Alternative Names: None
Type of Dive: Babbacombe bay is a safe shore dive with lots of life.
Suggested Experience: Ideal for newly qualified to the U/W photographer.
Travel & Parking directions: Babbacombe is situated on the eastern corner of the southwest peninsula, approx. 30 miles South of Exeter, 30 miles east of Plymouth on the Northern edge of Torbay and easily accessible from Torquay Harbour by following the many road signs. The main motorway networks link the southwest from the M6/M5 and the M4 with these main routes connecting around the Bristol area. All routes link directly to the end of the M5 and virtually link Torbay directly from the end of the motorway network.
Accommodation: Coast view Tourist Information on 
01548 843927.
Lat & Long: 50.479403, -3.509469 Postcode TQ1 3LX Google
Tides: Tide Tables Best done near high water and as Babbacombe Bay faces east the beach is undiveable during easterly winds.
Depth: 14m
Site entry/exit: The steps on the small breakwater make an easier entry/exit point at high tide or the slip down to the beach.
Underwater directions: This is a small bay so just explore or you can walk towards the harbour wall and turn right into the small bay where you can enter the water, or if there are no fishermen on the harbour you can drop down the steps and swim around the harbour wall. If you drop down onto the reef 6-7meters deep and enjoy your dive along the reef. If you head into the shallow parts towards the cliff face and follow the wall about 50 meters along you can find a small cave and a swim through, the depth is from about 4 meters to the surface. At this point, we usually head back along the wall and halfway between there's a rock with another small swim through here's usually a lot of fish and lobsters from this point back to the entry point! Be careful if there are fishermen now on the harbour wall as they don't stop fishing if you need to get back to the steps!
Air & Nitrox: Teign diving centre
Other comments: Babbacombe is known for cuttlefish arriving to mate and lay eggs in the very shallow weed just off the shore from early April to mid-May. The beach can get very busy on a summers day. During prolonged periods of low south Westerly winds, the underwater visibility is best. If Babbacombe bay gets blown out you can dive Beacon cove Don't forget to use the comments at the bottom of the page to let other Divers know what it's like to dive here.
Site Hazards: Swell
Nearest Public phone: Contact me
Mobile Network service: Most networks
Pub: Cary Arms
Café: Overlooking the bay
Version: 2
Links:
Created by: Tony Reed
Thanks to: Tony Reed
Date: 16/11/13
Surface Photos: Tony Reed
Underwater photos: By Tony Reed
Dive sitemap:
Dive Report: Jenny Pickles, BSAC Dive Leader This dive site is in a quiet calm bay, found at the bottom of a very steep hill (don't overload cars or put tanks at the back of the car or you'll never get back up!). There are toilet facilities during the summer and a friendly pub and this is also a local favourite fishing spot. The dive is good for training and evening dives, it's a bit like diving in a large rock pool as it's fairly consistently shallow. There's lots of life such as pipe-fish, crabs, shrimps, cuttlefish etc.
Dive Report: Comment in the box below