Dive Spot: New UK Wreck Dive for 2011...The Coronation Trail, Plymouth

Coronation trail prompts large response
Source: Divernet

Divers have been travelling from far and wide to dive a new trail which opened on the protected 17th century Coronation warship wreck off Plymouth, Devon in mid-April.

Even before the trail’s opening, some 450 divers from 55 clubs
had registered to dive the site this year. And it looks as though news of the opening has led to an even greater number of divers keen to explore the site.

“There's been such a fantastic response to the opening of the trail,” Visitor Licensee Mark Pearce tells Divernet. “We had 194 divers and 20 groups in May, and have recruited more diver guides from the local community to help us share the load.

“One group moaned that their dive organizer had made a big mistake in booking just one dive on the site, so they are coming again in July.

“We have started 'singles evenings' on local charter boats to help non-club divers to come and visit. So far, the furthest traveller has been from Nottingham, just for the dive evening.

“The rest of the season looks as busy.”

The Coronation, a 90-gun Second Rate warship, sank in 1691 with the loss of 600 lives, off Penlee Point. It was one of the first wrecks to be protected under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973.

Wreckage lies in two areas, each in about 16m of water. The trail runs around the more offshore of the two, which features 17 guns, from small cannon to larger pieces nearly 4m long, and three large anchors.

Further debris includes cannonballs and ironwork, largely concreted into the seabed of rock and sand.

After diving the new trail on its launch open day of 16 April, DIVER magazine contributor John Liddiard said: “What really made it was the combination of the new underwater booklet they’ve produced and the pre-dive briefing.

“That brings the whole thing alive.”

Applications to dive on the Coronation can be made via the official website, www.coronationwreck.co.uk.