AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA IN START BAY
by tony Hoile, skipper/co-owner of Falcon ii (South Devon Diving Charters and Dart Estuary/coastal boat trips)
People who live in the area and the thousands who visit here marvel at the wonderful coastal scenery surround- ing Dart harbour and Start Bay. However, the scenery and marine life of this area under the water is visited by relatively few. The underwater attractions are described here by Tony Hoile, who has dived the area extensively for over 35 years, and now operates a dive charter boat Falcon II for diving groups with his business partner, Laurie Fraenkel. “The exposed nature of the coast the strong tidal streams and the River Dart emptying nutrients into the bay provide ideal conditions for a profusion and diversity of marine creatures. The underwater rock faces exposed to the under- water currents are covered in colourful anenomes, soft and hard corals, sponges, tunicates, and crustaceans. Small fish, prawns and colourful squat lobsters inhabit the numerous crevices in the steep
reefs, while larger territorial fish feed in the currents around the rocks.
Many of the dive sites we have discovered from Falcon II lie to the North East of the Dart around the extensive Dartmouth Mewstone and Eastern Blackstone. (photo) The
near vertical strata of the combinations of sedimentary rock, and slabs of basalt that stretch from Old Combe Rock (known locally as the Dartmouth Needles) stretch across the mouth of the estuary in a series of spikes north east
for nearly 5 miles. Some, such as the Mewstone tower nearly 35m above the surface, and then tumble in spectacular, steep slabs down to over 35m depth. Others such as the Bear’s Tail are barely below the surface. This rock was originally protruding from the water but the large cannon balls found around it show evidence that it was used for target practice from Dartmouth Castle. The Eastern Blackstone has steep vertical cliffs down to 30m. Many of the other reefs have rock faces covered in spectacular white and orange plumose anemones filtering their food from the currents each day. Devonshire Cup Corals are present in the rock overhangs, and the spectacular Gorgonia Sea Fans are found as shallow as 10m
depth.
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