Directions and Parking Details
The Dive site accessed by a road alongside Babbacombe Theatre (Which is at the end of Babbacombe Downs Road)
The road is very steep, narrow in places, and is very twisty. It has a few passing places and it gets quite congested during the holiday season.
There is a car park at the bottom of the road and a slipway gives vehicular access right down to the beach (Although the barrier will normally be across if the café is closed)
The road is very steep, narrow in places, and is very twisty. It has a few passing places and it gets quite congested during the holiday season.
There is a car park at the bottom of the road and a slipway gives vehicular access right down to the beach (Although the barrier will normally be across if the café is closed)
Site Description
This site has something for most divers! The Cove is in an outstandingly lovely setting. At the foot of the steep wooded cliffs, the bay well is sheltered during most weather and sea conditions and so can normally be dived even when other sites can’t.
The slipway is a short walk from the carpark and so entry is easy when the tide is high. At low tides entry will entail walking a short distance down the beach – this needs some care as there are some large rocks.
Submerge as soon as you get out of your depth and head straight out to sea. When you reach the drop-off, the rocks steadily slope down to a sandy seabed at around 8m. Turn to the left and very slowly follow the edge of the rocky slope around for about 20 minutes (ie the slope is on your left). Take your time and poke around in the holes, nooks and crannies – the site is normally teaming with life. After about 20 minutes turn around and head back again with the slope on your right shoulder. Proceed at the same rate as before and again explore the nooks and crannies. (If you start to find more and more fishing tackle you have gone too far and are getting dangerously close to the pier and you are likely to get hooked so back track, or surface). The slipway or the beach should be to the North (Your right) but if you want to stretch out the dive you can potter around on the plateau for a while looking at the sea life. Even if you have misjudged the distance or got lost you should not have too far to swim back to the shore or the slipway.
A number of dives are possible now that you know the site layout. There are some very large rocks rising from the sandy bed at the left of the beach. You can check out the shallows before you reach the drop off, or you can explore the caves on the other side of the pier.
The slipway is a short walk from the carpark and so entry is easy when the tide is high. At low tides entry will entail walking a short distance down the beach – this needs some care as there are some large rocks.
Submerge as soon as you get out of your depth and head straight out to sea. When you reach the drop-off, the rocks steadily slope down to a sandy seabed at around 8m. Turn to the left and very slowly follow the edge of the rocky slope around for about 20 minutes (ie the slope is on your left). Take your time and poke around in the holes, nooks and crannies – the site is normally teaming with life. After about 20 minutes turn around and head back again with the slope on your right shoulder. Proceed at the same rate as before and again explore the nooks and crannies. (If you start to find more and more fishing tackle you have gone too far and are getting dangerously close to the pier and you are likely to get hooked so back track, or surface). The slipway or the beach should be to the North (Your right) but if you want to stretch out the dive you can potter around on the plateau for a while looking at the sea life. Even if you have misjudged the distance or got lost you should not have too far to swim back to the shore or the slipway.
A number of dives are possible now that you know the site layout. There are some very large rocks rising from the sandy bed at the left of the beach. You can check out the shallows before you reach the drop off, or you can explore the caves on the other side of the pier.
Wheelchair Access By arrangement with the café vehicles can access the slipway from the road. At high tide the sea can be entered and exited directly from the slip. If the café is closed a few steps will have to be negotiated to get between the carpark and the slip.
Toilets Public toilets on site in the carpark. Closed in the winter.
Cafe Excellent café with tables overlooking the beach (01803)324532
Fills available on site? Yes – at the café (01803)324532
Dive Centre on site? No
Nearest Dive Centre? Divers Down – Nearby on Babbacombe Road
Divers Down, 139 Babbacombe Road, Babbacombe, Torquay, Devon, TQ1 3SR. Telephone 01803-327111 Email i[email protected]
Nearest Pub On the hill down to the site called the "Cary Arms"
Nearest Restaurant Meals available at the pub
Toilets Public toilets on site in the carpark. Closed in the winter.
Cafe Excellent café with tables overlooking the beach (01803)324532
Fills available on site? Yes – at the café (01803)324532
Dive Centre on site? No
Nearest Dive Centre? Divers Down – Nearby on Babbacombe Road
Divers Down, 139 Babbacombe Road, Babbacombe, Torquay, Devon, TQ1 3SR. Telephone 01803-327111 Email i[email protected]
Nearest Pub On the hill down to the site called the "Cary Arms"
Nearest Restaurant Meals available at the pub
WRECK / ARCHAEOLOGICAL / TOPOGRAPHIC FEATURE & DETAILS:
No wrecks, butin the 1800's there was a beachside cottage "The Glen" belonging to Spinster Emma Keyse. In 1884 Emma was brutally murdered and her house was burned. John Lee her employee was convicted and sentenced to hang.
When he was sent to the Gallows in Exeter he survived three attempts to hang him, and so it was decided that he should serve a life sentence instead, and so Lee was known as "The man they couldn't hang".
When he was sent to the Gallows in Exeter he survived three attempts to hang him, and so it was decided that he should serve a life sentence instead, and so Lee was known as "The man they couldn't hang".
Marine Life Details
Crabs, lobsters, pipefish, wrasse (Some of which are huge and quite inquisitive), many shoals of small fish. Seals occasionally visit – fishermen are always present!
This is probably the best place in Devon to see cuttlefish Click here to see Paul Chandlers video of cuttlefish off Babbacombe beach
On 18th May 2013 a huge Tuna was caught in a mackerel net in Babbacombe bay. The fish weighed about 300lbs and was too big to get on the boat. Believing it was a Yellow Fin Tuna the fishermen towed it to Babbacombe beach where it was landed on the slipway and taken to Brixham fish market. Sadly it turned out to be a Bluefin Tuna and therefore it could not be sold
This is probably the best place in Devon to see cuttlefish Click here to see Paul Chandlers video of cuttlefish off Babbacombe beach
On 18th May 2013 a huge Tuna was caught in a mackerel net in Babbacombe bay. The fish weighed about 300lbs and was too big to get on the boat. Believing it was a Yellow Fin Tuna the fishermen towed it to Babbacombe beach where it was landed on the slipway and taken to Brixham fish market. Sadly it turned out to be a Bluefin Tuna and therefore it could not be sold
Other information
This is one of the best dive sites in South Devon. The facilities are all present and the site has diverse topography above and below the water. There is plenty of life and the conditions are normally good due to the sheltered nature of the site. Get there early as this is a popular site and parking is limited.
Nearest Webcam
Beach Cafe |
Postcode For Satnav:
TQ1 3LX |
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