aground and took on water off the West End.

The visitors, most of them from the cruise ship Dreamward , were safely brought ashore by Marine Police and the fishing boat Challenger .

They were helmet diving, anchored about one mile southwest of Cambridge Beaches, when the 40-foot dive boat Rainbow Runner went hard aground on the reef.

"We were doing our dive as normal,'' said Mr. Greg Hartley, owner of Under Sea Adventures. "We were having such a nice time underwater playing with the fish that the crew up on top didn't quite notice the tide going down.'' The boat "touched'', but it was not until later when Mr. Hartley tried to move the Rainbow Runner that he realised they "were touching quite hard.'' While trying to free the boat, the forward keel cracked, and the Rainbow Runner slowly began taking on water.

The visitors, who set out from Watford Bridge at about 9 a.m. for the undersea walk, remained calm, he said. "They thought it was quite an adventure. It took quite a bit to get the idea through that we were taking on water and we did need emergency assistance.'' Harbour Radio received a distress call at 1.42 p.m., and Marine Police were on the scene at 2.10 p.m., a Harbour Radio spokesman said.

By 2.20 p.m., all 32 passengers were transferred to the fishing boat Challenger , skippered by Capt. Alan Card. He returned them to Albuoy's Point by 3.30 p.m.

Capt. Card came from Ely's Harbour in response to a call from Harbour Radio.

The fishing boat Sea Quest also responded, but was not needed.

The passengers did not seem distressed, Capt. Card said. "They were laughing and joking and talking about it.'' Mr. Hartley and another crew member stayed aboard and pumped after the passengers left. They finally brought the boat in under her own steam. But the Rainbow Runner , the only craft owned by Under Sea Adventures, was expected to be out of service for a few days.

"I was concerned about losing the boat,'' Mr. Hartley said. "I was more concerned about the safety of the passengers, not to mention our reputation.

"Everyone had their dive, everyone had a nice time, and they got a free T-shirt.''