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Scuba Diving in St Abbs, Scotland
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Dive Site: The Wuddy (Wuddy Rocks)
Location: St. Abbs Head, Scotland
Description: Boat dive
Depth: 0 - 15 metres (0 - 50 feet)
Visibility: 10 metres (30 feet)
Rating: ***
As vertical cracks go, this is one of the most adventurous in the area and is conducted usually as a second, shallower dive of the day. Just before Black Carrs if travelling from St. Abbs, the Wuddy Rock breaks the surface and many divers like to dive from the latter to the former, rather than starting at the latter. Either way, plan the dive, dive the plan. Depths range to no more than 15m, unless your profile goes out into deeper water away from the Wuddy, to 19-20m.
Usually some surge is present somewhere, although not too much suction swell through the very deep cut vertical gully. This is some 2-4m wide, closing up the shallower you become. If you are unlucky some current may be against your through the gully. The outer outside entrance area is ablaze with coldwater corals, sponges, anemones and a variety of fish species indicative to this area. This funnels and draws the dive into the dark recess and I've seen many a good photograph of this. The inner walls are smattered with mainly filter feeders, those of anemones, with several horizontal ridges presenting themselves, chock full of velvet swimming and edible crabs. The seabed has many scavenging hermit crabs. On the rock side outsides Tritonia hombergii the largest UK nudibranch can be found.
Some 8-10m long it is a very pleasant swim in 12-15m, eventually opening out once more where at its exit is a confused mass of large rounded rocks forming small 'caves' where wrasse hide out. Usually at this point the diver pair start an underwater discussion, turn left or turn right? Personally I don't think it matters, if the right turn was made this goes over to the inner part of Black Carrs' disarray of rocks, boulders and swim through areas. To the left the topography opens out although kelp seems to extend down more, however there are more opportunities to spot lobster and octopus, and admire the colours of the large sunstars. For exit as always a delayed SMB is launched, but do take care on surfacing.
Tony Gilbert
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