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
Open Water≤18 m
Countess of Erne
Dive site in Dorset (Portland & Swanage), United Kingdom
An upright 1868 paddle-steamer in Portland Harbour at 16 m max, with an accessible deck and holds where spider crabs and wrasse live.
- Max depth
- 16 m
- Level
- Open Water
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Entry
- By boat
The story
The Countess of Erne was an iron-hulled paddle-steamer launched in Dublin in 1868. On the night of 16 September 1935 she broke free of her moorings in Portland Harbour, drifted onto the breakwater and sank.
Source: divernet.com
The dive
A wreck dive from a boat. Known for crustaceans.
Who it's for
Open Water≤18 mSource: divernet.com
Recommended minimum: Open Water (PADI Open Water, CMAS/FFESSM N1).
Conditions
- Dive type
- Wreck
- Environment
- Open water
- Water
- Sea water
What you might see
- Crustaceans
Season in Dorset (Portland & Swanage)
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Best
- Good
- Possible
- Closed
- Not documented yet
Best months: May–Oct.
Source: travel.padi.comWhere is Dorset (Portland & Swanage)?
The point shows the Dorset (Portland & Swanage) area, not the exact dive site.
More dives in Dorset (Portland & Swanage)
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 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 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
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
About this page
Values marked “Estimated” come from our original catalogue and are being checked against published sources one by one. Sourced values link to where they come from. Conditions change with the season, the weather and the tide: confirm with a local dive centre before you dive.