Sea Palling

Here is a selection of information that may be useful for dive planning from Sea Palling in Norfolk

Wrecks

Lots at various depths. The Galatea is a great dive and shallow enough for Ocean divers. The Conway (aka Walkure according to some) and the Rye are both excellent dives.

Charts

You will need the chart for Cromer to Smiths Knoll .

Visbility

The Ship-Wrecks Off Norfolk website of Ayer Tykus who wrote the two Norfolk Wreck books give some visibility data, albeit not always current, on the front page. An interesting and useful site.

Weather

In decreasing order of relevance forecasts can be found here:-

• Met office Inshore Waters forecast updated twice daily at 0500 and 1700. Look at Wash to North Foreland.
• Accuweather gives a detail forecast for Great Yarmouth.
• Met office Coastal Waters forecast updated twice daily at 0500 and 1700. Look at Wash> to Harwich.
• Met office Shipping forecast This file is updated 4 times a day at or after approximately 0015, 0505, 1130 and 1725.
• Coastal Observations updated every three hours, nearest is Lowesoft.
• Windguru gives a lot of wind data, sites are Hickilng and Lowestoft.
• The Scratby Sands webcam gives a visual check. There are others in Norfolk as well.
• BSAC SE give a comprehensive Weather Links page.

Slacks

The tidal diamonds on this chart are based upon HW at Immingham. Easytide will give this although  the National Tide and Sea Level Facility  is a bit easier to use. Both do a seven day prediction but NTSL offers extras such as Higest and Lowest tides over several years. Be there early as calculated slacks are not reliable for this coast. The article from the Cambridge club below claims slack is an hour earlier than calculation. BSAC SE have a good guide to slack calculation. Slacks are generally not much more than an hour even on neaps. Tidal Diamond diagrams for the local chart are listed below as spreadsheets (to be completed):-

Cromer chart diamonds (use at your own risk)

Diamond A
Diamond B
Diamond C
Diamond D
Diamond G
Diamond J

Currents

The current will run  roughly NNW when the tide is flooding and then reverse to roughly SSE on the ebb.

Launching and Parking

There is a tractor launch from the boat park next to Beach Rock Leisure so you don't risk getting your car wet. For launching book with Beach Rock leisure on 01692 598000. They will launch quite early in the morning from around 6:00. One vehicle can be left in the boat park. Others can park in front of Beach Rock Leisure, which is a pay & display, about £6 for the day. There is another car park the other side of the boat park, also about £6. Nearby there is a charity car park for a £1 but make sure you pay as there have been complaints. For reference there is a website www.boatlaunch.co.uk which lists other launch sites around the UK.

Facilities

There are real loos at Sea Palling but they will probably not be open before 8am so go before you come. There is also a caff for lunch and a pub.

Getting there

There are various ways to reach Sea Palling depending on your own preferences (and Sat Nav!). With an early morning start (6.30am on a Saturday) you can reach Sea Palling in just over 90 minutes using the A14/A140/A47. It's probably best to allow two hours. If leaving later and taking the coastal route beware Lowestoft, which has an excuse for a bypass of sorts, and Yarmouth which does not. On the last leg it's generally quicker to go the slightly longer route through Stalham than the pretty route up the coast.

Other information

Here is an interesting article by Cambridge BSAC.