Martin's Haven

Scrambled down cliff to the rocky bouldery beach to swim at Deadman's Cove, then back across to Rennets Slip. Anvil rock, past caves and arch. Managed to return same way, though tide overflowing outcropping rocks difficult to get past so climbed out to rest and decide what to do, which turned out to be a good shortcut. Getting out I did very carefully, as losing a fin would have been a big deal. Getting back in was exciting! I had to swim quickly, hugging rocks and use both fin and arm strokes. In hindsight it may have been easier to have continued round to Martin's Haven. Sore and scratched fingertips from scrambling. Saw two seals. Large wrasse (ballan), bass, ssf, compass jellyfish, cyanea lamarckii, comb jellies (x6 3-5cm). Lots of large kelp, wrack, thongweed.

LW 07.50, HW 13.50. Warm hazy sun. Visibility VG. Cold. Usual kit. If I ever go in here again for a snorkel I'll stick to Deadman's Cove/Rennets Slip (best underwater scenery here anyway). Neap/slack and v.settled conditions.

Barafundle Bay

On a long walk which took in the lily-pad/weed infested creeks of Stackpole Estate and the tremendous cliffs here, I went swimming at Barafundle Bay. This was a 'retro-swim' with the very basic kit I started out with - speedo FSM - though for some reason I swam without a snorkel. Water temperature close to the beach was very comfortable. Visibility was ok near the beach but not so good around the headland, when I went to look at the triple arch. It was close to high tide and I wasn't diving very deep so didn't see much except for a small school of bass. I was stung by jellyfish, but didn't even get to see it. It wasn't far at all to the arches, but the going seemed slow and missed the power of my scuba fins. There, underwater, I noticed a pool of light - but didn't feel like swimming through the hole to the other side. Nice clean sandy beach at Barafundle, like Broadhaven nearby, but very busy and somewhat noisy with people and boats. No dogs around. [Looking back at photographs - Stackpole Quay itself might be a better place to snorkel].

Nolton Haven

Another likely spot picked out using aerial photographs from Local Live. It was cool to start with and there was some hazy cloud, becoming hot later. Usual kit [FJ/Rash vest/boots/X3s/3kg] and borrowed Yas's mask because of the big panes- but soon found it fogged really easily. [Later toothpaste worked excellently to remove film and without affecting glass. Also good to use saliva on mask before getting wet].

Nolton's Haven had nice fine sand - but Yas said it was too fine and it got everywhere. For snorkelling there are good range of habitats to explore close by. I liked it here, though unfortunately, perhaps because the very big beach just to the north bans dogs, there were loads here. People we watched left shit behind - tied up in plastic bag; and continously dogs barked - the echoes reverbereating off the surrounding cliffs.

I had three swims here, the first was quite short because I had to come out to get my old Speedo mask. I had started going around the north side towards caves. There were lots of light sandy-coloured fish in small schools that were possibly gobies, and a big lobster (my first) making for crevice under large rock. The second swim took me a bit further in the same direction - but not much, as by now there were more people fishing and I didn't feel like long swim out and around them. It was around here I found a big barrel jellyfish (Rhizostoma Octopus) swimming about; I watched and photographed for a while before it moved out into deeper water. Interesting beasts those jellyfish, I read somewhere that their guts can harbour a strange little crustacean (with big green eyes) that lives nowhere else. They're also a favourite food for turtles. Other things I saw around the caves (there was a arch about here somewhere too) included spider, shore, and edible crabs, several bass, sbf (wrasse), ssf. One bay I swam through felt particularly creepy - cold and deep, it also contained suspended fishing line.

My third S. side (toward arches) to cave/arch in headland. Didn't find arch - obscured, small, or map error - or collapsed. Crabs as above, ssf, more bass, flatfish (brill) on rocks (~20cm) had slightly nibbled fins. Hermit crabs on sandy bottom. Plants as yesterday + olive green ferny branched weeds. More kelps less UL. Legs tired on third swim and ankles sore. Used arms more in breaststroke - not textbook but helped.

Manorbier

According to Giraldus Cambrensis, aka Gerald of Wales etc "this is the most pleasentest spot in Wales". Yes, it is pretty nice, and has good sandy beach with rocky bits for swimming and snorkelling around.

It was another good hot day, it turned out we were there for first decent week of sunshine; usually in the UK we are lucky to get a couple of days, and have been rained out completely before. So, got there early and parked for free (again! free parking - I like this place). Had a couple of swims, and Yas went in too. Better for her without any extra buoyancy (she had tried wearing a buoyancy aid to see what would happen, if she'd feel steady or more comfortable or something), and she did some snorkelling around on front. Her mask was still very foggy [turns out to be a very persistent film - also trapped hair and poor fit]. Usual kit.

I swam out of the bay eastwards, past some deep rectangular fissures. Swimming down into these wasn't very nice as they were cold and gloomy, and there wasn't much to see anyway - a few dark fish lurking in the shadows. It was about HT and didn't see much other wildlife as I made my way back. Later on I explored he west side, swimming over the shallow rocky ridges, getting back at low tide. There were wrasse (ballan and corkwing) some of them quite big. Sand eels (also quite big), SSF, SBF, small blue jellyfish (whitish and manky), dead edible crabs, clusters of blennys, and a small comb jelly. There were the usual sort of plants, various types of wrack including some smaller delicate ones, Irish moss, coral weed, sea lettuce, kelps, oarweed etc. Swam quite a long way on the second swim; the dives themselves were getting slightly better and more relaxed. The red cliffs reminded me of home. Manorbier castle was very scenic and the people there very nice, even after I trod on their cat.

Aber Bach

I was pleased to find this beach, walking distance from our campsite. I'd seen it on aerial pictures, and on maps, but still wasn't quite sure it would be accessible with public access. I was particularly glad to find it as I really didn't feel like driving any further afield for a day or so. The weather was great, it was bright and sunny, though a bit cool with the sea breeze. It still wasn't long after spring tide but the visibility wasn't too bad around high tide, I expect it would be much better nearer neaps.

First I swam east, there are some very rugged and dramatic looking cliffs and island over this way; but it wasn't particularly enjoyable, with the water surging around the rocks and poor vis earlier in the day. I found some wreckage out here, but it wasn't very interesting just some stumpy girder thing. West out of the cove there are more caves and rocks - less intimidating, and the water became clearer and warmer. There were SBF, SSF, wrasse, and a blenny that when I stopped to look at actually approached the camera; also shore crabs and a small moon-jellyfish.

Pwilgwaelod, Dinas Head

Had just driven up to Wales and wanted to make the most of the weather - it was warm, bright and sunny, with a gentle breeze. We had looked at possible snorkel site further west (can't remember the name), but decided to press on to look at a more generally sheltered spot near Dinas Head. Parking at Pwilgwaelod was free - and we managed to find a spot. The vis wasn't fantastic but quite good for a spring tide. We had to count ourselves lucky as some people we spoke too said that the previous day had been really choppy (but they had seen - from their boat - a swarm of very large, dustbin-sized jellyfish). I think that at neap tide it would have been very good indeed.

I went out of bay along cliffs past a few caves to inlet and rock arch that goes onto small cove at low/mid tide. Sponges (orange). Aurelia aurita (15cm). Several comb jellies (3cm/5cm). Wrasse, small brown fish (SBF) and small silver fish (SSF). Few spider crabs amongst kelp, and very large periwinkles. Plants included various kelps, wracks, OC, laver, UL. I used my usual kit: FJ/Rash vest/boots/scuba fins/weights 3kg. Tried the little 'Aquapac' drybag I got for keys, money etc. Very good.

Lydstep Cove

We had been looking for a way down to the cove between Old Castle Head and Manorbier, and driving around the cliff-top backroads near some desolate military camp [it is actually possible to get down to the sea at Skrinkle Haven]. Anyway, it didn't look possible so we went to Lydstep. Lydstep is an attractive sandy bay with interesting rocky sides, there's an NT car pack at the top of steep hill above the bay, and access is though a sort of holiday village/park.

The weather was perfect, hot and sunny; and visibility excellent, even though we were close to a spring tide. I first had bit of a swim around the sandy west side of the bay enjoying the good visibility and shoals of SSF, then begun to explore the rocky extremities and make my way round to the caves I'd seen on the map. There was also a nice arch here that's good to swim through.

In the submerged gullies going out of the bay there were lots of spider crabs clinging to the sides, and the white shells of very many more piled up on the bottom. Around here I saw a small round jellyfish - perhaps a very small moon-jellyfish, and some wrasse. Found some prawns in one of the caves, and around the arch on the way back a colourful variety of sponges - green, orange, and yellow. This was a really good swim/exploration and I was pleased with the pictures I'd taken. Later, when I got back, there were jet-skiers speeding up and down very close to the beach and between swimmers, sometimes towing or with passengers (I don't think they even noticed people in the water): I later learnt that this is all organised there! If you want a proper swim and are eccentric enough to be outside the rather small yellow-flagged section (however close to the shore) you are in their way. [I don't know if it's like this all the summer, or if it is still like this today]. Otherwise it was really nice- we stayed all day- and people there were very friendly.

Caerfai Bay

Caerfai Bay was the first of just two, but really great, snorkel dives I managed to do on our holiday to Wales. Looking back I think this was because, although the weather wasn't terrible, I was skin diving with just basic kit and I wanted some sunshine on me. Caerfai looked likely on the map and we had taken a detour on the way home the previous day to have a look at it. The next morning we arrived early, and because it was a bit cool and overcast I thought I'd have a look around the sides of the bay from the cliff top and see where I might end up. It was very cold getting in, but the visibility was excellent and the best I'd known; the wind was very light, and later on the sun got out properly. Caerfai Bay is sheltered, good for swimming, and has varied scenery. I would like to go back there one day. I saw a few fish, wrasse I think they probably were, spider crabs, blue jellyfish, a big horrible spiny starfish, but the best encounter was a big blue spiny starfish. The beach got very crowded later on but away from the beach it was nice and quiet.