UKDIVING
Prop shaft and remains of the prop shaft tunnel on the Behar
UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS COURT
The Behar ( 6-18m )
The Behar is another sizeable British cargo steamship at 6,100 tons . Built in 1928 , it had a fairly uneventful life up until 24 November 1940 , when similar to the Dakotian it also hit a mine . Unlike the Dakotian it did not sink immediately , but was beached . It was declared a total loss , and following some salvage the remains were blown apart . The Behar now lies quite broken among some large boulders and reef .
A substantial amount of marine life and encrusting life has become established on the structure of this wreck . Sponges , anemones , crustaceans and fish alike make this dive particularly enjoyable and pretty . A highlight of the Behar is the wheelhouse ; it is the shallowest point of the wreck , in around 6m of water . It has numerous large windows and is usually home to a large conger eel . The majority of the wreck lies at approximately 10-15m .
The Thor ( 18-22m )
The smallest of these three wrecks , it displaced just 326 tons . A Dutch coaster carrying a cargo of coal , it was swamped by a following sea on 18 December 1943 . Up until a few years ago I had never dived this wreck , but it proves size isn ’ t everything ! The wreck itself lies almost entirely upside down and stands just 3-4m proud of the seabed . However , over the years the wreck has started to break up , revealing its hidden secrets . This gives it an entirely different perspective to both the Dakotian and Behar .
In addition , as explosives didn ’ t assist in its sinking , the Behar has retained much of its shape . Hull plates have fallen aside to reveal much of its internal structure and components . The eagle-eyed diver will identify the engine , prop shaft and steering gear . Ensure to dive around low water if you have Ocean Divers among your group .
Wreck Tours
The next phase of the project is to develop updated wreck tours for these sites , and we will explore how to make this information easily accessible to visiting divers . Beyond that , the sky ’ s the limit ! It ’ s possible the
Tompot blenny project will be expanded to include some other local wrecks . With the busy port used in both
World Wars ( and since the early years of sea travel ) there ’ s lots of wrecks from which to choose . In the meantime , get out there and enjoy the diving . If your branch fancies visiting West Wales but you are not sure where to start , drop me an e-mail . We will soon get you sorted ! Wales . coach @ bsac . com .
Essentials
Launching : At Dale there is a large concrete slip extending to the low water mark , car park close by and an excellent pub . No launching fees .
Gas : Hazelbeach Diving ( soon to be opening BSAC centre ) or Haven Diving Services , havendivingservices . com �
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