The Great Scuba Drive
from Porthkerris, Cornwall to Oban, Scotland
Discover the Underwater World
Join Rico Anselmi and Sophie Shields, friends and colleagues at Porthkerris Divers, in their quest to explore the depths of UK waters. Dive into the beauty of marine life and experience the thrilling hidden world below the sea. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned diver, The Great Scuba Drive welcomes you to join the adventure.
Welcome
Join Rico Anselmi and Sophie Shields as they embark on an exciting month-long winter driving and diving adventure starting from Porthkerris, Cornwall on November 2nd 2025. Their journey will take them across the UK, exploring breathtaking natural and manmade lakes, lochs, and open waters, culminating at Puffin Dive Centre Oban, Scotland. Through captivating photographs and engaging blog posts, they will showcase the wonders of cold diving and the hidden gems of UK dive sites. With a mission to inspire the younger generation, Rico and Sophie will connect with local dive teams and groups along the route, to listen to their stories and learn of their experiences and ultimately to encourage everyone to discover the magic of diving.
Who we are
Rico Anselmi
Welcome to my diving world!
As an experienced multi-agency Specialty Scuba Dive Instructor for both SSI and PADI, with a passion for the marine environment, I teach a variety of courses and lead guided dives at Porthkerris. This year, I had the exciting opportunity to collaborate with the BBC and other production companies on projects like the One Show and Deadly 60. Now, I am exploring deeper into the world of diving media, eager to share my knowledge and experiences with fellow enthusiasts.
Sophie Shields
Welcome to my personal journey in diving and marine and natural history photography!
Currently in my third year at Falmouth University, I am following my diving passion working at Porthkerris Divers, Cornwall on a Professional Placement. I qualified as a Dive Master this summer and have enjoyed helping with guided dives and dive courses. Meeting other divers with all levels of experience has been rewarding and I have had the opportunity to photograph a wide variety of sea life on the house reef.
My love for diving began at the age of eight during a holiday in Greece, since then, I've been on a mission to explore and capture the beauty of underwater life, particularly in UK waters. As an award-winning photographer, I am excited to share my experiences and insights.
The Great Scuba Drive Route
Our route has been carefully chosen to explore a variety of dive locations, some of which have been on our wish lists for quite some time, others come highly recommended by fellow divers, making this an exciting journey. We are aware that the UK weather in November can be unpredictable, so we may have to adjust our route as we move along. Stay tuned for updates on our adventure!
How to get started
We hope that we have encouraged you to give scuba diving a try. We suggest that the first step on your scuba adventure should be contacting your nearest dive centre. Use this link to find your nearest centre. They will be able to help you further your diving adventure; whether it is your first time breathing underwater or getting your instructor qualification. Have a look at the SSI website and see what is involved in becoming a certified scuba diver. Their site is packed with useful information and we recommend that you have a browse. A remarkable underwater world awaits.
Contact Us
We would love to here what you have to say.
