Lundy Island · United Kingdom · Reef · Kelp forest
Gannets Rock
Grey seals that come to your mask, in 12 metres of water
Photo: Lewis Clarke · CC BY-SA 2.0
One of the often sheltered bays on Lundy's east side, where the island's grey seals haul out and come down to meet divers. The reef runs to about 12 metres, so the dive is a long, shallow potter through kelp with seals circling, nibbling fins and pushing into masks. The island is a Marine Conservation Zone with a no-take zone.
Also known as Gannet's Bay, Gannets' Bay.
Where it is and how deep
51.1961° N, 4.6695° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
This is boat diving in a shallow eastern bay and the plan is simple: get in, stay shallow, and let the seals decide how the dive goes. The reef bottoms out at around 12 metres, so bottom time is generous and the light stays good. The animals surprise divers by coming right up to the mask, nibbling fins and hugging legs, and the encounter lasts as long as you stay still and let them make the approach.
Between visits there is the reef itself and the kelp forest to fly through. Lobster and spider crab hold in the rock, cuckoo wrasse work the edges, sand eels shoal over the sand and conger eels lie up in the cracks. Lundy is home to over 200 Atlantic grey seals, and the island is a Marine Conservation Zone with a no-take zone, which PADI credits for the health of the ecosystem here.
Marine life and season
- Seals & sea lions
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Off-season | Off-season |
Season follows Lundy Island: May–Sep is the season, and even then the Bristol Channel's huge tidal range means diving is planned around slack water.
Photos from Gannets Rock
Lewis Clarke · CC BY-SA 2.0
Lewis Clarke · CC BY-SA 2.0
Lewis Clarke · CC BY-SA 2.0
Dive videos
Lundy Island, 16th July 2017. · Colin Garrett on YouTube
Diving with Seals and Stunning Kelp Forests and Sea Grass off Lundy Island · Dive With James on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Can beginners dive Gannets Rock?+
Yes. The reef runs to about 12 metres and PADI lists the site as suitable for all experience levels of diver. It is boat access from Ilfracombe, so what matters is comfort in cold water rather than depth experience.
When can you dive with Lundy's seals?+
Atlantic grey seals are present on the island year-round, but the dive boats run from Ilfracombe between April and October, so that is the practical window for diving with them.
Sources
- Lundy Island - Gannet's Bay dive site — PADI
- Lundy Island Seal Encounter Dive Sites dive site — PADI
- Lundy MCZ | Seal watching — Lundy Marine Conservation Zone
Photo credits
- Grey seals hauled out on rocks at the water's edge near Gannets Rock, Lundy by Lewis Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rocky headland and pinnacle of Gannets Rock rising from the sea off Lundy's east coast by Lewis Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Close view of the weathered rock formation at Gannets Rock, Lundy, seen from the water by Lewis Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Grassy cliff and rocky shoreline at Gannets Bay, Lundy, with calm turquoise water below by Lewis Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In The Logbook
- Kelp forest diving, and where it still growsCold water · 13 min read
- Where to dive with seals and sea lionsBig animals · 17 min read
- Cold-water diving: is it worth the drysuit?Cold water · 8 min read
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