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SS Hertfordshire Wreck

The SS Hertfordshire is classic North Sea wreck diving. We’re talking about a proper, honest-to-goodness wreck, sitting upright and mostly intact on a sandy seabed at around 20 metres. Torpedoed in WWII, she’s become a home for all sorts of things, and that’s why we love her. As you descend, the superstructure slowly resolves from the green gloom, often shrouded in schooling dab and scaldfish. Our favourite part has to be the cargo holds; they’re open and explorable, and even with a decent torch, it’s easy to feel the weight of history down there. You’ll weave through beams and twisted metal, often spotting lumpsucker tucked into crevices or a starry ray resting on the sand nearby. The deck guns are still in place too, a stark reminder of her wartime role, now encrusted with sea stars. Visibility can be a bit of a gamble here, sometimes 15 metres and clear, other days a murky 5. We’d suggest diving this one on a slack tide for the best experience, as currents can pick up. This wreck is a brilliant dive for intermediate divers who appreciate the history and the unique ecosystem a steel hull provides in an otherwise sandy expanse.