UK DIVER

It’s British diving at its most iconic, off the coast of Northumberland - words & photos by first-timer HENLEY SPIERS

THE FARNE ISLANDS are one of those fabled British diving spots I had long meant to visit. When the invitation to join a trip there came from old friends (and accomplished underwater shooters) Dave Baker and Paul Pettit, it was too good to miss.

All the more so because my diving had been limited not only by Covid-19 but also the recent birth of our second baby daughter. Dave and Paul make an annual pilgrimage to the Farnes, and knowing that my UK diving experience was limited, they were eager to show me just how good it gets.

Grey seals were the headline act, and I was familiar with the viral videos of exceptionally friendly seals interacting with divers in this location.

Excitement built on the long drive from Exeter up north, accompanied by a steady soundtrack of underwater photography podcasts and shows - one of few blessings of the Covid-19 era has been the outpouring of great online content.

We arrived at our base in Seahouses to glorious blue skies and sunny weather, but with the wind due to pick up next day there was the usual trepidation as to whether the diving would go ahead.

A dive-trip is always a source of excitement, but in these troubled times the prospect of an underwater escape was even more keenly anticipated.

Our small group, composed of old friends and new, instantly bonded in the special way that divers tend to have - by a passion that unites even the most disparate of characters through shared appreciation for being under the sea.