Leisure or Sport Diving within Portland Harbour Limits

Portland and the surrounding area offers divers a variety of recreational dive sites.

Any clubs requiring further information on diving in Portland Harbour should contact the Harbour Office by calling 01305 824044.

Local Notice to Mariners - No 03/2023

LEISURE OR SPORT DIVING WITHIN PORTLAND HARBOUR LIMITS

This notice is directed at non-commercial Leisure and Sport Divers where nobody is at’ work’ namely, where no payment, cash or otherwise has been received for the diving service.
Divers are advised that the Leisure/Sport Diving or Underwater Swimming Regulations within Portland Harbour Limits have changed. The map below indicates the areas where ALL diving and underwater swimming is prohibited. Diving can be undertaken in the unmarked area, but divers are responsible for risk assessing the suitability and safety of their chosen dive site.
Portland Harbour Authority strongly recommends that all persons involved in Leisure/Sport Diving or Underwater Swimming should be a member of a club or association which is either a registered branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club, a registered club of the Sub-Aqua Association, a Professional Association of Diving Instructors registered diving school or a member of any other recognised and competent organisation.
Divers who are planning to undertake Leisure/Sport Diving or Underwater Swimming and who do not meet the above requirements are recommended not to dive because of strong tidal flows, wrecks, moorings, and the vast numbers of Commercial and Leisure vessel movements within Harbour Limits.
Any person Leisure/Sport Diving or Underwater Swimming in the harbour shall comply with any General Directions that are imposed and comply with any Special Directions given by the Harbour Master or his representative.
PHAL strongly advises that skippers of Dive Charter Vessels should confirm the competencies of the Divers they are transporting to dive sites within Portland Harbour Limits.