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Dorset 2020 - Spearfishing, diving and Corona status

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.

Mr. X

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Trouble with unwanted visitors to beaches at Durdle Dor and Lulworth Cove, Dorset during lock-down:

Chaotic scenes at Durdle Door – prompting residents to step in to help with crowd control

A group of concerned residents gave up their weekend to help with crowd control at a beauty spot swarming with tourists.
www.dorsetecho.co.uk

Lack of social distancing, littering of beaches and somebody climbing on Durdle Dor, which is prohibited and has been signposted as such for many years now. (I climbed the arch decades ago, long before the ban. It is not hard or worthwhile and risks damage to what is possibly the most famous sea arch in to the world).
 
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Also, 17 year old snorkeller Oscar Montgomery, has been missing off Portland since Wednesday. He is reported to have been snorkeling from Church Ope Cove.

Portland generally has strong, complex/unusual currents/tides, especially around Portland Bill, but apparently he was diving from Church Ope Cove, which is quite sheltered by comparison.

Our thoughts, prayers and best wishes are with Oscar and his family.
 
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Reactions: Kodama
3 cliff jumpers injured at Durdle Dor. One broken back. No social distancing. Lemmings?

Durdle Door: Tombstone rescuer 'feared he would drown'

Paddleboarder Mike Wiley hauled the man to the surface after finding him unconscious on the seabed.
www.bbc.co.uk

Tombstoning continues despite danger and injuries

Police say people have been seen jumping again from Durdle Door despite three people getting badly hurt.
www.bbc.co.uk

Dorset residents call for visitor ban after chaos at Durdle Door beach

Dorset residents are calling for a ban on visitors as thousands of tourists continue to descend on the region’s beaches and beauty spots.
www.standard.co.uk

Durdle Door remains closed after three injured in cliff jumps

Videos on social media showed people leaping 200ft into the sea at Dorset beach on Saturday
www.theguardian.com

See video at first link
 
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Moment tombstoner hurls himself 200ft into the sea from Durdle Door

Shocking footage shows the tombstoner jumping from 200ft Durdle Door in Dorset, only to be pulled from the sea with a broken back by hero paddle-boarders Michael Wiley and Dylan Kirkwood.
www.dailymail.co.uk

2 people remain seriously injured after jumping off the arch at Durdle Door

Emergency services declared a 'critical' incident after several people jumped off the arch at Durdle Door on Saturday afternoon (30th May).
www.wessexfm.com

A broken leg as well as a broken back

'Closed' beach packed again after people were injured jumping off 200ft cliff

Cliff jumpers are still at it on Durdle Door despite the council announcing the beach was closed after three people were seriously injured jumping off 200ft cliffs.
metro.co.uk
 
The BBC and Daily Mail reported that Durdle Dor arch is 200' tall and jumpers jumped from highest point. That struck me as grossly exaggerated (fake news media?) . However, these 2 reports claim the height is only 70', which sounds more realistic.

'I was just in complete shock': Durdle Door hero rescues two men who jumped from 70ft arch

A RESCUER who pulled two men from the sea after they jumped from the top of Durdle Door has spoken of the traumatic event in a bid to prevent others…
www.bournemouthecho.co.uk

Sunseekers ignore beach closures after four injured tombstoning at Durdle Door | ITV News

Dorset Council says hundreds of people have defied road closures today to visit the beauty spot, after police declared a critical incident. | ITV News Meridian
www.itv.com
 
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The images of the crowds attempting to social distance but being forced together by the helicopters landing were verging on comical. No issue with cliff jumping whatsoever but seeing the population density at these spots were pretty frustrating.

Interesting to read about mouth to mouth resuscitation as I most certainly would not be doing that in this current environment!
 
Reactions: Mr. X
A few years ago I had to perform mouth-to-mouth, not pleasant. Worth getting and carrying a protective mask for the purpose - but realistically even then you are unlikely to have it when you need it I'm aware of 2 types: a disposible sheet type in a small packet like a condom, you can get them on key rings, the other type look like hospital oxygen masks and come in red plastic cases.

Perhaps best to avoid areas where an accident looks like a distinct possibility. I prefer to dive - and climb - in quiet areas.
 
I hear the sea a calling.

This is a month old: https://news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/2...ng-of-visiting-dorset-now-please-think-twice/

Visitors still unwelcome? Are any Purbeck/Portland loos and cafés open in some form now? Tried googling it but the information seems sketchy and unreliable (cafés appear to be open but government guidance 10 minutes ago suggesting 4th July opening). Not so important for me but for family member.

Spearing conditions/chop/visibility?
 
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There are lots of U.K. guys spearfishing, it must be a few weeks now that I have been reading the reports on FB !
Obviously our own Chris has been doing well especially with the lobsters!
 
Reactions: Trelawney
I don't doubt it. The situation is straightforward for locals. I was contacted yesterday by a forum member going down today.
 
We are very lucky in Guernsey with no C19 cases for 46 days!
We can do pretty much what we want apart from leave the island or return without completing an enforced 14 day isolation period. Everything is open, bars nightclubs hotels ......
 
Reactions: Mr. X
That's great. I see today that NZ has 2 new cases, both visitors from the UK!
 
I’m dreaming about sea side
I didn’t do spearfishing about nearly 8 months and I always doing spearfishing in this areas My favourite time mornings from 3-4 o clock in the morning up to 8 -10 o’clock when it’s quiet i love this place
 
Reactions: Mr. X
Wind was out of SE yesterday evening (bad) this morning out of the east (not good but better). Wind forecast is said to be similar for rest of week. Hot and sunny currently.

Bowleaze Cove viz milky 0.5-2m just about dive-able but saw no fish other than a few tiny reef fish and 3 small spider crabs in top of each other. The jetskis zooming about the cove later in the day probably don't help My Apnea ST 60cm felt appropriate and more than adequate for the limited Viz conditions.

Chesil Cove looks like it might be dive-able but reports of poor, milky Viz yesterday. There is no parking ticket machine at the Masonic Car in Park (the carpark locals prefer divers and anglers to use) - so free parking there currently! . The newish cafe on the breakwater has toilets, closed at night, might be open during day; I think the cafe might be open or about to open.

Also, there is free overnight parking at Nothe Fort, 6pm-8am. . But toilet locked at night, not sure about day.

Bowleaze Cove carpark closes at 6am but probably best to go early morning and park on road (free). They had an open bar, fish and chip counter and ice-cream yesterday evening. But no tables or toilets!

At least 4 huge passenger liners are parked up offshore. Reports that there were 7 parked up recently (overflow from Southampton?).
 
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Reactions: fishpersonno.1
That is a shame about the bad visibility!

I wonder what will happen to the cruise boat industry?
I can’t say that I would fancy sharing a boat with three thousand other people.
Guernsey has been a very popular cruise ship destination throughout the summer months for many years but of course they are all cancelled for this year ....all 120 of them!
They are not popular with many locals especially when we can get three in at once but I love the atmosphere that 8000 + day trippers can add to our small town!
 
Reactions: Mr. X
My mother said a couple of her friends had a cruise booked in September. If it sails, they'd go but I think that would be unwise.

I wonder if big cruises may have peaked? They tower dangerously over Venice it's only a matter of time before something terrible happens there. Although they are starting to restrict the more dangerous approaches. I wonder how much CO2 and other fumes they kick out?

I never fancied cruises, seasickness, mass catering/norovirus/etc. But my brother was made to go on one by his wife and he ended up loving it. I also know a retired 747/navy pilot who lectured on cruises and he champions them, absolutely loves them. He has an attractive new wife, perhaps he met her there?
 
Wednesday I tried diving boscome pier, Bournemouth. Someone told me at some point they attempted to construct an artificial reef which failed but now attracts lots of mullet. Was my first time free diving / spearfishing, the vis was so poor I was almost swimming into the seabed still had fun though but obviously didn’t see anything apart from a few crabs.

yesterday went for scallops in Portland and got a good haul, had fun cooking them up on the beach.

Where else around Poole is known for being decent for either scallops or fish? Anywhere in Poole harbour worth it or does the boat traffic scare everything off? Lulworth cove any good?
 
Reactions: fishpersonno.1 and Mr. X
I was seasick spearing today, odd as it was quite flat. perhaps the poor Viz and weed movement? It came and went quite quickly thankfully. I see Dan Man takes seasickness tablets, I keep meaning to try that.

I meant to check GB wind map before committing to go but decided to leave early, to maybe get a late dive in, and didn't get round to it. Critical error - wind direction is all important, especially for Dorset and East Devon. The wind was quite light. So I was getting optimistic wondering if I might even get to use my 95cm railgun As usual, reality didn't live up to hopes nor expectations.

Going late and coming back early worked quite well, avoided any crowds and road/sea traffic. But no open loos.
 
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