The Wildlife Trust's North Sea Wildlife Project

Diving Delights off North Norfolk

Last week Seasearch East Anglia made an astonishing find off the North Norfolk coast. The work they began earlier in the year mapping chalk around Sherringham was extended leading them to find an extensive area of chalk, much larger than originally anticipated. The chalk, which was covered from top to bottom in seaweeds, crustaceans and fish provided a stunning scene. Chalk stacks were found from just off the beach at Cley, in as little as 7 metres of water. In a region which consists primairly of a sandy-gravelly seabed this is a truely exciting discovery.

 

Rob Spray, from Seasearch East Anglia comments:

‘Most divers think you have to go abroad for clear water and great scenery but Norfolk in July has confounded that misconception. Volunteers from Seasearch in East Anglia have spent a week surveying the chalk reefs of North Norfolk and uncovered stunning chalk arches amongst shoals of fish and abundant wildife.

Everytime we dive Norfolk we find something new, to find those beautiful chalk arches just off the beach in only 7m of water was breathtaking - when hundreds of shining fish started swirling around us it was magical.'

 

   

    

  

 

 (images copyright: rob spray)

Previous dives in the area have allowed Seasearch East Anglia to map the chalk from Norfolk Wildlife Trusts Cley Nature Reserve to Cromer. With further funding from The Wildlife Trusts, Norfolk Council's Biodiversity Information Service and Fugro Ltd the team of local volunteer divers will continue through the summer and autumn dive season to map the extent of the reef and the wildlife that inhabits it.