Jake Davies loves a night dive, and here recalls some deliciously dark experiences around the Llyn Peninsula in northwest Wales
Wales
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after dark
Porth Ysgaden
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Criccieth
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Jake Davies loves a night dive, and here recalls some deliciously dark experiences around the Llyn Peninsula in northwest Wales
Heading below the surface as the sun goes down provides an exciting opportunity to discover the many marine species and habitats found along our coastline. For me, night diving allows for both calming and exciting moments, especially as you never know what species could emerge from the darkness.
Along Pen Llŷn( Llŷn Peninsula) in northwest Wales, many of the dives are carried out from the shore, where there is plenty of easy access. They are mostly shallow, rarely taking you beyond 12m, yet offering a range of habitats, from kelp forests to muddy sand and seagrass meadows. The combination of sheltered sites and such diverse habitats make them ideal sites to explore at night, especially if time has been spent diving them during the day.
On the south of the Peninsula, within
Cardigan Bay and the Pen Llŷn a’ r Sarnau Special Area of Conservation, Criccieth( 52.91749,-4.23044) provides a peaceful location to dive under the moonlight. Just under the castle you can get in the water on the east or west side. Heading into the water on the west you dive among large boulders. The east side is generally seen as the better option – you enter the water from the breakwater, swimming right underneath the castle and over a few boulders before hitting the muddy sand, home to plenty of life. It can be wonderfully atmospheric swimming over sandy habitats at night. During the day, you may find these
As darkness falls, the fun begins …
PHOTO: PHILL BOYD
The author preparing for a night dive at Porth Ysgaden
PHOTO: PHILL BOYD
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