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Flounder, courtesy of Juliet Savigear

ISSUE 4 ARCHIVE - A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO EATING AND SLEEPING, PEMBROKESHIRE, WALES

Pembrokeshire can make a great weekend diving for the London diver, with some of the most friendly, helpful dive centres. This coastline has a wide variety of dive sites and includes the protected waters of the Skomer Nature Marine Reserve. Divers can enjoy seals, wrecks, drift dives and reefs teeming with marine life.

A Good night's kip
Ralf Tech
Jellyfish, courtesy of Juliet Savigear There is a whole choice of accommodation available in Pembrokeshire, whether you're staying in campsites, B&Bs, hotels or holiday cottages. However, for convenience and cost you may well choose to stay at one of the local dive centres. Both West Wales Divers and Celtic Diving offer basic, bunk-bed style accommodation on site.
  • West Wales Divers has a 4 dive cabins, sleeping 4 people in each at £20 pp (Mon-Thurs)/£25 pp (Fri-Sun). This cost includes a full cooked breakfast to set you up for the day's diving.
    Tel: 01437 781 457
  • Celtic Diving has purpose-built facilities with sea views, sleeping up to 20 people (5 rooms sleeping 4 in each) at £18 pp bed only or £20 with toast & cereal for breakfast.
    Tel: 01348 871 938

However, there are plenty of other places to stay in Pembrokeshire:
Velvet Swimming Crabs, courtesy of Juliet Savigear
  • Little Haven, just a couple of miles away from West Wales Divers, offers some great options. If you are staying for a number of days, then my favourite has to be Regatta Cottage (sleeps 6+2). This traditional Pembrokeshire style cottage has balcony views looking over the beach and the village, is just 30m from the beach and has off-road parking for 2 vehicles.
    Tel: 01437 781 878

  • Atlantic View offers excellent camping, B&B and recently renovated self-catering cottages up on the cliffs between Broad Haven and Little Haven with stunning views over the sea.
    Tel: 01437 781 589
The Underwater Channel
  • In Goodwick, both the Hope and Anchor and The Ferry Boat Inn offer accommodation 5 minutes walk from Celtic Diving, together with a bar and good food.
    Hope & Anchor – Tel: 01348 872 314
    The Ferry Boat Inn – Tel: 01348 874 747

  • Numerous other cottages can be found on www.welsh-cottages.co.uk

Food & Booze

  • The Swan Inn, Little Haven – with leather armchairs, log fires and a seasonal menu concentrating on local produce – well I'm sorted for the night!
    Tel: 01437 781 880

  • The Sloop Inn, Porthgain – is about 15-20 minutes drive from Celtic Diving, but the food here is great with fresh locally-caught fish on the menu and home-caught lobster, in season. Worth the drive!
    Tel: 01348 831 449

Not in the water

Top this! – I've just found out from www.visitwales.co.uk that this issue is out just in time for the Pembrokeshire Potato Festival (17/06/08). Did you know that "Potato lovers from all across Wales will flock to the biggest Potato Festival in Wales. As Pembrokeshire is world renowned for having the tastiest potatoes in Wales." – Fantastic!! Apparently this festival celebrates the first early potato crop and along with potato tastings and potato juggling, this event gets nationwide coverage on TV an' all.

OK, perhaps a little more down the diver's stream is Pembrokeshire Fish Week, which also takes place in June (21st – 29th) in Haverfordwest. Not only are there cookery demonstrations; BBQs, quizzes and many other activities, but us divers have been invited to join in too – The Skomer Nature Marine Reserve is running a volunteer diving project. This year volunteers will be counting and measuring scallops (21/22 June & 5/6 July).

BOOKING ESSENTIAL - contact Kate Lock on Tel: 01646 636 736

This volunteer work is really essential as recently scallop dredgers have been bulldozing their way right up to the border line of the marine reserve.

Local Diving Contacts

  • West Wales Divers,
    Hasguard Cross,
    Nr Little Haven,
    Haverfordwest,
    Pembrokeshire.
    SA62 3SJ
    Tel: 01437 781 457

    The centre offers: a fully stocked dive centre; equipment rental; servicing & repairs; air, nitrox and trimix fills; accommodation; café; courses; boat charters & dive travel; an indoor heated pool and boat storage.

  • Pembrokeshire Diving,
    The Penthouse Suite,
    14 Orion House,
    Nelson Quay,
    Milford Marina,
    Milford Haven.
    SA73 3AZ
    Mobile: 07917 364 079
Dive Worldwide
  • Celtic Charter,
    23 Church Road,
    Llanstadwell,
    Milford Haven.
    SA73 1EB
    Tel: 01646 600 313
    Mob: 07970 540 940

  • Steve Lewis, Pembrokeshire Dive Charters,
    Heddfan,
    Blockett Lane,
    Little Haven.
    SA62 3UH
    Tel: 01646 602 942 / 01437 781 569

  • Dive In 2 Pembrokeshire based in Dale,
    Tel: 01646 636 684
    Mob: 07815 469 278

  • Celtic Diving,
    Goodwick Parrog,
    Pembrokeshire.
    SA64 0DE
    Tel: 01348 871 938

    Dive centre based in Goodwick offering: equipment sales; dive boat charters; PADI & BSAC training; accommodation & Air fills (Nitrox by special arrangement).
LDC Training

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