While deep sea diving is usually associated with clear open waters, tropical fish and sea creatures, there's something rather unusual drawing divers to a Lancashire beauty spot. For at the Capernwray Dive Centre near Lancaster there's a veritable underwater graveyard of objects to explore - including a sunken plane wreck.
The facility, which is a scuba diving site and training centre as well as swimming spot popular for days out, is located at a former limestone quarry and is completely inland. And in a further twist it is the final resting place of several huge objects and unusual objects that you would probably not expect to spot in the sea.
Around 25-metres deep, the flooded quarry is home to various boats including a minesweeper and a Gypsy Moth yacht, helicopters, a devil statue, a cannon and a gnome garden. There even used to be an oil rig, although this has recently been removed.
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However, the main draw for divers keen to see it with their own eyes, is the sunken plane wreck, which can be accessed by swimming down a steep cliff to a depth of around 15 metres, reports Lancs Live. It's all within crystal clear waters - where sea life is also freely swimming as well.
The twin-engine medium size plane is a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 model. Divers can also make the most of one of the cleanest recreational bathing waters in the UK and marvel at the shoals of roach and perch, trout and sturgeons.
The plane itself is widely thought of as the 'Largest Inland Wreck’ and has been cleaned and prepared for divers to swim down and view it, while they can also make their way through it, as the tail section has been seared off and sits next to the plane. Once dry, visiting divers can enjoy refreshments in the onsite cafe, browse the shop, use the changing facilities and refill their air tanks.
The full list of items luring visitors to the dive site, which also includes a cave, can be found here.
The centre is located at Jackdaw Quarry on Capernwray Road in Carnforth, Lancashire ( LA6 1AD) and has onsite parking. It is around 70 minutes by road from central Manchester, and is close to J35 of the M6.
The nearest train station is the mainline Carnforth train station which is around 3 miles away from the diving centre.
Experienced divers are free to turn up and dive for a £15 fee for members while a diving day pass is £20 for non-members and must be booked in advance, here. Swimming for members and non-members is also permitted (£6 and £10 respectively). Yearly memberships are also available.
The centre regularly updates its websit e with water temperatures, weather conditions and opening times and through the summer is planning to open daily from 10am to 5pm. It is run by experienced and highly-trained staff.
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