Deadline nearing for Christmas Day dive permission

Divers have this week to register for a traditional event that grants special permission to explore St Peter Port Harbour on Christmas Day.

Local organised diving groups are allowed to dive the usually busy harbour on the holiday due to the small number of scheduled commercial vessel movements.

The popular festive tradition is an annual event which has in the past unearthed historic artefacts - in 1982 a 3rd Century Gallo Roman shipwreck was found by local diver Richard Keen.

Written permission to dive within the harbour limits must be obtained from the harbour master by 20 December.

Christmas Day is the only time diving is permitted in the harbour, allowing the chance to find artefacts and also fresh scallops.

In previous years, more than 20 divers from organised groups have taken part.

Acting harbour master James Way said: "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."

The chamber is a pressurized room that can be used to treat conditions like decompression sickness, also known as the bends, which can occur if a diver has a rapid ascent from depth.

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