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VOBSTER QUAY INLAND DIVING & SWIMMING CENTRE
VOBSTER QUAY
3D MODELS COURTESY OF MARCUS BLATCHFORD & SIMON BROWN
3D MODELS COURTESY OF
MARCUS BLATCHFORD
& SIMON BROWN
SURFACE WATER TEMP:  9.4 °C    UPDATED:  02-12-2023
SURFACE WATER TEMP:  9.4 °C
Select Dive Attraction
WINTER SWIMMING UPDATE - Don't miss these important changes to our swim procedures!
DIVE ATTRACTION
Upturned Truck Wreck
Photos copyright © Jason Brown
One of our shallowest attractions also happens to be one of the more mysterious. Located at a depth of just 10 metres, our truck wreck has remained something of an enigma for many years. What type of truck is it? And how did it get there? For years, these questions remained unanswered.
Thanks to the facebook masses, we're pretty sure that we've now solved at least one of these mysteries - we now know what type of truck it is. Identifying it wasn't easy but certain features of the wreck gave us a good place to start. The relatively slim front grill, the position of the indicator lights and the pair of double lights mounted at a low level into the front bumper helped us to identify our mystery truck - a 1970s-vintage MAN 16.280 tractor unit with sleeper cab.

Unfortunately we're still none the wiser on how our truck found itself at the bottom of the lake. Considering that it now lies up side down near the north westerly edge of the lake, we can be pretty sure that it wasn't placed there on purpose - we suspect it was reversed over the edge, dropped down vertically and tipped forward onto its back as it hit the lake bottom. Someone clearly had a very bad day! We can only but hope that the driver got out unscathed.
Upturned Truck Wreck
INFORMATION FOR DIVERS
Our truck wreck offers a very easy dive but does require a little effort to get to due to its relatively remote location. Laying at the far end of the lake in the north west corner, a visit to this attraction can be surprisingly rewarding.
For those divers not confident in their navigation skills, we'd recommend a surface swim across to the buoy tied off to the truck. For those happy to take on the more challenging scenic route however, follow the quarry wall around in an anti-clockwise direction (keeping the lake edge on your right shoulder) at a depth of 10 metres and you should get to the truck within 30 minutes or so.

You'll find the truck located on a rocky plateau at a depth of approximately 10 metres. Inset close to the lake wall, the truck now lies upside down with its cab facing outwards into the lake. Take some time to swim around the outside of the truck, paying particular attention to its belly which now faces up towards the surface. It's still in surprisingly complete condition - even it's tyres are still in place, despite being underwater for at least thirty years or so.

Whilst all the windows have long been smashed out, we'd strongly recommend not trying to crawl into the cab - it may look easily enough but it's very, very silty in there and you could easily get caught up. If you fancy a cool swim through, drop down and swim through the gap between the rear of the cab and the back wall of the lake. it can be a little silty so care must be taken not to destroy the viz on your way through.
Essential Information
Buoy #
15
Location
Navigation
Minimum Depth
8 metres
Maximum Depth
10 metres
Best Bits
Still relatively intact
Fascinating underside
Swimthru behind the cab
Normally good viz
Hazards
Protruding metal
Overhead environment
Loss of visibility
Entanglement
SAFETY FIRST: The swim thru behind the truck cab is relatively open but should still be undertaken with car - it's all too easy to stir up the silt! Please DO NOT attempt to enter the cab even if you are an experienced overhead environment diver.