LUCENA - South Coast

The Lucena, a steamship that went down in 1915, is one of those wrecks we keep coming back to off Ireland's South Coast. She sits upright at 40 metres, her bow pointing northeast, and while she's classified as 'dangerous', that just means she’s broken up enough to be interesting, not necessarily hazardous. We love tracing the length of her hull, often finding conger eels peeking out from the darker recesses. The stern is our favourite spot, where the propeller shaft is still fairly intact, and you can sometimes catch a glimpse of a huge ling lurking there. This isn’t a wreck for beginners; you’ll want some experience with deeper diving and cold water, but the reward is a genuinely atmospheric dive, especially when the light filters down through the plankton-rich water. It feels like stepping back in time, with the ship’s structure now completely claimed by anemones and dead man's fingers, a proper cold-water garden.

Location
South Coast, Ireland, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
51.814220, -7.853611
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
40m

Marine Protected Area: Baile Mhac Óda

Best Time to Dive in South Coast

The warmest water temperatures in South Coast occur in January, averaging 8.8°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 8.8°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 8.8°C (air: 7.0°C)
  • February: 8.8°C (air: 8.3°C)
  • March: 8.8°C (air: 8.1°C)
  • April: 8.8°C (air: 9.3°C)
  • May: 8.8°C (air: 11.8°C)
  • June: 8.8°C (air: 14.2°C)
  • July: 8.8°C (air: 15.6°C)
  • August: 8.8°C (air: 15.8°C)
  • September: 8.8°C (air: 14.6°C)
  • October: 8.8°C (air: 12.4°C)
  • November: 8.8°C (air: 9.9°C)
  • December: 8.8°C (air: 8.1°C)

Nearby Dive Sites in South Coast

Nearest Dive Centres to LUCENA

Marine Life in South Coast

Home to 199 recorded species including 97 reef fish, 24 sharks & rays, 14 whales & dolphins, 14 other, 10 crabs & lobsters, 10 seagrass & algae.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for LUCENA

Based on average water temperature of 8.8°C.

  • Drysuit - water at 9°C demands a drysuit with thermal undergarments
  • Hood & Gloves (7mm+) - critical to prevent heat loss
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories