Marlin Sub-Aqua Club’s Midland Pools Project kicked off 2020 at Blue Pool on Bishop’s Hill Nature Reserve. The day’s objective was to dive, survey and start to clean-up this former clay pit in collaboration with Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. Three club divers (Rob, Martin and Jamie) and three surface support (James B, Mike C and Mike W) completed two dives and a litter-pick on Sunday 19th January 2020.
Blue Pool is on the site of the former Harbury Cement Works that is made up of several Blue Lias limestone quarries. The site was opened in 1855 and continued manufacturing until December 1970 when the site became a depot, finally closing in 1994.
The maximum water depth recorded was 10.1 m, with shelves at approximately 3 m and 6 m. The water temperature was 6 °C and visibility was approximately 2 m. One motorcycle and the remains of a pram were found, but surprisingly no cars. No underwater litter collection was undertaken, however the margins of the pool were cleaned along two sides resulting an a large pile of rubbish.
The team want to go back and get the remaining floating rubbish (mainly bottles and inflatables) and do an underwater litterpick. Diving later in the year when the water is warmer should allow better observation of aquatic wildlife as only one perch was seen all day.
Read more in the report of the day’s activities.
Blue Pool, Warwickshire
