Text by Jeremy Cuff/www.ja-universe.com
Photography by Jeremy & Amanda Cuff/www.ja-universe.com
Type of dive: Shore, with an easy entry off the beach
Experience: Would suit inexperienced divers
Depth: 7 or 8 metres depending on tides and where you go
Marine life: Theluxuriant seaweed growth is home to many fish, crustaceans and molluscs
Visibility: Expect between 2-8 metres
Seabed: Flat and gently sloping with luxuriant seaweed growth, scattered rocks, occasional open patches of sand
Hazards: Boat traffic, jet skis, discarded fishing line
Lulworth Cove is an attractive and sheltered bay, popular with tourists, daytrippers and anyone who likes the water. It’s located on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset between Swanage and Weymouth and offers a great dive day out.
It’s sheltered from the worst excesses of the weather and largely free of currents unless you reach the entrance of the cove. It’s a place that can appeal to a wide range of divers, especially underwater naturalists, divers with families and also inexperienced divers looking for easy conditions with which to sample UK diving.
Arrival At The Site
At Lulworth Cove, there’s a small road that leads down to the beach where gear can be unloaded. You can’t park there and it’s shut to traffic after 10 am, reopening again at 6pm. There may also be boats, jet skis and kayaks being unloaded, so there could be queue if you don’t get there promptly. All vehicles must then be taken to main car park, back up the hill.
Visiting divers can then lug their gear onto the beach, ideally to the left as you look out to sea, as it gives a reasonable entry point. The beach is quite narrow and consists mainly of shingle and rubble with patches of sand.
Pre-Dive Briefing
It’s a very good idea for any dive group to use an SMB in Lulworth Cove as there’s quite a lot of boat and jet ski activity, and divers are never far beneath the surface. It pays to be vigilant, especially if surfacing, where it’s essential to look around and listen for any oblivious boat craft.
During our visit, we enjoyed reasonable visibility, but it’s easy for divers to lose their sense of direction, as there’s little in the way of “landmarks”. One of our group was designated as the “compass reader” and it prevented us from straying too far off course.
The Diving
As Lulworth is a shore dive, it’s a case of carrying fins and cameras into the water and getting afloat. It can be rocky depending on where on the beach you are, although it’s not too difficult if you take your time. Avoid the right hand side of the cove as you look out to sea, where the water is shallowest and the rocks are most numerous. It’s then a surface swim away from the shallows before commencing the dive.
The diving is shallow, with maximum depths being no more than 7 or 8 metres depending on tides and where in the cove you happen to end up. I managed to break into the “6 metre zone” on both dives, which I ribbed my buddies about back on the beach, who only managed a meagre 5 metres something! But depth isn’t everything, of course; it’s not what diving is all about.
At “the cove”, we enjoyed a couple of pleasant dives, swimming out from the beach and heading towards the “middle left” of the cove where the water is deeper. The underwater topography is fairly flat with scattered rocks and is luxuriant in seaweed growth.
Any diver with an interest in natural history should really enjoy Lulworth Cove. You can marvel at the incredible seaweed growth, and swim between some of the larger specimens that grow perhaps half way towards the surface. It’s one of those places where there’s a lot to see, but you have to look hard and be patient in order to find it. It’s a good idea to agree the “style” of diving (i.e. slow and relaxed) with your buddy in order to get the best out of the site from the outset.
Novice divers will find Lulworth a good place for to hone their skills in a largely current free environment before graduating to deeper, and perhaps more challenging dive sites. Here, the use of a compass and an SMB can be practised in ideal conditions.
Back at the beach, expect to be the centre of attention as you get in and out of the water. There’s always plenty of families and interested bystanders who seem fascinated by the activity of diving, with children delighting at the prospect of being in the water with divers. The novelty soon wears off however, and we couldn’t claim that our superhero status lasted more than a minute or two!
What To Look Out For
Lulworth is home to many species of fish and invertebrates. On both dives we were able to observe numerous wrasse skulking in the weeds and we enjoyed brief visitations of some decent sized bass specimens that had escaped the slab of the fishmonger just up from the beach. It’s also worth stopping occasionally to look for some of the more “hidden” inhabitants of the cove; expect pipefish, blennies, lobsters, crabs, shellfish and other cryptic critters. There are also areas of sandy expanses where flatfish such as plaice and flounders can sometimes be spotted.
Such was the possibility of finding interesting “small stuff”, I’m hoping to go back to Lulworth again, to concentrate on photographing “macro” subjects.
Useful PADI Courses
Lulworth Cove is a good place for inexperienced divers to hone their skills in a largely current free environment. It’s a great place to practice the use of a compass and an SMB.
For courses, try;
Advanced Open Water (which includes underwater navigation)
Underwater Photographer
Underwater Naturalist
Underwater Navigator
Dive Centres
There’s no dive centre at Lulworth, so divers will have to bring everything they need and consider things like air consumption. Most divers can safely do two dives on one fill in the conditions we experienced, but if someone is notorious for “sucking air” then it might be worth taking a spare tank just in case.
The nearest dive centres can be found in Swanage to the East, and Weymouth and Portland to the West.
Wider Interest
Lulworth Cove, with its unique horseshoe shape, is an iconic image of Dorset along with nearby Durdle Door, just along the coast. It was formed around 10,000 years ago and is part of the Jurassic Coast which stretches from Studland all the way to Exmouth in East Devon. As an affirmation of its global importance, the entire Jurassic Coast has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a plaque to commemorate its high-ranking status being located at Lulworth, unveiled by Prince Charles in 2002. The area thus enjoys the same status as areas such as the Great Barrier Reef, the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China.
Lulworth is great place to combine a family day out with diving. In the summer, there are several cafes, restaurants, kiosks and shops within close proximity of the beach, and there’s enough to keep children entertained. We took our son Zac, who enjoyed his day out paddling, swimming, exploring and helping divers in and out of the water. Ideally, it’s also a good idea to take a person who doesn’t dive, or who’s prepared sit out the diving to look after belongings.
LULWORTH COVE – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
How To Get There
Lulworth Cove is located between Swanage and Weymouth, on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset.
The only realistic way of getting there is by road. Check out any online map for directions.
When To Go
Lulworth Cove is sheltered and largely free of strong currents unless you reach the entrance of the cove.
It’s a place that is likely to be diveable when other places won’t allow.
Although diveable all year round, the summer months offer the best overall experience.
Dive Centres
There’s no dive centre at Lulworth, so divers will have to bring everything they need.
The nearest dive centres can be found in Swanage to the East, and Weymouth and Portland to the West.
Check out www.padi.com for full listings
Expect To Pay
Lulworth offers a fairly cheap dive day out. Basically you need fills (which must be obtained before setting out), plus parking (£5-£7) and enough cash for food and drinks from the local kiosks, cafes and restaurants.
Quote
“Lulworth Cove is an attractive and sheltered bay, popular with tourists, daytrippers and anyone who likes the water. It’s is great place to combine a family day out with diving.”
Where To Eat & Drink
In the summer months, Lulworth offers a great choice of kiosks, cafes, restaurants and pubs. Some of them close in the winter months, so expect less choice if visiting during that time.
Local pubs serve a range of brews including beers from the fantastically named Dorset Piddle Brewery!
For further information on Lulworth Cove and the Jurassic Coast, try the following websites;
www.lulworthonline.co.uk
www.lulworth.com
www.jurassiccoast.com
www.visit-dorset.com
Sport Diver Verdict
“Overall, Lulworth Cove makes a great dive day out. It has easy diving conditions and offers the chance of spotting interesting sea life. Really, what more could ask for in a day?”