A fantastic place to visit and a wonderful place to dive, Anglesey Isle is located to the northwest of Wales and is connected to the mainland by the Britannia Bridge and the Menai suspension bridge, which allow for easy travel across the Menai Strait. While the waters surrounding Anglesey Isle are perhaps best known for their wrecks, there are two exciting drift dives where you’ll find a fantastic array of marine life as well as some fascinating views.
Ynys-Y-Moch
At Ynys-Y-Moch, you’ll get the opportunity to enjoy an exciting drift and view the underwater portion of the famous Menai suspension bridge, which was completed in 1826. Along the way, you’ll encounter masses of turbo-fed marine life including sessile and mobile filter feeders, hundreds of crabs including bright yellow scorpion spider crabs, gunnel, Pollack, dragonets, and scorpionfish. Cliffs swathed in sponges, tapestries of brilliant dahlia anemones, and vast beds of mussels create a stunning backdrop that makes macro photography exceptionally rewarding on days when the current is calm. Watch for masses of nudibranchs too, including well-camouflaged dendronotus frondosus, with their elegantly frilled backs and lovely spotted bodies. This site is easily accessible from shore and is diveable year-round, though you’ll need boat cover on days when the current is running fast. It’s a favorite with locals, who enjoy the biodiversity as well as the exhilaration drifting in the sometimes screaming current provides. Maximum depth is just 15 meters, and visibility is a fair four to eight meters.
Puffin Sound Drift
Puffin Island is located off the southeast coast of Anglesey; topside, the remnants of an ancient monastery that dates back to the 6th century can be seen, along with a Great Cormorant colony containing over 750 pairs of nesting birds, plus colorful puffins that nest along the carboniferous limestone cliffs that surround the island. Puffin Island is a Special Protection Area and the marine life is fantastic; loads of mackerel fill the water, and the northeast tip of the island is home to a colony of curious seals, which are frequently encountered.
Filter feeders cover the rocks, big lobsters lounge along the seabed, and conger eels peer out from sheltered hideaways; as you move with the current, you may be fortunate enough to spot one or more of the many anchors which have been lost in the area over the century. Along the trench, the current picks up until you reach a wall where you can slip into the lee and investigate huge masses of colorful sponges that host tiny crabs and other small creatures. Hop back into the current and you’ll find yourself along a rocky slope that appears to be devoid of life until your eyes adjust; then you’ll notice lots of dogfish and some huge crabs. The drift ends over a bed of white sand at a depth of 9 meters. Maximum depth along the way is 30 meters, and visibility is usually between 5 and 10 meters although it does occasionally improve further.
There are several fantastic dive operators throughout Wales, and diver-friendly accommodations are abundant. While you’re in the Anglesley area, consider visiting at least a few of the shallow wreck sites, and do take some time to explore the historic sites located topside. Once it’s time to return home, don’t be surprised if you find yourself wishing you had more time to spend in the area!