Phoenix Watersports boss 'passionate' about UK's marine environment

But for those in the loop, like Warrington's Phoenix Watersports director, Leanne Clowes, the UK has more than 11,000 miles of coastline and some of the richest and most diverse marine wildlife habitat on the planet. 

What's more, it's not as hard to get involved as you might think.

Whether you're an advanced diver or a newbee curious to give it a go, our rich seas are stiff with awe-inspiring underwater experiences, from vibing with magestic sea mammals and exploring historic underwater shipwrecks, to visiting thriving technicolour reefs. 

Leanne, Clare, and the Phoenix team run seal dives off Puffin Island, Gwynedd, from their own boat (Image: Leanne Clowes)

Leanne's on a mission to challenge misconceptions about diving in UK waters, which have the added magic of discovering wonders which have always been right under your nose. 

As well as its Warrington base, Phoenix Watersports has dive centres in Lymm, Liverpool, Anglesey, and Llanberis in Snowdonia, where it operates its own private, 18-metre-deep flooded slate quarry as a diver site, with plunging blue cliffs and gin-clear water, stuffed with stunning and intricate underwater features.People with no experience diving in UK waters are often surprised by the range of marine wildlife we have in our waters, according to Leanne (Image: Leanne Clowes)

It’s also the only UK dive centre located entirely within a UNESCO world heritage site.

They also operate a fully kitted-out sea-going dive rib, offering sub-aqua trips off Anglesey, as well as running 'shore dives' in the unique and nature-rich waters of the Menai Strait.   

Diver and keen underwater photographer, Dave Phillips, at Phoenix's inland dive site, Vivian Quarry, in Snowdonia National Park (Image: Leanne Clowes)

It irks Leanne to think only a handful of Brits have any idea of the wonders in and around our wildy varied coastline, and she's passionate about showcasing what the UK has to offer for experienced and would-be divers alike.

Even those whose aim is diving abroad can learn right here in the UK and have a wonderful time doing it, she says, meaning when they arrive at their exotic destinations, they’re ready to kit-up and explore.  

More than 100 species of colourful nudibranchs live around the British Coast (Image: Leanne)

“I talk to people all the time who think they’re better off jumping on a plane and going abroad to learn to dive,” she said.

“But they couldn’t be more wrong.

“People who live in UK coastal towns might think our seas are polluted and full of shopping trollies and plastic bags, but you only have to travel a few miles to realise we're blessed with worldclass diving opportunities right here on our doorstep.Intrepid diver, Kat Bowen, exploring a submerged aeroplane fuselage on a Phoenix Watersports trip (Image: Leanne Clowes)

“Our marine life is truly incredible, whether you’re talking large mammals like seals, dolphins, and even basking sharks (though they’re not actually mammals) through to all kinds of amazing fish, right down to the smallest jewels like anemones, nudibranchs, and crustations.

“There’s a seal colony off Puffin Island who are like family to us. We’ve got names for most of them, and we know their individual personalities.

Lobsters are plentiful in the Menai Strait, when some scuba divers hand-dive them for local high-ed restuarants (Image: Leanne Clowes)

“The babies are like underwater puppies, and we teach divers how to engage with them safely. You can’t chase them – you’ve got to let them come to you.

“There’s one called Bubbles, who was the colony’s only surviving pup in 2021 because of the bad weather.  She copies everything you, including blowing bubbles when you do.  

Phoenix's clients getting up close and personal with a member of the Puffin Island seal colony (Image: Leanne Clowes)

“The Menai Strait is world-renowned for the richness of its waters and the quality of its reefs. There’s a spot known as the Anemone Garden, really close to one of the bridges. For biodiversity and beauty, it’s on a par with anything, anywhere on earth.

“There’s even a spider crab aggregation in Holyhead Harbour once a year. They come in in their thousands to shed their shells to breed. It’s a magestic sight.

Spider crabs come inshore in the UK in their thousands to shed their shells and mate, knows as an aggregation (Image: Leanne Clowes)

“And there are literally hundreds of wrecks off the North Wales coast, many of them still totally unexplored.”

A common objections Leanne hears about diving in the UK is the water must be too cold for comfort.

She says that's rarely a problem, as UK divers wear drysuits much of the year, with layers of warm clothes underneath, so you never have to get wet at all. 

Leanne and Clare's inland dive centre at Vivian Quarry in Llanberis, Snowdonia (Image: Leanne Clowes)

She added: “Okay, the water's a bit colder here, there’s no escaping that. In that sense, diving here's never going to be like the Maldives.

“We use drysuits a lot of the year, but once you’ve learned how to use them, it’s totally comfortable pretty much all year round. And there’s the benefit of adding an extra skill to your repertoire. For a lot of divers, that’s really important.

“We try to do things a bit different. We do stuff like Scuba Escape, which is an underwater escape room. But don’t worry – no one’s actually locked in. That was publicised all over the word. We had people come from Canada to do it.

“There something really special about discovering the wonders which are right on your own doorstep.

“I can guarantee, people who’ve never thought about that before would be totally blown away.”