Cannon on the Seaford
Brighton and Hastings, about an hour from the south end of the M25. This location offers direct access to the English Channel, renowned for its rich maritime history and diverse marine life.
Arriving at ESAC, you can park for free directly outside the yacht club, then visit our fully equipped dive store at pontoon level – only 25m from our boat – where you can get a nitrox or air fill at members’ prices while you kit-up and load your gear. Immediately after your dive you can access a warm shower and wash-down areas. There is also the option to store your dive kit until next time.
Before you leave, join the other divers for a drink and a snack in the yacht club’ s welcoming bar, with food service from Wednesdays to Sundays. If local enough, you can always join any ESAC club nights on Tuesdays from 8pm within the yacht club’ s main bar area.
Shipwrecks of Eastbourne
We really want to help fellow divers discover how captivating the wrecks in our local waters are. Here are a few highlights to give you an idea of what’ s on offer.
Pottery wreck
SS Ashford
■ SS Oceana An historic P & O steam ocean liner, she was on voyage to Bombay when it collided with a German ship. Vast amounts of silver ingots and gold coins were present at the time of sinking. Boilers stand 5m high amid a tangle of wreckage. Depth:( 24-30m)
■ HMT Balfour Sometimes called the‘ Two Gun’, a small( 41m) British steam minesweeper( ex-trawler) which sank after a collision with the ship it was escorting, SS Nidd. The wreck still features an intact WWII gun. Depth: 28-34m
■ RMS Alaunia A Cunard steam-and-sail liner on passage from New York, sunk in WWI after hitting a mine. There are dramatic swim-throughs and exposed boilers, along with an anchor hanging from the bow. Depth: 28-34m
■ SS Lisbon A large( 71m) steam cargo vessel with triple expansion steam engine. Sunk in 1917 on route to Boulogne when she struck a mine from a German submarine. The wreck stands 5m off the seabed; a good mixed gas accelerated deco dive. Depth: 34-40m
■ SS Esparto This British triple-expansion steam cargo ship collided with a French vessel and sank while on passage to Barcelona, carrying coal. A large anchor just off the wreck on the seabed is a great photo opportunity. Depth: 28 – 34 m
Built for speed
Our club boat is a 7.2m RIB, fitted with a powerful 200hp Suzuki engine. Designed for speed and comfort, it gets you to the wrecks quickly and safely. It’ s equipped with AIS, VHF with DSC, Navionics, and a sounder, plus oversized tubes and racks for six to eight sets of kit, depending on configuration.
Once everyone is loaded and ready, the boat departs for the lock, and within 30 minutes we are at sea. Most wrecks are 40 – 60 minutes from harbour; we shot the wreck, then buddy pairs kit-up and descend. With the short run back to harbour, through the lock and onto the pontoon, you can enjoy an hour-long dive and be back in the yacht club with a snack
SS Ashford
in about a four-hour round trip.
This makes it perfectly possible to dive a 9am high tide and a 3pm low tide, tide permitting, if that’ s what members want. Eastbourne does have a large tidal range, so we only wreck-dive on slack water, sometimes running two waves during neap tides.
Become a member
For just £ 23 a month, and as a BSAC member, you can enjoy full access to our club dive facilities and vibrant social calendar. Each RIB dive only costs £ 27.50, covering the boat’ s expenses. Email us at membership @ sovereigndivers. co. uk or find us via the BSAC‘ Find It’ tool. �
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