wreck

Log This Dive

ETAL MANOR

The *Etal Manor*, down at 55 metres, is our kind of wreck dive. It’s deep, sure, but the rewards are significant. She was a steamship, sunk by a U-boat in 1917, and now lies upright, largely intact, with her two boilers standing proud midship. Drop down and you’ll see her silhouette emerge from the gloom, a proper ship shape. The bow section is particularly good, often with conger eels peering from the deeper recesses. We love tracing the deck line, feeling the shift in temperature as you move around her, and exploring the holds. The triple expansion engine is still there, a testament to her past life, and a haven for squat lobsters and the occasional anglerfish. Visibility here can be temperamental, as is often the case off the South Coast, so pick your day carefully, ideally on a slack tide for the best experience. This is a dive for experienced wreck heads, those comfortable with deeper profiles and potentially strong currents, but the sense of history and the sheer scale of the wreck make it absolutely worth the effort.