BREAKWATER

PLYMOUTH BREAKWATER

LANCASTER BOMBER MK III

In days past you could stay and dive from Bovisand Dive Centre which was an old Fort built in 1800 to defend Plymouth from the French. Just outside the harbour of Bovisand is a Breakwater with a Lighthouse at either end, even with its lighthouse and beacon, the breakwater still attracted ships like a moth to a flame. Most of the modern ships that struck the breakwater in the 19th century, like the Thetis or the Erin, went completely to pieces and have little or no trace of their passing. But in the period encompassing the two World Wars, many iron ships struck the breakwater and although some were successfully floated off, the remains of at least three ships still lie scattered on the seabed of the breakwater along with a Lancaster Bomber of 49 Squadron based at Fiskerton which crashed into the breakwater after a raid on the submarine bases at L'Orient 13th February 1943

The Lancaster a Mark Three was severely damaged after a successful raid on the submarine bases at L'Orient. It is believed the pilot struggling to keep the Lancaster in the air and was desperately trying to make an emergency landing at R.A.F. Harrowbeer (just outside Plymouth). Unfortunately the Lancaster kept losing height as he was approaching the English coast line.

It was believed In a last attempt the pilot attempted to crash land in Plymouth Sound, but by now the plane must have been completely uncontrollable, and far too low. The Lancaster hit the Breakwater and completely disintegrated killing all seven crew outright; Their bodies were never recovered, and the official account of 49 Squadron recorded them as being "missing without trace".

Today the Lancaster, or rather what's left of it, lies at the base of the Breakwater 11 meters. The Rolls Royce Merlin engines are the main blocks that can be found with a crumpled propeller along with the workings of the undercarriage. I have always asked the divers I took down not to pull things around as I have always treated this site as a war grave, with respect.

While the breakwater is a good dive during the day the location is excellent for a night dive with lots of marine life and the seabed comes alive with big spider crabs that seem to have no fear of divers as they walk towards you en mass. you will also see lots of dog fish.