Anglesey Snorkel Trip 31st July-2nd August 2026
Ten divers and two non-divers made our way up to South Shields on Friday 31 st July – Steve and I arrived early and had a good look around to check out where everything was ready for Saturday
morning. We checked into our accommodation at the Premier Inn and when most of our team had arrived, we walked the 5 minutes to the Metro station and rode the short journey into South Shields for some food and drinks, with Vladimir and Stu joining us a little later.
An early start on Saturday morning had us meeting at Mill Dam ready for ropes off at 7am with Voyager Boat Charters.
Our skipper, Bob Scullion, arrived in good time to collect us and we loaded all our kit on board. A thorough safety briefing and plan for the morning followed and then we set off for our first dive site.
Dive 1 – The Cider Wreck (actual identity uncertain – believed to be either the Hortense Lea or the Firelight).
After around 30 minutes travel we were on site, weather was sunny and calm, and the hooked shot was deployed. We all kitted up and as first pair in, Steve and I had to tie the hook into the wreck so the other divers could descend easily to the wreck at 26-27m. Visibility was 8-10metres. We explored the wreck, which was covered in dead man’s fingers, shoals of bib, a few pollock, lobsters and butterfish. After a thorough exploration we ascended back up the shot and made use of the trailing fender and the dive lift to get back on the boat.
Dive 2 – The Oslofjord and Eugenia Chandris
In view of Herd Sands Beach, the second dive was the Oslofjord, sitting in a depth of 12-15m, it’s an enormous wreck site, as it’s actually two wrecks intermingled. Covered in life and all manner of tangled metal, we saw lobsters of all sizes marching around, butterfish, squat lobsters, tiny hermit crabs, more bib and pollock. Decent visibility but silty, lots of black and white tiled flooring where the kitchens were. Massive engines sitting on the seabed. After exploring extensively, we returned
to the shot and ascended back to the boat.
After a tasty pasta lunch on board, we returned to Mill Dam, unloaded cylinders and handed them over to Bob’s friend Drew for filling, with the arrangement being he’d drop them back to us at the hotel later. We then headed back to the hotel for a relaxed afternoon. At 6pm we met up to head into South Shields again on the Metro. We had a few drinks and a tasty Italian meal before heading back to the hotel.
It was a slightly later start on Sunday, with ropes off at 7.30am. Jon hadn’t slept well so elected to head home early but the rest of us loaded our cylinders back onto Voyager and headed out for more
fun.
Dive 1 – The Pandora
Another sunny, calm day. We headed out towards Blyth to the wreck of The Pandora, sitting in 23-24m. Steve and I were on tying in the hook duties again as first pair in. Moving around the wreck, we saw plenty of dead man’s fingers, shoals of bib, lobsters, butterfish and squat lobsters. Moving along the wreckage we reached the huge boilers which were fascinating to see, with more wreckage beyond. Back up the shot again after a thorough exploration, the visibility was again around 10m.
We had a tasty stew for an early lunch on the journey back to South Shields before our second dive on the Oslofjord.
Dive 2 – The Oslofjord and Eugenia Chandris
Bob put the shot at a different spot on the wreck this time, giving us a completely different dive. Paul and Nikki headed all the way to the propeller, Steve and I ferreted about looking at shiny bits of brass and interestingly melted metal. Lots of rifle ammunition scattered about, lobsters all over the place, more butterfish. Once again, we had great vis and a really interesting dive. Back up the shot and onto the boat. We made the short journey back to Mill Dam before unloading and heading
home.
