Life under Swanage Pier

We’re busy servicing, repairing, and renewing our dive and camera gear, getting ready for a busy summer underwater.  The first dive of the year is always about checking kit works, getting back into diving rhythm, and making sure our drysuits aren’t too tight after all that Christmas pudding. 

For those near the south coast, one of the best places for the first dive of the year is under Swanage pier, a wildlife gem on Dorset’s Jurassic coast.  In just four metres of water, thick piles support the pier above, and a unique habitat below.  Shining silver sea bass swim past to check you out.  John Dory watches with his all-seeing eye, hides in the sea grass, then turns sideways and disappears.  A black goby comes out from under a rock and changes colour.  Common prawns stand at the mouth of their rocky retreats, sifting the passing tide for food.  Short-spined sea scorpions blend into their surroundings, ready to ambush unsuspecting prey.  And last but not least, one of the stars of Swanage pier, the Tompot Blenny, manages to be cute and ugly at the same time.  But… he’s the Swanage superstar, so we’ll give him a blog all of his own, right after this…

Here’s some footage from the time we spent diving at Swanage pier last summer.

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Images by Andy, words by Jackie