UNDERSEA NATURE TRAIL
To get the best out of your dive please read this before you start
The trail is an attempt to introduce the non-biologist diver to some organisms which are common in this area and hence increase your pleasure from diving.
The biological information comes from the Marine conservation Society's book Guide to Inshore Marine Life, ISBN09071 51345 (really excellent) and the Hamlyn Guide to the Sea Shore and Shallow Seas, ISBN 0600343960 (more detailed)
Do not shy away from the Latin or scientific name as they are used world-wide. Many organisms have no common name and many others have the same common name or a multitude of different ones. The scientific name has two parts, the genus and the species. The genus is like a family name and the species which comes second is like a forename e.g. Smith john.
Echinus esculentus. Common sea urchin.
Numbers in brackets after a name are the page reference for a species from the Guide to Inshore Marine Life. e.g. Sea fan, Eunicella verrucosa, (53)
Place the Route Guide in a freezer bag, seal with waterproof sellotape or alternatively a laminated map is available for you to take on the dive with you. Neutral buoyancy is just as important here as on a tropical reef, try not to touch the bottom. Please take great care not to touch any of the specimens, many grow very slowly and the gentlest touch will harm them. Eunicella verrucosa grows at 1cm a year and a careless fin stroke can destroy years of growth, plus they are protected by law.
The trail takes you down the bow of the Primrose, along the wreckage to Low Lee reef, there are two spurs to iron cannons, around and over the reef, down to the sand and boulder sea bed and back to the start.
A torch is useful to show the real colours, to look in the nooks and crannies and under the plates and boulders. The roped trail is marked every 10m with a labelled white marker so you will know exactly where you are and you know how far there is to go. The total length is 200m. All bearings are magnetic compass bearings i.e. 000° and 360° are due North.
There is also a spur at 200m’s which is 50m long on a course of 360° This spur can be used to check your navigation and the time / fin strokes it takes to cover 50m.
Please give us feedback so we can modify and improve the trail for others. Should you find an interesting specimen please let us know of its whereabouts.
DISCLAIMER. The Penzance BSAC and English Nature do not accept any responsibility for people diving on this nature trail. The sea is a wonderful place but has no friends. Please above all Plan the Dive and Dive the Plan. Tides are not generally significant if you are used to sea diving but this does not mean that there will be no tide. Underwater ropes can be dangerous, always keep them in sight and at arms length, never turn your back on a rope.
Back to Nature Trail or The Route