wreck

Log This Dive

The Great Northern

The Great Northern is one of our favourite wreck dives, especially for something so accessible. She went down on New Year’s Eve, 1902, so there’s over a century of growth on her hull now, sitting in the sand at a max of 13m. We’ve had dives here with visibility touching 20m, but 10-15m is more common, painting the scene in a soft, ethereal light. You’re not going deep, but that just means more bottom time to explore the nooks and crannies. We regularly spot those slender alligator pipefish darting amongst the twisted metal, and the peacock-tail anemone shrimp are always a delight – keep your eyes peeled for their iridescent colours. The corals here, particularly the soft varieties, have really taken hold, creating these vibrant patches against the dark wreck. We’ve spent whole safety stops just watching the bicolour parrotfish graze the reef, their crunching audible if you listen closely. It’s a photographer’s dream, particularly for macro, and the gentle conditions make it perfect for newer wreck divers or anyone who just wants a relaxed, fascinating dive.