Jack Sound is a treacherous body of water [1] between the island of Skomer and the Pembrokeshire coast in west Wales. It is popular with divers. [2]
The 800 metres (2,600 ft) wide sound is used by boats to avoid a three-mile detour around the island, but it contains numerous reefs and a tidal race of up to 6 knot (unit)s which consequently has resulted in numerous wrecks. [3]
The sound is part of the Skomer Marine Conservation Zone. [4]
The most popular wreck for divers is the MV Lucy, which sank in good condition in February 1967 after being abandoned by its crew owing to its cargo of calcium carbide. The Netherlands-registered coaster, 52 metres (171 ft), was en route from Uddevalla, Sweden to Barry. [2] [5] [6] [7]
Coflein, the Royal Commission's website records 32 wrecks associated with Jack Sound. [8] One of these was the passenger ship Albion which struck rocks on passage through Jack Sound and was forced to beach further along the coast, where she remains. [9]
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and otherwise by the sea. Haverfordwest is the largest town and administrative headquarters of Pembrokeshire County Council.
Skomer or Skomer Island is an island off the coast of Pembrokeshire, in the community of Marloes and St Brides in west Wales. It is well known for its wildlife: around half the world's population of Manx shearwaters nest on the island, the Atlantic puffin colony is the largest in southern Britain, and the Skomer vole is unique to the island. Skomer is a national nature reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Protection Area. It is surrounded by a marine nature reserve and is managed by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.
Gateholm or Gateholm Island is a small tidal island off the south west coast of Pembrokeshire, in the community of Marloes and St Brides, in the south west side of Wales, in the west of the UK, and about 8 miles (13 km) west of the port of Milford Haven. It is known for its Romano-British remains. Gateholm is owned by the National Trust as part of their Marloes Sands and Mere estate.
Middleholm, also known as Midland Isle, is a small island lying off southwest Pembrokeshire in Wales, between the island of Skomer and the mainland in the community of Marloes and St Brides. It is roughly circular with a diameter of about 1,210 feet (370 m) and an area of 21.5 acres (8.7 ha). It is separated from the mainland by Jack Sound and from Skomer by Little Sound.
Ramsey Island is an island about 1 kilometre off St David's Head in Pembrokeshire on the northern side of St Brides Bay, in southwest Wales, in the community of St Davids and the Cathedral Close. It is 259 hectares in area. Ramsey means Hrafn's island.
Strumble Head is a rocky headland in the community of Pencaer in Pembrokeshire, Wales, within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. It marks the southern limit of Cardigan Bay. Three islands lie off the head: Ynys Meicel – 112 feet (34 m) – Ynys Onnen and Carreg Onnen.
Crow Rock is a rock located off of Linney Head, Pembrokeshire, in west Wales. The area is considered to be a good diving location because of its marine life and shipwrecks. Crow Rock is not more than 20 feet wide. The rock lies south of Stackpole and Castlemartin community, the most southerly in Pembrokeshire.
Bedd Arthur is a possibly Neolithic hengiform monument megalithic site in the Preseli Hills in the Welsh county of Pembrokeshire. Thirteen upright stones and at least 2 fallen ones, each around 0.6 metres (2.0 ft) high form an oval horseshoe with similarities to the earliest form of Stonehenge.
St Margaret's Island is a small tidal island to the northwest of Caldey Island in Carmarthen Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Ynys Bery is a small island south of Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire, Wales, in the community of St David's and the Cathedral Close.
The Bishops and Clerks are a group of rocks and islets, approximately 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) west of Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Aore is an island in Sanma Province, Vanuatu. It is located opposite Luganville on Espiritu Santo and has an area of 58 square kilometres (22 sq mi). The estimated terrain elevation above sea level is some 89 metres (292 ft).
Thorne Island is a rocky islet and part of the community of Angle, Pembrokeshire, Wales, with an area of 2 acres (8,100 m2), dominated by a coastal artillery fort built to defend the Milford Haven Waterway in the mid-19th century. It has been the site of a number of shipwrecks, including one in 1894 that was carrying a cargo of Scotch whisky.
Martin's Haven is a small, north-facing cove in Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK, on the Dale Peninsula, with views across St Bride's Bay towards St David's. It is recorded by the Royal Commission as a historic place name.
MV Fairwind was an Australian Motor Stores Lighter wrecked off the New South Wales coast in 1950. MSL 251 and her sister ship, MSL 252, were built by Tulloch's Pty Ltd for the Australian Army. Completed in September 1946, the vessel was loaned to the Department of External Affairs and used for fishery surveys by the Papua and New Guinea Administration. The Department renamed the vessel MV Fairwind.
Carnllundain or Carn Llundain is the highest elevation of Ramsey Island in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Recreational dive sites are specific places that recreational scuba divers go to enjoy the underwater environment or for training purposes. They include technical diving sites beyond the range generally accepted for recreational diving. In this context all diving done for recreational purposes is included. Professional diving tends to be done where the job is, and with the exception of diver training and leading groups of recreational divers, does not generally occur at specific sites chosen for their easy access, pleasant conditions or interesting features.
MV Liberty was a Russian cargo ship which was turned into an artificial reef south of Cyprus in 2009. The ship had a gross tonnage of 225 GT, a length of 37 metres (121 ft), and a beam of 7 metres (23 ft).
MT or MVHephaestus was a bunkering oil tanker that ran aground off Qawra, Malta on 10 February 2018 and was subsequently scuttled as a dive site off Xatt l-Aħmar, Gozo on 29 August 2022.