Dive Marshal's Resources

General Resources

Most of what you are likely to need can be found at one of the following links:

From these references you should be able to put together your plans for the day.

Inland Site Details

Stoney Cove

Stoney Cove is in Leicestershire. I find that the distance from our area is about 130 miles, and takes almost exactly two hours with a good run and no roadworks on the motorways. If you like your breakfast, and here are plenty of service stations on the way, then allow longer.

One of the drawbacks of Stoney Cove is that it has three car parks, only one of which is near the water, and so there is a "bit of a scrum" to get a place in the better car park first thing in the morning. A "bit of a scrum" means that if you aren't there by 06:00 on a Sunday to queue for the 07:00 opening  then you're taking pot luck. Diving doesn't generally start until 08:00 and usually must be finished by 15:00 or so depending on the time of year. The diving is in fresh water and visibility is usually good.

Horsea Island

Horsea Island is next to Port Solent Marina, alongside the M27, just north of Portsmouth. I find that the distance from our area is about 70 miles, and takes about an hour and a half to get there. If you like your breakfast, there is a nice Happy Eater at Fontwell on the A27, half an hour from Horsea, so allow longer. The diving is in brackish water (sort of half sea / half fresh) and the visibility is quite good until the first person stirs it up. The bottom is quite silty and stirs up easily, but settles out again reasonably quickly (i.e. in time for your next dive!).

Wraysbury

Wraysbury is close to  where the M25 crosses the Thames to the west of London. I find that the distance from our area is about 35 miles, and takes about 45 minutes get there depending on the traffic on the M25. If you like your breakfast, then eat it at home, as I've yet to find anywhere on the way that serves anything!. The diving is in fresh water, with a very silty bottom that settles out in time for your first dive the next day.

Other resources