Plymouth Drop off

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Diving

Directly due South from Breakwater Fort approximately 2 miles offshore is a drop off which just has to be dived! The drop off is named literally because as you would expect, the depth drops off from 30m to 40m. Toward the Western end the depth slopes quite steeply between 30 and 40m over a boulder field which harbours some of the largest Conger Eels and Lobster I have seen. In the area toward the East there is a pronounced shelf as the drop off between the depths is a sheer wall.

The same tectonic plate movement which threw up the Mewstone seems to have created this drop off with the shifting of the plates. This site has excellent visibility and can be dived in all states of the tide. It is not a novice dive, not only for the depth component, but because access is by free descent only.

The reason for this is apparent as soon as you dive on the top 30m plain where the variety and density if fan corals and soft sponges would make it a criminal act to drop a shot!! The topography on this site is truly surprising and the usual feedback from the divers is "I wish I had my Camera!"

Again on this site SMB’s are essential for each diver and must be deployed at the start of the dive. This is an excellent slow drift with minimal energy expended and the place to really get the best performance out of your Nitrox certificates!

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