UK Diving Trips
Swanage

Fleur De Lys

The Fleur de Lys was built in Brittany in 1969. She was 16.4 metres long, constructed from oak, and weighed about 45 tons. She was brought over to British waters from France when she was purchased by Nick Brust in 1989. On Sunday 16th April 2000, four people were on board the Fleur de Lys on their way back to Brixham from a fishing trip around Alderney. They had been having problems with the hot water system as steam was coming from the taps rather than water. At 15.12 there was an explosion as a result of pressure build up that ruptured the hot water storage cylinder. The damage to the hull from the explosion caused the boat to begin sinking 18 miles southwest of Portland Bill in Dorset. The onboard liferaft failed to inflate and the crew found themselves rapidly submerged in water. A Mayday was sent out that was responded to by several vessels as well as a coastguard helicopter, which recovered all four crew 16 minutes later suffering only from cold and minor injuries. Unsuccessful attempts were made to raise the Fleur de Lys, so whilst she was being towed on passage to Poole she was abandoned in Swanage Bay.

The Fleur de Lys is located just inside Swanage Bay as you head out towards Old Harry and has a surface marker buoy permanently attached to it, so it makes for an easy descent. The small size of the wreck allows you to have a thorough explore. A good idea for a dive plan is to begin with a circuit of the wreck to get an overall impression before going back to hunt for sea life. If your dive time allows it, you can drift off in the current to explore the nearby seabed. If you take a torch down with you use it to look in the areas sheltered from the current by the wreck, and look under rocks for crabs.

Approximately 30m away is the wreck of the Bombay barge. The barge is approximately 85 feet in length and is joined to the Fleur de Lys by a large rope running across the seabed. The 2 wrecks can easily be dived in 1 dive and make an ideal training dive.

The wreck of the Kyarra

Minimum qualification Advanced Open Water or equivalent.

Nitrox use is perfect for this dive but not essential. Delayed surface marker buoy experience is essential.

A dive on the Kyarra is a must for all divers who enjoy UK diving. The journey to the wreck is a quick one, at only 20 minutes from the pier.
She is easy to dive from an orientation point of view as she invariably has a buoy tied to her.

The wreck starts at approx. 18 metres, but sits on the seabed at a max depth of 32 metres. She is a big wreck stretching 126 metres long, with boilers, turrets, engines, propellers etc. A variety of marine life can also be found. Giant Conger Eels, Lobsters, Spider crabs, Shoals of Poor Cod, Jelly Fish, Star fish etc etc.

Valentine Tanks

Swanage

Diver qualification need for this dive. Open Water diver or equivalent.

The Valentine tanks sank whilst in operation in Studland Bay, in April 1944. They were top secret and were supposed to used as part of the
D Day landings. With a canvas frame, the idea was that it would displace enough water to keep the tanks afloat, which as you can guess, FAILED!

No1 and NO2 tanks are the most popular to dive, with easy access for divers, as they are have a permanent shot line on for easy decent and ascent. They sit in approximately 15 metres of seawater.

Expect to see Giant Conger eels, shoals of Bib and Sea Bass, Lobsters, Crabs, Shrimp, Anemones etc.

Dates:

21st June 2025
Fleur De Lys £30 FULL

21st June 2025
Valentine Tanks - 15 metres Ropes off 12.20 £35  FULL

Please contact us at the Dive Centre to book on to any of the dates or book online using the button below.