11 divers (& 1 non-diver) made the 5-6 hour journey (just under 300 miles) to Seahouses on Friday 3rd October for a weekend’s diving off the Farne Islands. Having met some of the party unexpectedly in the Services off the A1(M), we arrived at the beautiful and well-appointed accommodation (Wyndgrove House at Seahouses), booked for the 2 night stay.
The Farne Islands are a group of 15-28 tide dependant islands & offer dramatic coastal and underwater scenery, with rocky reefs, gullies, boulders, soft corals and historic wreckage now forming marine habitats. Wildlife includes grey seals, puffins, guillemots, razorbills and Arctic terns. Unfortunately, October is outside of the main seabird breeding season and the seals ( though visible relaxing on the rocky reefs) were not up to coming to play with us or our fins on this occasion!
Grey Seals basking on the islands
The islands have a rich history, linked to Saint Cuthbert and Grace Darling’s 1838 rescue of survivors from the SS Forfarshire. Wreck diving such as the Somali, the Britannia and Abessinia are attractions for divers from far and wide, but due to a keen Westerly wind diving was restricted to the more sheltered walls and gulleys, maximum depth approx. 20 meters on this trip.
A great time was had by all, the weather remained dry with some fantastic pictures of sea-life captured by the photographers of the group, and only minor incidents (such as dry-suit leaks) along the way.
Common Octopus
Sea Scorpion
Common Lobster
Velvet Crab
‘Bloody Henry’ Starfish
Nudibranch ‘Limacia clavigera’
The local Black Swan Inn provided some well needed and deserved sustenance on Saturday evening, and we all disbanded on Sunday for the long drive home.
Trip organised and report written by Hannah. Charter provided by Sovereign Divers
