Diving off Lundy

[FloppyFoot]

Hi all,

In June 2006 I'll be attending a friend's wedding on Lundy Island. I've heard the diving can be very good there, but have no idea what to expect.

• Are there operators on the island itself, or do all the boats leave from the mainland?

• Do you have an operator that you'd particularly recommend?

• What are the water temps likely to be in early June? How about vis?

• Any favorite dives on the island?

• Silly question-- what tank valves do UK outfits typically use? (i.e. will my yoke valve reg be compatible?)

• Anything else we should know?

Thanks in advance!

 

[String]

I dived Lundy this August. I dont think there are any operators on the island itself although apparently air fills are available (or used to be). We didnt go ashore.

Charters run from a few places on the south cost. I went from Clovelly (a small very strange village on an incredibly steep hill that resembled something out of a stephen king novel). Generally the dive boats are converted fishing boats to take you there and transit was just over an hour.

One on the net: http://www.clovelly-charters.ukf.net/
I dived on the "Lundy Murrelet" boat.

Unfortunately i dont know of any RIB shuttles that go to the island which would have been better than a slow moving hard boat. Im also not sure what kit you have or need - the charters we spoke to had compressors for air fills but didnt have any kit (or tanks) to loan.

If there is nothing on offer from the island itself all i can think of is phone one of the mainland based charters and see if theyre going there that day and if so, will they pick you up from the island itself.

Water temps are likely to be in the region of 13-15c at that time of year. Vis as per usual is highly variable and depends on the weather the previous week, the tides, algal or plankton bloom and so on. Choice of site also has an effect on the vis around there. I got 3-5m when i went. It can be more, it can be less and is pretty standard for the UK.

As for dive sites, i take it youve seen:

http://www.lundy.org.uk/dive/ and
http://www.lundy.org.uk/dive/maps/m001.htm


Looking at my logs i dived "Jackson Cove" which ive got described as a "fairly flat bottom with round boulders and a few gullies. Generally uninspiring" and the wreck of the "Robert" which was a superb dive on a coaster that lies on its side. During the lunch break/surface interval we snorkelled with the local seal population.

As for tanks, firstly they'll all be steel over here and 232bar minimum rated. For some very obscure reason A-clamp connections are still very common in the UK but most tanks have DIN removable inserts so i cant see your a-clamp regs causing any problems.

Hope thats of some use.

 

[FloppyFoot]

Thanks very much for the detailed reply! 13c is warmer than I had expected-- not warm, but warmer. Sounds like we'll have to do some research on tanks and operators-- I'd really rather not have to fly tanks from the U.S.!

 

[String]

'd really rather not have to fly tanks from the U.S.!

You wont be able to get them filled anyway as they dont meet european standards

Just another thought, some operators offer packages of diving with accomodation on Lundy (for an extortionate cost). It maybe worth seeing which of these offer that and seeing if you can do some sort of deal as accomodation is booked with someone else already etc.

 

[Adrian Kelland]

FloppyFoot,

You could try contacting the local dive club http://www.ilfsac.org.uk/ They have RIBs and hardboats IIRC, and can probably sort you out with cylinders, weights and a buddy.

Worth a try.

Adrian

 

[FloppyFoot]

Excellent, guys, thank you!