New Quay, Wales, United Kingdom

Cei Bach

Cei Bach is a sheltered shore-dive site in Cardigan Bay near New Quay, on the west coast of Wales. The bay is part of the Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation, designated to protect one of the United Kingdom's two resident bottlenose dolphin populations and the only resident pod in Wales. The dive site itself is a gentle slope of sand, mud and seagrass beds extending into 6 to 12 metres of water, with low rocky reefs along the headlands. Marine life is shaped by the sheltered, sediment-rich environment: peacock worms, common starfish, sand gobies, dragonets, hermit crabs, small-spotted catsharks, edible crabs, spider crabs and the occasional cuttlefish in summer. Bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises and Atlantic grey seals are seen at the surface and on rare occasions encountered while diving. Visibility ranges from 2 to 6 metres and water temperatures vary between 9 and 17 degrees Celsius. Currents are weak inside the bay. Cei Bach is suited to entry-level shore divers, snorkellers and macro-photography sessions.