Diving

An Introduction to Diving in Sussex

In this section we will take a look at what Brighton Branch has to offer the diver, not only here in Sussex, but also some of our expeditions further a field, like Weymouth, and Stony Cove.

Among its assets, Brighton Branch  has its own compressor and air storage banks, a 5m Humber inflatable boat, 'Mermaid', used for inshore diving, and activity weekends,   and is proud to own a 33"  Lockin, 'Nikaria', a superb vessel for diving.  Both of these vessels are berthed at the Sussex Yacht Club in Shoreham, which has some excellent facilities to offer, including all the necessities required after a long days diving, not forgetting the fully licensed bar and restaurant. 

Sussex has an extensive coastline of chalk cliffs, sand and shingle beaches. Shore diving is mainly restricted to structures such as, Brighton’s Palace & West piers, Worthing pier, and  a few chalk gullies, found off Seaford Head. Visibility is seldom better than 3 metres.

Sussex is more about boat diving, than shore diving, with the many interesting sites, including the reefs which roughly parallel the south coast from Bognor, all the way to Newhaven.  This  fault line intermittently rises above the sea bed up to 3 metres in places, dips below the sand and re-appears as a series of, vertical walls and scattered rubble.  For a more detailed description of these sites, take a closer look at the Sussex Reef Diving page.

The main attraction for divers in Sussex is shipwrecks, the south coast, and the English Channel is littered with thousands of shipwrecks, dating back hundreds of years, and some of which are of historical importance.  

We will include only those that will be of interest to the recreational diver, and are well known and dived by Brighton Branch and surrounding Sub-Aqua Clubs.  There are over 50 shipwrecks featured on our site, some with photographs, wreck position, details of their sinking, and their current condition. 

Many of these shipwrecks were the casualties of war,  either mined or or torpedoed during an attack by submarine, and we must first pay tribute to the many thousands of lives lost during these conflicts, and to respect their final resting place.  It is of little know fact that one in four British merchant seaman lost their lives during the second world war, a far greater number than for any other armed service.  It is with this in mined that we ask all divers to treat these wrecks with respect, and follow the guidelines set out below by the British Sub-Aqua Club, Receiver of Wrecks, and other governing bodies and agencies. 

1. Do not dive on a designated wreck site without a licence. Protected wrecks are indicated on Admiralty charts and marked by buoys, or warning notices on the shore nearby
   
2. Military wrecks should not be disturbed or items removed from them. This includes the debris field. The debris field is the trail of wreckage that comes away from the main body of the wreck during the sinking process. This trail can consist of parts of the ship, the cargo and the personal possessions of the crew.
   
3. Do not lift anything that may be of archaeological importance.
   
4. If you do discover what might be an historic wreck do not talk about it, but contact the Receiver of Wreck, who will advise you about your next steps. If your find is important you may apply for it to be designated a protected wreck site. You can then build up a well-qualified team with the right qualifications to investigate your site with the assistance
5. If you do lift any material from the sea-bed, it is a legal requirement to report it to the Receiver of Wreck as soon as reasonably possible, even if you own the wreck that the material has come from.
   
6. Avoid the temptation to take souvenirs. Go wreck diving to enjoy the scenery and life, or get involved in projects. If you must take something, try photographs or measurements, and records of marine life.
   
7. Know and understand wreck law. If you remove material from wreck, which you then sell for profit, you are diving for reward, which is outside the scope of sport diving and you must conduct your dives in strict accordance with HSE regulations. A sound knowledge of wreck law will prevent you breaking the law, perhaps even ending up with a criminal record where no crime was intended.