Nab Tower - divable when?

[DanE]

Hi,

I've got conflicting information about when Nab Tower can be dived, so looking for some local knowledge.

Can it be dived at any state of the tide, or is slack required?

It will be a neap tide when we dive it.

Cheers,
dan

[MattS]

It can be dived off slack but you need to be very careful. Stay close to the wall and in the lee and it's easily diveable. As you get to the edge of the tide the current will start to tug. It's pretty obvious as it runs at 4 to 5 knowts. You need to stop and turn before it is too late. Go too far and you will get dragged into the current and off the site. On a flood tide that leaves you drifting directly into a very busy shipping channel :eek: If your divers get swept off they need to to deploy a delayed, get to the surface and onto the boat pronto. Forget about safety stops, clearing the shipping channel must be the priority. Because of the proximity of the shipping channel you should make a point of calling coastie and letting him know you are diving there. You should also let him know immediately if divers are drifting into the channel so that local shipping can be warned to watch out.

If you can imagine a concrete wedding cake that's what the Nab looks like below the surface. The bottom layer is pretty wide, but usually dark. As you ascend the layers get thinner and so does the lee. The common mistake is for a diver to forget the layers are getting smaller. They go a little too far on the shallow steps and it's next stop France or Hayling.

When dropping divers in do not be tempted to go too close. Drop them in the middle of the lee and have them swim into the wall. The divers should be briefed not to descend away from the wall. When ascending do so close to the wall and swim out to the boat. SMBs should not be used while on the site or when ascending - only when swept off.

What you will find on the bottom is 50 years worth of junk thrown overboard and a thriving community of Tompots, crabs and lots of stuff I don't know the name of ;)

I would think twice before diving with water breaking over the base of the tower. I definitely would not put the inexperienced into such conditions.

HTH

[DanE]

Thanks for the info, Matt.

dan.