Plymouth, England, United Kingdom

Hand Deeps

The Hand Deeps is a series of rocky pinnacles rising from a 30-metre seabed to within 12 metres of the surface, located about 6 nautical miles south west of Plymouth. The site is one of the best reef dives in the English Channel, combining dramatic underwater topography with one of the richest concentrations of soft corals and anemones in southern England. The vertical faces and overhangs are blanketed with jewel anemones in vivid pinks, oranges, reds and whites, alongside plumose anemones, dead man's fingers, sponges, hydroids and feather stars. Resident species include ballan wrasse, cuckoo wrasse, pollack, bib, conger eels and the occasional sunfish or basking shark in late summer. Visibility commonly ranges from 8 to 15 metres in summer and water temperature varies between 9 and 17 degrees Celsius. Currents over the pinnacles are moderate to strong, and dives are timed around slack water from charter boats out of Plymouth. The site is suitable for advanced divers and is a regular fixture for southern UK clubs.