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Diving Stoney Cove, England Inland Dive Site
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Reader Reviews:
Dive Site: Wessex Helicopter
Depth: 18 to 21 metres (63 feet)
Rating: See Stoney Cove overview
Location: From the Bus Stop entry take a 170 degree bearing and expect around an 8 - 10 minute slow swim. If you want to visit the Viscount on the way out take a 165 degree bearing to the cockpit and then a 170 bearing on towards the Wessex Helicopter, dropping down the rock face at an angle to 20 meters shortly after leaving the Viscount.
From the Slipway entry take a 215 degree bearing and expect a 5 minute swim.
There are a number of other features near the Wessex Helicopter. The Bedford Van is located close by, so if you are visiting the Wessex make a short swim further along the base of the 20m wall to the east. The Landrover is a short distance away (around 1 minute swim) on a 270 degree bearing and from here you could continue on a 270 - 280 degree bearing from the front of the Landrover to the nose of the Bus. Alternatively a 220 bearing from the Wessex will take you to the Stanegarth
History & Description: The Wessex Helicopter was XT768, Wessex HU5, and was bought from the RAF. It apparently had been airborne for less than 700 hours. Hard to believe when you see its current condition. Stripped for parts above water, during the Gulf War, the Wessex has continued to be quite literally pulled apart by divers whilst below the surface. Now full of holes and with the ends of wires hanging out all over the place it is little more than a helicopter shell. Nevertheless she still makes a very interesting dive and it is easily possible to enter the rear fuselage or the cockpit. Looking up at the tail fin from the quarry floor against the backlight coming down the cliff above makes for some good photo’s.
Rik Vercoe, BSAC Advanced Instructor
HELP! Does anyone by chance have any photos of a Wessex Helicopter that was placed in "Horsea Lake Portsmouth". Trying to get picture for an upcoming reunion. We used the helicopter in Singapore in the late sixties. I am trying to trace what happened to the 10 helicopters we had 35 odd years on.
Thank you.
Peter Baker, EX RN
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