Alternative Names: None
Type of Dive: Heybrook Bay is a small, shallow bay facing south-west with rocky gullies lined with coarse sand. It is a scenic dive with colourful weeds, beadlet and Snakelocks anemones, spider crabs, wrasse, blennies, gobies, sand eels and small pollack. If you are fortunate you may see a flounder on the sand and in summer cuttlefish, and occasionally red mullet and small bass. After a settled spell and off-shore winds, visibility can be 8 – 10 metres.
Suggested Experience: Novice in good conditions
Travel directions: From Plymouth head south onto Bovisand Rd, turn right into Renney Rd and follow to Heybrook and turn left into Heybrook Dr and you will see the bay on your right. Google
Parking directions: There is parking above the beach at the top of the path for up to 6 cars, but the area is popular with walkers so parking is at a premium at peak times. If there is no parking it may be possible to leave the kit with a minder at the top of the beach path and drive back up the hill to find parking taking care not to obstruct access to properties and upset the locals. The Eddystone pub car park is for patrons only and is monitored. There are also a few parking spaces at the top of the beach
Lat & Long: 50.318362, -4.115613 Postcode PL9 0BU Google
Tides: Tide tables It is best to dive at high water. Currents are light but a slight westerly drift can be felt outside the bay on the ebb.
Depth: 10 metres maximum
Site entry/exit: From the car park there is a steep footpath about 100 metres long that leads to a small pebble-and-boulder beach with a freshwater run-off. Care should be taken as the path is uneven in places and can become very slippery when wet. Entry is easy, but after unsettled conditions, the visibility close to shore is often reduced because of mashed up weed in suspension so care is needed not to stumble over submerged rocks.
Underwater directions: The left side of the bay is very shallow and good for snorkelling only. For diving, from the centre of the bay take a compass course approximately west-south-west towards the right of the cove following the sandy gullies and retrace your steps back to the shore to avoid surfacing outside the bay.
Air & Nitrox: Sound diving Indeep
Site Hazards: Swell from the south-west. The bay acts as a magnet for discarded fishing gear and there are at least two old rolled up nets. There are often pots so care is needed not to become entangled if you are using a marker buoy, although many divers choose not to because boat traffic is rare and there are ledges and overhangs. There are sometimes fisherman on the rocks to the right of the bay.
Nearest Public phone: There is a phone box at the top of the hill
Mobile Network service: You can get a signal at the top of the hill but not on the beach.
Accommodation: Heybrook Guest House
Other comments: Because of the steep path to the beach it is best to travel light with a 10-litre tank. Some divers make two journeys to lighten the load. Heybrook Bay is also very good for snorkelling, as can be seen by the picture below.
Pub: The Eddystone Inn The Mussel Inn
Cafe: None close to here.
Version: 1
Thanks To:
Links: Contact me
Created by: Karen Williams
Date: 4/9/18
Surface Photos: By Karen Williams
Underwater Photos: By Karen Williams and David John Peake for the Snorkeling picture.
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