Macro
down to 18 m
Petticowick (The Wick)
A sheltered bay beyond St Abbs Head with little or no current, 9-15 m deep, where tiny Atlantic cuttlefish are common.
- Open Water
- Cuttlefish
Farne Islands & St Abbs
Diving in United Kingdom
11 documented dive sites, 7 of them for Open Water divers. Known for seals, crustaceans and cuttlefish.
- Best months
- Aug–Oct
- Water
- 4–14 °C
- Levels
- Open Water, Advanced, Experienced
- Nearest airport
- NCL
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
Farne Islands & St Abbs in October
Best season- Sea
- 12 °C
- at the surface
- Air
- 14 °C
- 9 °C at night
- Rain
- 120 mm
- one of the wettest months
- Wind
- 19 km/h
- on average
Typical weather, not a forecast: averages for 2021–2025 (air, rain, wind) and 2023–2025 (sea), data from Open-Meteo (ERA5 / Copernicus, Météo-France). Covers an area of roughly 10 to 25 km around the destination.
Farnes boats run all year weather permitting; SSI gives March to October as the main diving window; August to October is best for visibility (St Abbs, offshore westerly winds) and August to late November for the most interactive seals (Farnes). November is shown as good because it is outside the March–October boat window but still peak seal season; Dec–Feb is shown as possible (boats operate weather permitting, no source calls it a season).
Dive sites in Farne Islands & St Abbs
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 m7 sitesFor Advanced divers
usual dive down to 30 m3 sitesFor experienced divers
usual dive down to 40 m1 siteMarine life
When the big encounters happen, month by month.
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SealsSource: scubapro.johnsonoutdoors.com |
- Peak season
- Seen
Seals: Aug–Nov
Also reported here, season not documented yet:
- Crustaceans
- Cuttlefish
- Nudibranchs
- Octopus
- Conger eel
- Wolffish
- Cod
Where is Farne Islands & St Abbs?
- Nearest airport
- NCL
Farne Islands & St Abbs: frequently asked questions
- When is the best time to dive Farne Islands & St Abbs?
- The best months to dive Farne Islands & St Abbs are Aug–Oct. Farnes boats run all year weather permitting; SSI gives March to October as the main diving window; August to October is best for visibility (St Abbs, offshore westerly winds) and August to late November for the most interactive seals (Farnes). November is shown as good because it is outside the March–October boat window but still peak seal season; Dec–Feb is shown as possible (boats operate weather permitting, no source calls it a season).
- Is Farne Islands & St Abbs good for beginner divers?
- Yes, partly: 7 of the 11 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including Petticowick (The Wick), Big Green Carr (Amphitheatre) and Cathedral Rock. The others need more experience or a higher certification.
- What is the water temperature in Farne Islands & St Abbs?
- The water is usually between 4 °C and 14 °C over the year.
- What marine life can you see in Farne Islands & St Abbs?
- Divers regularly see seals (Aug–Nov), crustaceans, cuttlefish, nudibranchs and octopus.
- How do you dive Farne Islands & St Abbs?
- The nearest airport is NCL.
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.
Your next dive is somewhere out there.
Find my next dive tripPhoto credits
- Sunlight and bubbles in deep blue water, Sarah Lee, Unsplash License, on Unsplash