Diving in North Shore
Why dive here
North Shore offers some of Bermuda's richest diving, with 328+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, blue sharks, bull sharks, dolphins and eagle rays.
Bermuda's North Shore is where history buffs and wreck enthusiasts really get their fix. We love that feeling of dropping onto a site like the **Constellation** and the **Montana**, knowing these aren't just old ships, but the very vessels that sparked a classic deep-sea thriller. You’ll feel the slight chill of the thermocline as you descend, then the wreck emerges from the blue, usually with a school of Atlantic spadefish swirling around the mast. The corals here, while not the most colourful we’ve seen, are encrusting and robust, clinging to the metal, creating homes for the resident American eels and blennies. We always recommend getting down early for these sites; it’s less crowded and the light filters through the water beautifully, illuminating the cargo holds. Keep an eye out for the larger jacks cruising by in the deeper sections. It’s a proper dive into history, with enough marine life to keep things interesting, even if it's not the most biodiverse spot in the Caribbean. We always find ourselves lingering over the details, imagining the ships in their prime.
North Shore Dive Site Map
Dive sites and dive centres in North Shore
North Shore Dive Sites
43 dive sites in North Shore
AMERICA
The *America* is a bit of a Bermuda classic, and for good reason. She’s a dangerous wreck in name only these days, a wooden hull broken up into fascinating ribs and decking that has become a playground for damselfish and parrotfish. We love taking new divers here; at only 4m, you can really take your time poking around the timbers, imagining her final moments. Our favourite part is swimming through the hull’s skeleton. The light filters down, creating these shifting patterns on the sand, and if you’re patient, you’ll spot moray eels tucked into the larger crevices. Visibility is usually superb here, often pushing 20 metres, so you get these wide-angle views of the whole site. It’s perfect for photographers looking to capture that classic wreck silhouette against the blue. Go early in the morning before any boat traffic kicks up the sand; the quiet makes all the difference.
ARISTO
The ARISTO, a passenger freighter that went down in 1937 while being towed, lies just off Bermuda’s North Shore. We love this site for its accessibility and how much of the old ship remains distinct, not just a pile of scattered metal. Sitting upright at a shallow 12 metres, you can spend a full hour exploring the bow and stern sections, even poking your head into some of the cargo holds. Our favourite time to dive ARISTO is mid-morning, when the sun angles just right through the water, illuminating the main deck and revealing the schools of sergeant majors that flit around the superstructure. Look closely and you’ll spot parrotfish munching on the coral growth, and often a moray eel peeking from a crevice. It’s a gentle dive, perfect for photographers wanting to capture the ship’s moody silhouette against the blue, or for anyone who enjoys a leisurely wreck exploration without strong currents or deep depths.
Bermuda Great Reef
The Bermuda Great Reef, off the North Shore, offers a solid reef dive for divers looking to explore the area's coral formations. It's not a site that screams for attention, but we found it reliably delivers a decent showing of common Caribbean reef fish and hard corals. Expect a relaxed dive suitable for newer divers or those wanting a calm afternoon in the water. We'd suggest pairing it with another North Shore spot for a full day out.
Bermudian Tug
The Bermudian Tug, just off the North Shore, is one of our favourite shallow wrecks in Bermuda. It’s a purposeful dive, sunk in 1986 to serve as a training ground for local divers, and it’s done its job well, attracting plenty of life in its 10-meter home. We love taking newer divers here, or just heading out for a relaxed afternoon dip when the bigger wrecks feel like too much effort. The wreck itself is intact enough to feel like a real exploration. You can fin right through the wheelhouse, feeling the cooler water as you pass into the shaded interior, and poke around the engine room if you’re comfortable in confined spaces. Schools of snapper often drift through the open doorways, and we’ve seen barracuda hanging motionless over the bow more times than we can count. For photographers, the light here is incredible on a sunny day, piercing through the clear water to dapple the hull. It’s a great spot to practice buoyancy and get comfortable moving around a structure without the pressure of depth.
BLANCHE KING
The Blanche King sits in a surprisingly shallow 10 metres, a real boon for divers who appreciate longer bottom times and excellent natural light penetration. This isn't one of those wrecks where you need to peer into the gloom. Instead, the sunlight often dances across the collapsed stern and the distinct boiler, highlighting the encrusting corals and sponges. We love the way the wreck has settled, creating a fantastic playground for smaller reef fish; you’ll often spot schools of snapper darting in and out of the broken hull plates, and the resident moray eels seem quite comfortable in their newfound homes. The Blanche King went down in 1920, and the years have softened her edges, turning a dangerous wreck into a living reef. Our favourite part has to be exploring the bow section, still somewhat intact, where you can easily picture her as a merchant vessel. Watch for the barracuda that frequently cruise overhead, using the wreck as a convenient hunting ground. It’s a site that really suits divers who enjoy a relaxed pace, plenty of ambient light, and the chance to thoroughly explore a historical wreck without the pressure of depth.
Caeser
Caeser, on Bermuda's North Shore, is a proper history lesson you can dive. We love this site for its sheer accessibility – five metres deep, perfect for a long, relaxed exploration. Sunk way back in 1818, this isn't some intact vessel waiting to be penetrated. Instead, you'll find a scattered debris field, mostly ribs and ballast stones, spread across the sandy bottom. The structure is wonderfully encrusted, draped in sponges and soft corals that pulse with the gentle surge. Look closely and you'll spot juvenile reef fish darting between the timbers, and often a grumpy moray eel peeking from a crevice. It’s an ideal spot for macro photographers or anyone who enjoys tracing the outline of history, rather than just admiring a whole ship. We'd suggest aiming for mid-morning when the sun is high; the light penetration really brings out the colours of the encrusting life. This site is particularly good for newer divers or those who just want a chill, shallow dive to soak in the Bermudian history.
CARAQUET
The Caraquet, a colossal steamship, sits broken but beautiful at just 11 meters. It’s an ideal wreck for a long, relaxed dive, especially if you’re into history you can actually touch. We love drifting over its scattered remains, imagining the 1923 storm that drove it onto the North Shore. You'll find yourself gliding past massive plates of twisted steel, the triple expansion engine still impressive even after a century underwater. Our favourite spot is exploring the stern section, where we’ve often seen big green moray eels tucked into crevices, watching us with lazy eyes. The sheer scale of the Caraquet, even in pieces, is striking; its 121-meter length means you’ll want to take your time. Look out for schools of snapper darting in and out of the rusted hull, or the occasional hawksbill turtle munching on sponges near the bow. It's a remarkably accessible wreck, perfect for divers who appreciate the atmospheric remains of a grand old ship and the marine life that has made it home.
Chaddock Bar
Chaddock Bar on Bermuda's North Shore presents a solid reef dive. We often find a good mix of Caribbean reef fish here – parrotfish munching away, some friendly hogfish, and occasionally a passing barracuda. The reef itself offers plenty of nooks and crannies to explore. It’s a reliable spot for a relaxed morning or afternoon dive, suitable for most experience levels.
CONSTELLATION
The CONSTELLATION. Now, this is a wreck with a story, and it’s right there for you to experience. Sunk in 1943 after hitting the reefs of Bermuda’s North Shore, this 58.5-meter wooden hulled schooner has been a fixture on the seabed ever since. We love that it’s so shallow, only 4 meters deep, making it incredibly accessible. You’ll find yourself finning over a ghost ship, really, the main structure largely broken up but still very much recognisable as a ship’s skeleton. Imagine the sheer scale of it, even in its broken state. We always try to picture the deck, the masts, the cargo of rum and whiskey it was carrying when it went down. Now, you’ll find sections of hull, ribs, and deck timbers scattered across the sandy bottom. The resident parrotfish and angelfish dart in and out of the crevices, and we’ve spotted barracuda hanging still, just watching us, off the bow. Our favourite part has to be tracing the length of the wreck, trying to piece together its original form. It’s a great site for photographers, especially when the sun is high and that shallow water just lights everything up. Given the depth, it’s a brilliant second dive or even a snorkel, suitable for pretty much anyone comfortable in the water.
CORINTHIAN
We’ve always had a soft spot for the Corinthian. It’s a good example of what makes Bermuda wrecks so compelling, even if it's not the deepest. Lying in just 20m, this 53-meter steel freighter offers a decent amount to explore without pushing your no-decompression limits. The Corinthian went down in 1918, during a nasty storm, and she’s now well-integrated into the reef, a proper artificial reef for over a century. We love dropping down onto the bow first. You can still make out the anchor chains draped across the deck, and the open cargo holds are just begging for a peek. Schools of grunts and snapper often hang around the deeper sections of the hull, and we’ve seen plenty of spiny lobsters tucked into crevices. Keep an eye out for moray eels too; they’re often peeking from under plating. Visibility here can vary, but on a good day, the light plays beautifully through the superstructure, giving it an eerie, almost cathedral-like feel. It's a great choice for divers who appreciate history and don't mind a shallower wreck with plenty of character. Our favourite time to dive it is mid-morning, just as the sun gets high enough to really illuminate the wreck.
CRISTOBAL COLON
The Cristobal Colon isn’t just a wreck, it’s a sprawling underwater city, a proper Bermuda classic. We love how the sheer scale hits you – nearly 150 metres long, scattered across the shallow reef at only 11 metres. It sank in 1936, and since then, the ocean has really done its work, breaking her into huge, recognisable sections. You’ll weave through massive boiler rooms, past enormous propeller shafts, and discover holds that now act as apartment blocks for parrotfish and angelfish. This isn’t a wreck you penetrate, it’s one you explore by finning over and through the debris field. Look out for the resident green morays, often peeking from under a steel plate, and the schools of sergeant majors that shimmer above the larger sections. We’d suggest a slow dive here, maybe even two, to really appreciate the history and the way the reef has utterly reclaimed this liner. It’s perfect for divers who appreciate the sheer drama of a big wreck broken by the sea.
Curlew
The Curlew, sitting pretty at just 6 metres on Bermuda's North Shore, is a real charmer. We love a shallow wreck, especially one with a story like this 1856 victim of the reefs. The wreck itself, a 54.9-metre wooden sailing ship, is now largely broken up, but that’s its magic. It’s less about intact structure and more about exploring the scattered ribs and planks, now completely taken over by the reef. You’ll drift over sections of the hull, planks, and what might have been cargo, all encrusted with sponges and hard corals. Schools of sergeant majors dart through the gaps, and we often spot parrotfish grazing on the encrusted wood. Look closely for moray eels tucked into crevices. It’s an easy, relaxed dive, perfect for photographers or anyone who just wants to spend an hour poking around history without worrying about deco. Our favourite time to visit is late morning when the sun is high, really making the colours pop in the clear, shallow water. It’s also a fantastic spot for snorkelers to join in the fun.
North Shore Dive Centres
4 dive shops and operators in North Shore
Ocean Wildlife in North Shore
328 species recorded in North Shore
North Shore Daylight & Sunrise/Sunset
Sunrise and sunset times for North Shore, calculated from coordinates
Today - Monday 24 August
Sunrise
05:49
Sunset
18:56
Daylight
13h 7m
Golden Hour
18:23
First light (dawn) at 05:24 · Last light (dusk) at 19:22
Monthly Averages
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 07:22 | 17:36 | 10h 14m |
| Feb | 07:04 | 18:05 | 11h 1m |
| Mar | 06:32 | 18:27 | 11h 55m |
| Apr | 05:52 | 18:48 | 12h 56m |
| May | 05:23 | 19:10 | 13h 47m |
| JunLongest | 05:13 | 19:28 | 14h 15m |
| Jul | 05:23 | 19:28 | 14h 5m |
| AugNow | 05:43 | 19:06 | 13h 23m |
| Sep | 06:03 | 18:28 | 12h 25m |
| Oct | 06:23 | 17:49 | 11h 26m |
| Nov | 06:48 | 17:21 | 10h 32m |
| DecShortest | 07:13 | 17:16 | 10h 3m |
Times are approximate local times based on longitude. Actual times may vary slightly depending on the exact timezone observed in North Shore.
Where to Stay near North Shore
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Marine Protected Areas near North Shore
7 protected areas near North Shore - please respect local regulations when diving
South Shore Park (Southampton)
South Shore Park (Warwick)
Castle Harbour Islands Nature Reserve
Saltus Island
Morgan's Island
Palm Island
Lambda Island
Getting to North Shore
Hamilton
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