UKDIVING
The discovery
The next site lay just south of the island; a dive familiar to the experienced members, known for its kelp forests and hidden gullies. As the first wave descended, Steve and Barry navigated through thick fronds of kelp, sunlight dancing in shafts through the green canopy. Twenty minutes into the dive, Steve spotted something unusual in the sand between two rocky outcrops.“ At first I thought it was just a dinner plate,” Steve recalls.“ But as I brushed the sand away, the outline started to take shape— and I realised I was looking at a ship’ s bell!”
In a flurry of excitement( and silt), the visibility dropped to zero. But moments later, through the haze, Barry saw his buddy emerge grinning behind his regulator— bell in hand, eyes wide with disbelief. Their muffled cheers
Howard Lewis and Mike Jones about to dive
echoed through their regulators as they exchanged underwater high fives.
Back on shore, the bell drew instant attention and careful inspection revealed a clear inscription – Allendale. Subsequent checks confirmed that the bell belonged the SS Allendale, a three-masted schooner steamship built by James Laing & Sons of Sunderland in October 1875. By a stroke of poetic coincidence, the discovery came almost 150 years to the day since her bell first rang. The Allendale was a cargo vessel of her time, part sail, part steam
“ He was grinning behind his regulator – bell in hand, eyes wide with disbelief.”
Steve Hardcastle makes his discovery
– a hybrid of a changing maritime era. To find her bell after all these years was not just a lucky strike, but a tangible link to a bygone world of British seafaring and a once in a lifetime discovery for a diver.
First dive, first find
For Barry Cotter, the day was doubly special. Having only recently joined Cynon Valley Sub Aqua Club after crossing over from another agency, he was still completing his training for Sports Diver certification. This was his first dive from the club boat, and the bar for future dives has now been set rather high.“ I thought this was just a normal day out!” Barry jokes.“ If this is what happens every time, I’ ve definitely joined the right club.”
As for Steve Hardcastle, the finder of the bell, the discovery marks a fitting highlight in a long diving career. Originally from the north of England, Steve has spent decades exploring the UK’ s coastline and has become a core member and instructor within the Cynon Valley club since moving to Wales. As if by divine intervention, while back onboard the RIB shortly after the discovery, Steve received a phone call from his brother, a rare moment shared with those closest to him.
What began as a routine club dive became a momentous day in the club’ s history— a rare blend of luck, skill, and timing that every diver secretly dreams of. The Allendale’ s bell now stands as both a historical artifact and a symbol of the spirit that embodies diving, curiosity, teamwork, and adventure under the sea. Swiftly reported to the Receiver of Wreck, the bell under advice, is now stored in a manner that will ensure its longevity for people to enjoy it for many years to come.
As the waves lap quietly over the wreck site in Pembrokeshire, the bell’ s story has been brought full circle— its voice found again by those who still listen to the call of the deep. �
Club stalwart Howard Lewis at the helm
Barry Cotter and Steve enjoy the moment
52