Divestay is based in Eyemouth, a small town situated on the Berwickshire coast of South East Scotland.
Skipper Billy Aitchison originally started taking divers out from Rockhouse in St Abbs but moved, with bigger boats, to Eyemouth in 2011 and teamed up with Gary Steenvoorden & Zoe Shephardson to form DiveStay.
Billy announced his retirement from the sea in 2016
Gary & Zoe, originally from Lincolnshire are both experienced divers. They were instantly hooked on everything the area around St Abbs & Eyemouth has to offer but especially the diving. The relocation of the WaveDancer to a larger berth in Eyemouth provided an opportunity for the Lincolnshire couple to follow their dream of living and working in the area. After a lot of searching, The Home Arms came on the market and they knew that, although it needed extensive modernisation, it would make an ideal place for dive groups to stay. Gary & Zoe set about the task of rennovating the building to become a luxury Bed & Breakfast, suitable for divers and families alike.
As the name suggests, DiveStay offer a full package of hardboat diving and accommodation. Whether you enjoy scenic diving, shallow wrecks and caves, or technical diving, the aim is to make every trip simple to arrange, easy to dive and comfortable to stay. The Home Arms can take small or large groups and your dive equipment is taken to the boat for you, Tanks are collected at the end of the day from the boat, Filled at The Home Arms and delivered back to the boat before your next dive.
Diving in the St Abbs & Eyemouth Marine Reserve is suitable for all levels of diving ability, and Gary provides the local knowledge essential to make certain you are diving the best sites to suit the tides, timings and conditions on each day.
“DiveStay has always thrived on repeat bookings each year. Divers return again and again, and strangers often become friends. The expansion of Technical Diving and the increase in available capacity provides an opportunity for more people to dive with us. We’ve been told that “DiveStay is the very best way to dive St Abbs & Eyemouth.” – We hope so“