Site name:
Blue Pool
Location:
Descriptive location referring to nearest landfall i.e. town, village, harbour or island
Portrush Type:
Describes whether this dive site can be dived from the shore, from a boat, or both
Shore Wreck:
Dive sites which include a shipwreck (or part of a shipwreck) are labelled with a ‘Yes’
No Min. dive depth (m):
The approximate minimum depth of the dive given in metres
1 Max. dive depth (m):
The approximate maximum depth of the dive given in metres
6
Max. seabed depth (m):
The maximum depth of the seabed at the site taken from the intersect between the dive site point and the depth contour on an Admiralty Standard Nautical Chart
6.1
Diving experience (min level):
The recommended minimum level of diving experience for a specific site, described as Novice (<50 dives in temperate/cold waters and minimum certification of PADI Open/Advanced Open Water, BSAC Ocean Diver or CMAS 1 star), Intermediate (50-100 dives in temperate/cold waters and minimum certification of PADI Rescue Dive, BSAC Sports Dive or CMAS 2 star) or Advanced (>250 dives in temperate/cold waters and minimum certification of PADI Divemaster, BSAC Dive Leader or CMAS 3 star
Novice
Optimal wind direction:
The general wind direction which causes minimal exposure at the site, corresponding to 8 points of the compass: North (N), North East (NE), East (E, South East (SE), South (S), South West (SW), West, North West (NW)
SE/S/SW/W/NW
Exposure:
The approximate level of exposure to wind and wave action at the site on any given day, described as Sheltered (inshore sites surrounded by a form of shelter on all sides), Moderate (sites which are partially sheltered) or Exposed (sites with little to no shelter)
Sheltered
Tidal strength:
Anecdotal description of tidal strength at the site
Marine Protected Area:
A Yes or No highlighting whether or not the site occurs within a Marine Protected Area
Yes
Visibility:
Anecdotal description of the typical underwater visibility at the site
~5m Best time to dive:
Anecdotal recommendation for the best time to dive the site for optimal underwater conditions. This typically relates to the stage of the tide
Easiest entry at HW Portrush Getting There:
Directions for getting to the site
Park on Bath Street (one-way only) above the site, or on Bath Road, outside the Portrush Coastal Zone. From here follow the footpath down to the Blue Pool steps.
Facilities:
Details of nearest facilities to dive site i.e. public car parking and toilets, slipways etc
Free car parking is available on Bath Street (one-way only) above the site, although this can be limited. Alternatively free car parking is available on Bath Road, outside the Portrush Coastal Zone (or further along in the Ramore Head car park). Public toilets and picnic benches are available in Ramore Head car park.
Nearest tank filling is Aquaholics in Portstewart (028 7083 2584)
Hazards:
Anecdotal information on possible hazards at the site for divers and snorkellers
- Swell can make exits difficult especially at low water.
- Snagged fishing lines are common on the seabed along with general litter, including glass and cans.
- A popular site for cliff jumpers so a Surface Marker Buoy essential.
Description:
A general description of the physical features of the dive site
Gently sloping rocky seabed with a cave and gully. Outside the Blue Pool to the west there are two crevices, and to the east there is a cove with a gravel and boulder seabed. The rest of the seabed is mostly sandy.
Biodiversity:
A description of the species composition at the site. Species of interest are highlighted. Follow the links for more information about the species on the NBN Atlas Northern Ireland website
The ceiling of the cave is covered in sea squirts.
View all species records from this site
A link to the dive site location on the NBN Atlas Northern Ireland website, showing all species records from within a 1km boundary of the site centroid. Any new species records from the site submitted to Seasearch, iRecord, CEDaR Online Recording or iNaturalist will appear hereLocal Charters:
A link to the website for the nearest Dive Centre to the site. A map of all dive centres is provided under ‘Go Diving’
Environmental and Historical Designations:
A list of any environmental or historical designations attributed to the site, or overlapping it. Follow the link for more information
More Information:
Links to additional information found online for the dive site
Safety:
Safety tips
- In an emergency call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.
- Follow VHF radio Channel 16 (156.8 MHz), the international distress frequency.
- Find nearest defibrillator (AED) here
Latitude, Longitude:
The approximate XY coordinates for the dive site in Decimel Degrees (DD). These can be converted to DMS or DDM by following the link below
55.208565, -6.653042 
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