Cathedral rock

Cathedral Rock is part of the reef that runs perpendicular to the corner of St Abbs harbour wall, known locally as Thistly Briggs. The 'rock' of Cathedral Rock is never visible, even at the lowest of tides, and many divers actually mistake a reef close by for it. Underwater, the wall falls away and is deeply undercut by horizontal strata lines eroded away by the movement of the water, and now filled with squat lobsters and leopard-spotted gobies. The top tunnel is known as the Keyhole, and during the diving season there is often so much trapped air in one of the small upper recesses that you can 'surface' and have a chat with your buddy while still 8m underwater. The lower tunnel archway is massive-of double-decker-bus proportions-with a stony bottom directly under the arch, and a tumble of boulders at each side. St Abbs. The best access to dive Cathedral Rock is from the southern side of the harbour wall where the wall joins a low, rocky reef. Directly opposite the entry point is another huge rock called Big Green Carr, which offers shelter, except in the most exceptional circumstances.