MINECRAFT
Dorothea has long been a legendary location for divers , finding its popularity zenith in the 1990s as the technical diving revolution took hold . The depth , size , clarity and sheer presence held many in thrall , with 100 metres + of vertical scenery awaiting discovery .
These dark waters were visited by early tech pioneers , such as Polly Tapson ’ s Starfish Enterprise Team , warming up for Lusitania ; Rich Stevenson and Ric Waring prepping for the Carpathia and HMS Dasher . Rick Stanton , Mark Ellyatt and many others cut their technical teeth in its slate fanged depths . In its heyday the two gravel car parks would be bursting , and every conceivable and probably questionable configuration of the latest tech couture would be on show , waiting to be hotly critiqued in and out of the water .
There was , however , an issue . With any new frontier comes a level of disorder ... and Dorothea was no exception . You see , no-one had any actual right to be diving the quarry ; no-one was overseeing the diving that took place ; and very little technical consensus existed in the community generally at this time . Sadly , it all resulted in a spate of incidents , as well as conflict with locals and the authorities over access to the site . From this cauldron of negativity , a notorious reputation was forged .
Fast forward to April 2017 and the acquisition of the site by The Dorothea Lakes Limited ; at the time it looked likely that the final dives had been made in this imposing beauty spot . However , by dint of hard work on the part of two long time visitors to the quarry – Dave Howson and Nigel Spiers – a plan emerged to reintroduce legal access . Once again , Dorothea ’ s many sunken artefacts could once again bathe in the harsh glow of diving lights .
By forming a club open for suitably qualified divers , and affiliating it to BSAC , they solved the puzzle at a stroke . It was a case of satisfying the landowner and cultural heritage stakeholders , protecting users ; providing insurance and safeguarding the future of the site for divers . Given the remoteness and depth of the lake , there is now a set of entry criteria an aspiring member must meet to dive it .
Today , the terrain above and below the surface has been granted UNESCO World Heritage status , recognising the rich history of the slate mining industry and its indelible imprint on the landscape . Attractions are many and varied , from the true heritage of the quarry in the form of blast huts , abandoned machinery , access tunnels and hawser cabling , to the less historical elements that have found their way into the depths . Vans , cars and boats are all present , but not in the sanitised fashion of a bespoke dive centre . Nature is represented too , with enchanted forests of the original tree growth that would have broken up the drab grey of the workings , small schools of fish use the colonising weed for shelter and a myriad of insect and larval invertebrates can be seen .
If you ’ d like to learn more , or perhaps want to teach technical courses at the quarry , check out www . nwtd . co . uk . The website contains access , joining and subscription information about the club , and we also have a YouTube channel displaying footage from visiting divers . Once you ’ ve signed up , a members ’ Facebook page and WhatsApp group keeps you up to date with developments , who ’ s diving , when and what ’ s on offer . �
Mike Bailey enters the water from a platform
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