ISSUE 21 ARCHIVE - DIVERS COVE

Charlotte Wilson

Located in Surrey and easily accessible from London and the surrounding Surrey region, Divers Cove is a convenient inland dive site for those of us sitting within the M25’s deadly grasp, and when one is living and working in the shadow of the big smoke, convenience and accessibility for an impromptu days’ diving really is a welcome blessing.

Arriving on site there is little to no stress in finding the place, which sits just outside the village of Godstone, and there is parking a plenty, even on a busy sunny Saturday morning, making settling in a total breeze.

The obvious drawback for Divers Cove is that the lake only has a maximum depth of 8m, but for myself and the friend I dragged along with me, she being a newly trained open water diver, this was the perfect place to ease ourselves into the day and have a relaxing splash about. And herein lies the appeal with Divers Cove, it is an extremely welcoming environment for divers of all abilities and for those just starting out or lacking the experience or desire to do deep and strenuous dives, it is not a daunting venue.

Divers Cove itself is a relatively new site, opening its doors in 2013, it is still trying to find its feet in the wider UK market against the deeper and longer established spots, which again I think means it lends it’s facilities to novices and newbies looking to gain their confidence underwater and not have to travel too far and wide to do so. The team also has in place a dedicated ‘buddy system’ whereby those arriving without a partner can still enjoy a day’s diving with the Coves own resident diver. Plus with a well stocked shop on site and a £10.00 all day entrance fee, I’m getting a real fancy to make this a somewhat regular weekend outing... after

all I have just cancelled my gym membership so I need something ‘cool’ to explain my departure for to Mr Bannatynes bullish henchmen.

Thankfully there is a café on site for essential refuelling and when the sun shines on the lake it really is a pretty sight. The Cove is situated on the East Lake Nature Reservoir meaning that you will find yourself in very scenic surroundings, something which is always a bonus for those all important Facebook updates!

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that on a newly established, inland lake of 8m, you won’t be visiting there for the unusual wildlife or breathtaking sunken wrecks, but again this is not the real appeal with Divers Cove.

This is a site for those last minute weekends where you just really want to get in the water, or for an afternoon spent helping newbie friends and family to get experience and practice their skills whilst not feeling the pressure of an overwhelming site filled with weekend warriors strapped up to the nines in rebreathers and tech gear.

This is a place to reignite the initial joy you felt when you first discovered diving and to give you that encouragement to get in the water more often, Divers Cove makes diving accessible to more of us and promotes the idea that diving can be a regular, leisurely and efficiently managed activity.

Divers Cove is open Thursday to Sunday from 9:00am to 5.30pm with the last dive starting at 3.30pm. Entrance is £10 per person for the whole day and air refills are available for just £4.

Dedicated training areas and platforms are also available for use, to enquire about any of the facilities available at Divers Cove call 01883 336 602 (and don’t be put off when they answer the phone as ‘Track Force’ you have come through to the right place!).