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Guernsey Ports is offering organised dive groups the opportunity to explore specific areas of St Peter Port Harbour on Christmas Day.
Diving in the harbour is only allowed once a year due to limited commercial vessel traffic. Previously these dives have yielded historical artifacts and provided recreational opportunities for local divers.
The most notable of these past discoveries was the 'Asterix', a 3rd-century Roman shipwreck, unearthed in 1982 by Richard Keen in the harbour entrance.
Pictured: The roman shipwreck Asterix which was found on the seabed back in the 80s on Christmas Day.
Any diving must be carried out as part of an organised group, and only after the appropriate risk assessments and safety plans have been submitted to the Port Authority. Guernsey Ports says these must be submitted for approval by Friday 20 December, and should be emailed to harbouroperations@gov.gg as soon as possible.
In a statement, Harbourmaster Captain Jerome Davies, said: "Christmas Day is the only day of the year on which diving by organised groups can be carried out safely in the designated harbour areas.
“I would like to thank our staff who will be providing cover for the hyperbaric chamber at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital should the need be required.”
All divers must have their surface marker buoys, and be accompanied by a support vessel with marine VHF Radio monitoring Guernsey VTS (channel 12) at all times. Support vessels are to inform Guernsey VTS when divers enter the water and again when they are clear.
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