Exploring the docks at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria

Most people looking down into Barrow Docks would probably think they were cold, dark, dirty and lifeless. Not so! After obtaining permission to dive into the docks, Seasearch divers were surprised to find an enormous variety of life.

Seasearch volunteer, Duncan Scott, shares his experiences of arranging diving at an unusual venue and the underwater experience at the docks.

📷 Life under the water in Barrow Docks

Despite the Furness Diving Club's base being located within the secure port boundary on the dock side at Barrow-in-Furness, the Club has not previously been able to get permission to dive in the docks..

Whilst not extremely busy, the Port of Barrow, owned by Associated British Ports, is a commercial facility with two particularly sensitive residents - at one end BAE Systems, the nuclear submarine builder and at the other, Nuclear Fuels Transportation services.  As a result, despite numerous approaches to the harbour master over the years, permission to explore the docks was illusive due to security, as well as health and safety concerns.

Permission at last

In 2023, after once again discussing our desire to dive in the dock system, this time highlighting our desire from a scientific perspective to do Seasearch surveys of the marine life, the two main dock residents and the harbour master himself approved our application early in the year and a dive and operational plan was quickly established.

The dock itself is large but only at the most about nine meters deep. Regular maintenance dredging means that the central section of the dock is mud and sand with little life at all.  However, towards the edges of the dock, along its walls and pier columns, it is a different matter.

The sketch from Duncan's Seasearch surveyor form.

Before any diving can be undertaken a day and time needs to be agreed with the docks control staff and whilst under water, divers have to maintain in communication with the Harbour Master in case there are any changes in boat schedules that would put safety at risk. 

📷 Divers in the docks

Plenty to discover

Not knowing what to expect from our first exploratory dives we were overwhelmed by what we found.

There was an incredible array of marine life.  We saw organ pipe worms, sea anemones, sponges, squirts of all different shapes and sizes plus nudibranchs, skeleton shrimps, baby moon jellyfish, black gobies, crabs, mussels, starfish etc etc.  No large fish have been spotted as yet but we are sure they are there somewhere”.

Whilst recording the species as well as the physical habitat for Seasearch and the Marine Conservancy Agency, we also took lots of video and still photos which were shared to The Beauty of Barrow and Furness Facebook page.

📷 Marine life in Barrow docks.

Local reaction

Whilst the underwater environment was a surprise to the divers, the general reaction from the general public was one of amazement. People could not believe what was in Barrow docks and likened the photographs to the Maldives!!

The amazing reaction on Facebook was picked up by the local newspaper - Barrow dock diver finds sealife after ABP permission | The Mail (nwemail.co.uk) - which itself created even more interest.

People thought we would only find bicycles and shopping trolleys buried at the bottom of the harbour and they couldn't believe the vibrant and colourful ecosystem we showed them.

We have since hosted further Seasearch dives and welcomed divers from all over the North West when a number of additional Surveyor and Observer forms were competed.

📷 The Seasearch volunteers after the dive in Barrow Docks

Thank you to Associated British Ports for permission to dive at the docks.

All photographs by Duncan Scott.

AUTHOR

Duncan Scott
Seasearch Volunteer

Duncan has always been interested in the sea and passionate about the protection of the marine environment.

He got involved with Seasearch when he took the Observer course in 2021 and has recently qualified as a Seasearch surveyor. He is involved with lots of other marine conservation projects and is a Marine Champion for Cumbrian Wildlife Trust.