Felicity Seviour recalls a perfect day of seals and other wildlife at the Pembrokeshire outlier
COMPETITION
The iconic Smalls lighthouse
Livin’ large at The Smalls
Felicity Seviour recalls a perfect day of seals and other wildlife at the Pembrokeshire outlier
Briefing: Smalls Lighthouse stands on the largest group of wave-washed basalt and dolerite rocks known as‘ The Smalls’. This collection of rocks sits 20 miles from the Pembrokeshire mainland and around 8 miles from Grassholm. While the picture above the water is interesting and littered with curious seals, beneath the waves lies an otherworldly expanse of kelp, rocks and a variety of wildlife. With a maximum depth of 46m, there is something to suit most levels of diver, especially those with a keen interest in wildlife.
The dive: Having moved to the area in 2022, I was lucky enough to be introduced to this dive site by my friends at Cardigan Sub
Starfish en-masse, grazing on kelp
30
Aqua Club. Due to its location and the time required to travel to and from the site, it’ s a dive that requires near perfect conditions and an early start, so we are lucky if we can dive it more than once a year.
Seal interactions / sightings are one of my favourite things about UK diving and The Smalls is a brilliant place to have close encounters with them. Above the waves, there have also been sightings of basking sharks, orcas, dolphins, porpoise and minke whales, and so your surface interval is likely to be just as interesting as the dive itself.
On the morning of my 30th birthday, two RIBs full of divers set out to celebrate. After around an hour on the boats and with the morning fog burning away, the lighthouse came into distant view. As we got closer, the numerous faces of inquisitive seals became clear just above the water, as well as many basking on rocks in the morning sun.
After kitting up and dropping in, we entered the home of the seals, and were treated to acrobatic shows, many rounds of hide-and-seek and a game of‘ tug the fin’, new encounters seemingly around every kelp covered corner.
The site consists of large gullies, walls and drop-offs, all home to a variety of life including lobsters, crabs, crayfish and a wide range of fish and other small sea creatures. As a result, there are many paths you can take during a dive and the huge variety of life ensures a new, exciting experience every time.
After our final dive and another round of games with the locals, we began our ascent and all around us, we could see the faint outline of the seals dancing in the water and trying to see what we were doing. As we entered the boat and prepared to head for home, the familiar faces popped above the waves, seemingly seeing us off until the next time.
Debrief: An abundance of wildlife means every dive offers something a little different, and the chance to get up close with seals. Due to its location the site is rarely dived and so is mostly virgin territory, making it the perfect site for wildlife lovers, and one of the top sites in Wales.