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Selsey East Beach

This shallow dive site is perfect for snorkeling, freediving, and scuba diving. With a maximum depth of around 5m during high tide, it offers a thrilling experience with strong ebb currents. If you're up for it, you can start a drift dive along the beach towards the Lifeboat Station. Just remember to stay cautious of boat traffic near the wooden ramp and always use a Surface Marker Buoy.

During the summer months, you'll find bootlace weed flourishing here, providing a safe haven for small fry and fish. Keep an eye out for rays and cat-sharks resting on the sandy bottom, and if you're lucky, you might spot seahorses too.

Located at the shallower end of Selsey beach, this dive spot is not much further east. Some moorings may dry out at low water due to the presence of a sandbank. It's an ideal location for divers of all levels to check their weighting before heading out for a boat dive. You can also use this spot for practicing shallow water buoyancy control, snorkeling, and freediving. The easy access to the car park makes it convenient for starting or finishing a drift dive along the beach. For those seeking greater depth, swim out to the outer line of boats.

The current is strongest from 2 hours before to 2 hours after high tide. Although this dive site is exposed to easterly and southerly winds, it remains relatively sheltered during prevailing southwest winds.

Dive Site Details:
- Visibility: Expect a visibility of around 3 meters.
- Maximum Depth: The maximum depth here is approximately 9 meters.
- Recommended Diver Level: This dive site is suitable for beginners.
- Location: East Beach Road, East Beach, Selsey, Chichester, West Sussex, South East England, England, PO20 0ER, United Kingdom.

Diving Conditions Score for Selsey East Beach

5.7
Average

Average conditions, be alert.
The score is based on a calculation of the current weather and sea conditions.

Dive Site Overview for Selsey East Beach

Depth

9m

Visibility

3m

Experience Level

beginner

Weather Conditions for Selsey East Beach

Wave Height

0.4m

Wind Speed

9.4 m/s

Water Temp

16.7°C

Visibility

20.9km

Cloud Cover

100%

Wave Period

6.45s

Air Temperature

17.6°C

Precipitation

0 mm

Detailed 7-Day Diving Forecast for Selsey East Beach
Alpha

Dive Score Chart for Selsey East Beach

Best time to dive: 12:00 with score 7.743076923076923/10. Water conditions: Waves 0.4m, Wind 7.6 m/s.Best night dive time: 18:00 with score 7.649291542288558/10.

Chart showing hourly dive conditions including wave height, wind speed, water temperature, and visibility throughout the day.

Sunrise at Selsey East Beach: 06:00
Sunset at Selsey East Beach: 18:00

Optimal diving conditions at Selsey East Beach are affected by daylight hours. Sunrise occurs at 06:00 and sunset at 18:00, which impacts visibility and water temperature for scuba diving and snorkeling.

🌞
Best Overall
12:00

Score: 7.7/10
Waves: 0.4m (6.5s), Wind: 7.6 m/s

🌞
Safest Overall
16:00

Score: 7.5/10
Waves: 0.36m (6.65s), Wind: 3.2 m/s

🌙
Best Night
18:00

Score: 7.6/10
Waves: 0.34m, Wind: 5 m/s

Seasonal Analysis for Selsey East Beach
Alpha

Historical patterns and best seasons for diving at Selsey East Beach

The dive score combines all factors to rate overall diving conditions throughout the year. Higher scores indicate better diving conditions.

Monthly Dive Score Analysis - Seasonal Diving Conditions

Higher values indicate better diving conditions

Seasonal DiveScore Chart

This chart displays monthly diveScore data throughout the year, showing seasonal patterns. The data is presented as a bar chart with an overlaid line graph.Dive scores range from 1 to 10, with 10 being optimal conditions.

Higher values indicate better diving conditions

Best Season for Selsey East Beach

Winter

Avg. Score: 8.1/10

Winter offers the best overall diving conditions with calmer seas and better visibility, despite cooler temperatures.

Best Months for Selsey East Beach

January
Score: 8.6
December
Score: 8.0
February
Score: 7.8

Ideal Conditions for Selsey East Beach

Water Temp

Thermometer Emoji

18.8°C / 65.8°F

July

Visibility

Telescope Emoji

15.2m / 49.9ft

January

Wave Height

Wave Emoji

0.9m / 3.0ft

January

Wave Period

Wave Emoji

8.0s

January

Seasonal Insights for Selsey East Beach

Selsey East Beach shows typical northern hemisphere patterns with July being the warmest month (18.8°C) and December the coldest (1.7°C). The calmest conditions typically occur in January with average wave heights of 0.9m and wave periods of 8.0s. The most comfortable wave conditions are in January with a low wave steepness ratio, creating gentler swells. January offers the longest wave periods (8.0s), creating more comfortable and predictable conditions for boat entries and exits. Ocean currents are slowest in January (0.5m/s) and strongest in January (0.5m/s). January is usually the driest month with 0.0mm of precipitation. For beginners, the best time to visit would be during January to March, when ocean conditions are calmer with long-period waves and currents are typically weaker. Experienced divers might enjoy the challenges and potentially better visibility during the shoulder seasons, with moderate currents that can improve marine life encounters.

Scoring Legend:
9-10 (Excellent)
7-8 (Good)
5-6 (Average)
3-4 (Poor)
1-2 (Dangerous)

Last updated: 1 min. ago - Jun 18, 2026

Note: This dive site is not a verified dive site. Please dive with caution. This dive site might have incorrect information by the community.

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