Uncovering the Rich Underwater Wildlife of Wales

Condé Nast Traveler

2 days ago

It's just before sunrise, and the car is packed with thermoses of coffee, fleece-lined waterproof jackets, and underwater camera gear, as we drive toward the quaint Welsh seaside town of Tenby, Pembrokeshire. My close friend, wildlife photographer and documentarian Tatiana McCabe, has invited me to join her in snorkeling around Britain's first statutory Marine Nature Reserve, Lundy Island.
Though I moved to London from Chicago over a decade ago, the Welsh coast is entirely new to me. But its rugged landscape, with cliffs that plunge into the sea and give way to hidden coves and wide bays, have inspired poets and painters for centuries.
On arrival in Tenby, a timelessly alluring slice of British seaside, we're warmly greeted by Richard Rees, who moves with the ease of a surfer, having spent years paddling through all sorts of waters. Rees is an accomplished free-diver and marine conservationist; he's also the founder of Celtic Deep, a social enterprise run by ocean-lovers that offers in-water wildlife experiences off the coast of Pembrokeshire, the westernmost county in South Wales.
Through day excursions, Celtic Deep wants travelers to experience the rich wilderness of Wales—and remind them that diverse underwater life can be found here in the UK, not just in tropical waters. By inviting water sports lovers into this vibrant and ever-changing world beneath the sea's surface, Rees seeks to build the kind of connection that drives real conservation by educating visitors about the importance of marine ecosystems, conducting research and hosting researchers, and assessing their own impact on the environment.