Is Dorset (Portland & Swanage) good for beginner divers?

Yes, partly: 6 of the 10 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including Portland Underwater Curiosity Park, Chesil Cove and Countess of Erne. The others need more experience or a higher certification.

What is the water temperature in Dorset (Portland & Swanage)?

The water is usually between 12 °C and 18 °C over the year.

What marine life can you see in Dorset (Portland & Swanage)?

Divers regularly see crustaceans, cuttlefish, nudibranchs, conger eel and tompot blennies.

Dorset (Portland & Swanage)

Diving in United Kingdom

10 documented dive sites, 6 of them for Open Water divers. Known for crustaceans, cuttlefish and nudibranchs.

Best months: May–Oct
Water: 12–18 °C
Levels: Open Water, Advanced, Experienced
Nearest airport: BOH

When to go

Pick a month: the diving season, from published sources, and the typical weather.

Pick a month

Best
Good
Possible
Closed
Not documented yet

Dorset (Portland & Swanage) in October

Best season

Air: 16 °C; 12 °C at night
Rain: 170 mm; one of the wettest months
Wind: 18 km/h; on average

Typical weather, not a forecast: averages for 2021–2025 (air, rain, wind), data from Open-Meteo (ERA5 / Copernicus, Météo-France). Covers an area of roughly 10 to 25 km around the destination.

PADI gives May–October as the best season; spring (and autumn) noted for good visibility; Swanage Pier dive shop opens daily March–October; winter diving possible but needs drysuit experience. No source says diving stops, so no month is shown as closed.

Source: travel.padi.com

Dive sites in Dorset (Portland & Swanage)

From the easiest to the most demanding. Levels with a dashed outline are estimates we are still verifying.

Open Water friendly

usual dive down to 18 m6 sites

Artificial reef

down to 14 m

Portland Underwater Curiosity Park

An artificial dive park in Balaclava Bay at 10-14 m with a mock Roman temple, statues, a 3 m shark sculpture and Admiralty anchors.

Open Water
Dolphins

Wreck

down to 18 m

Chesil Cove

Shore dive down ledges from 3 to 18 m off Chesil's pebble bank, with cuttlefish, wrasse, pipefish and the remains of a landing craft and the Royal Adelaide.

Open Water
Rays

Wreck

down to 16 m

Countess of Erne

An upright 1868 paddle-steamer in Portland Harbour at 16 m max, with an accessible deck and holds where spider crabs and wrasse live.

Open Water

Kelp forest

down to 8 m

Kimmeridge Bay

A 5-8 m shore dive in the Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve over weed beds and rocky ledges, with tompot blennies, pipefish and spider crabs.

Open Water
Cuttlefish

Kelp forest

down to 5 m

Swanage Pier

A shallow shore dive under Swanage Pier, its support struts covered in weed and kelp and home to blennies, wrasse, juvenile pollock and spider crabs.

Open Water
Cuttlefish

Wreck

down to 12 m

The Dredger (Portland Harbour)

A small, broken bucket-dredger wreck in 10-12 m at the foot of Portland's inner breakwater, a habitat for fish, squid and spider crabs.

Open Water
Squid

For Advanced divers

usual dive down to 30 m3 sites

Wreck

down to 30 m

Aeolian Sky

A 1979 cargo-ship wreck lying on its port side in 29 m, with most of the hull intact and the holds still full of cargo.

Advanced

Wreck

down to 24 m

Betsy Anna

An upright 1892 steamer in 24 m about 5 miles east of Swanage, lost under tow in 1926 after striking Prawle Point.

Advanced

Wreck

down to 34 m

Kyarra

A 1903 passenger liner torpedoed by UB-57 in 1918, lying off Swanage from about 23 m to the seabed; one of Dorset's most popular wrecks.

Advanced

For experienced divers

usual dive down to 40 m1 site

Wreck

down to 36 m

HMS M2

An intact submarine lost in 1932 that was used to carry a small two-seater aircraft; the crew died aboard, and sponges, plumose anemones and conger eels now live on the wreck.

Experienced
Conger eel

Marine life

When the big encounters happen, month by month.

Reported here, season not documented yet:

Crustaceans
Cuttlefish
Nudibranchs
Conger eel
Tompot blennies
Sharks
Dolphins
Rays
Octopus
Scorpionfish
Seahorses
Squid
John dory

Where is Dorset (Portland & Swanage)?

View on OpenStreetMapLocation: Isle of Portland (Wikipedia)Map: Natural Earth

Nearest airport: BOH

Dorset (Portland & Swanage): frequently asked questions

When is the best time to dive Dorset (Portland & Swanage)?: The best months to dive Dorset (Portland & Swanage) are May–Oct. PADI gives May–October as the best season; spring (and autumn) noted for good visibility; Swanage Pier dive shop opens daily March–October; winter diving possible but needs drysuit experience. No source says diving stops, so no month is shown as closed.
Is Dorset (Portland & Swanage) good for beginner divers?: Yes, partly: 6 of the 10 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including Portland Underwater Curiosity Park, Chesil Cove and Countess of Erne. The others need more experience or a higher certification.
What is the water temperature in Dorset (Portland & Swanage)?: The water is usually between 12 °C and 18 °C over the year.
What marine life can you see in Dorset (Portland & Swanage)?: Divers regularly see crustaceans, cuttlefish, nudibranchs, conger eel and tompot blennies.
How do you dive Dorset (Portland & Swanage)?: The nearest airport is BOH.

About this page

Seasons and marine life come from the sources below. Site levels and depths marked as estimated come from our original catalogue and are being checked one by one. Conditions change: always confirm with a local dive centre.

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Photo: Sarah Lee on Unsplash

Photo credits

Sunlight and bubbles in deep blue water, Sarah Lee, Unsplash License, on Unsplash