Greenends Gulley
Greenend Gulley:
Accessed by a dirt road from the new harbour area, up onto a grassy field.
Two entry points, the first is small gully to the left (north west facing) this is over some boulders and kelp and then it drops quickly to 11mtrs into a steep sided gully with undercuts, cracks and ledges, housing lobsters,crabs, squatties, gobies and the occasional octopus. further out you come to a gully on your right this takes you through another narrow gully that opens out onto a sandy bottom, loads of other gully's and large boulders covered in kelp and soft corals to explore here, it is also possible to swim round into the next bay, and exit via the old sewage pipe. Care should be taken as currents can run quite strong here. Going straight on at the gully passed a large boulder, the gully widens out and then comes to a 't' junction, turning left it shallows out and eventually you end up at the breakwater for the new harbour, (this used to be the exit point), turning right this takes you around via a network of gullies to the next bay, again take care for currents and don't go to far north as this takes you into the harbour fairway.
The Second entry is off the Old Sewage Pipe (now a concrete path), onto a dense kelp bed with breaks onto sandy patches, heading West takes you around the network of Gullies described above and back into Greenends, heading East takes you into some shallower bays and Gullies.
Dives at St Abbs
St
N55.53?.56? W02.07?.48?
All dives will take place from the harbour at St Abbs, Parking either at the Council Car Park, Ticket Machine gives multiples of an hour or for a Day, or you can park at the Harbour and pay the Harbour Master a fixed fee for the day. It can be very busy, and parking spaces are limited.
Air from Scoutscroft Dive Centre, Coldingham, they also have a compressor in a hut at the Harbour Slip , again this can be very busy and it can be a long wait to get a fill in the summer.
Apart from the Seagull Rock Dive, it is a long walk around the Harbour to the entry and exit point, so consider a trolley, or carrying your kit around in two trips, it is safe to leave kit here.
Please check the Sea State before Diving, and if unsure ask the Harbourmaster, as the entry/exit point is difficult in a swell, and conditions can change very quickly, before setting off you can have a look at the Webcam at the St Vedas Hotel, in Coldingham Bay, this will give a good idea of sea conditions. http://www.stvedas.co.uk/surfcam.htm
Cathedral Rock
Considered the best Dive at St Abbs, this can be done in several ways, a surface swim to above the rocks, underwater using a compass bearing, and by including it in a longer Dive around Green Carr.
Cathedral Rock is a huge Underwater Double Arch to the East of the Harbour, only visible breaking the surface at low tide. There are lots of fish and other life around the arches, and it is not really tide affected, although on the East side of the Arch you can experience strong currents at flood tides.
Surface swimming is the easiest way to access this site if you aren?t familiar with the area, or are not confident with your navigation.
Enter the water and swim to the right following the line of the Harbour Wall, once you reach the end of the wall and you are directly in line with the East Wall, looking towards the houses, drop down into about 10-12m keep the rocks on your right you will arrive at Cathedral Rock, or the locals call them The Sluts. Exit is by surface swim or swimming SW along the maze of gully?s back to the entry point , or until you are lost !.
ENTRY AND EXIT AT THE HARBOUR, NOTE THE CROWDS
Great Green Carr and Little Green Carr
The easiest of the Dives as Great Green Carr lies directly in line with the Entry and Exit point. Enter the water and depending on the state of tide you can drop into 4-5m and navigate across the ridges and gully?s past Broad Craig, if the tide is low I suggest a surface swim past Broad Craig into deeper water, keeping the wall on your right you arrive at Great Green Carr, which is actually two rocks above the surface but one below. Lots of life and look for the resident Wolf fish as you arrive at the wall in a large crack, made obvious by the pile of broken shells lying below. The walls are covered in Soft Corals and sponges, look in the horizontal cracks for Octopus, lots of fish, and large Angler Fish have been seen on the Sandy Seabed, follow the rock around on your right, depth between 15 and 17m, not a lot of tide will be felt until you turn to the East side of the rock.
Follow the rock around again keeping it to your right, watch for large Lobsters and Crabs under the Rocks you will then come to a large ridge in front of you if you follow to the right and then cross the ridge left you will arrive back at the entry and exit point ? eventually, you will probably get lost, so make sure you turn 90 degrees right and follow the gully for about 50 metres before turning left (south west), there is a maze of gully?s and ridges here and easy to get disorientated, with depths of about 5-6m you can surface for a look if lost.
*A great Training area can be found to the 25 metres to the right of the Entry point and is a large sheltered sandy Amphitheatre, with depths of only 6-8m, it is perfect for Training Exercises.*
Seagull Rock ? Maw Carr
Only really a High Water Dive, this large rock lies opposite the Car Park
At the West end of the Harbour, accessed from the Beach, you circle the rock to a large cave/cleft at the North side, again lots of life to see, ideal for novices as the depth is only about 8-9 metres. I have seen Octopus and large shoals of fish here so a nice Novice or Second dive.
Other shallow dives can be the around rocks and the Harbour wall, lots to see with Crabs and Lobsters under every rock.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO WANDER INTO THE HARBOUR APPROACHES AS LOTS OF BOAT TRAFFIC IN THIS SHALLOW ENTRANCE