OSWESTRY

Good diving all year

Protected Area

Three Castle Head to Mizen Head SAC

Why dive here

With 185+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, dolphins, dwarf minke whales, humpback whales and ocean sunfish (mola mola) - OSWESTRY offers some of South Coast's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 9-15°C, warmest July, August, September.

Best timeYear-round

WetsuitA drysuit

Marine lifeBlue Sharks, Dolphins, Dwarf Minke Whales, Humpback Whales and Ocean Sunfish (Mola Mola) · 185+ species recorded

Water9-15°C · warmest July, August, September

CharacterWreck dive · max 30m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The Oswestry is a proper piece of history down there, one of those wrecks we keep coming back to off the South Coast. She’s a big steamship, 91.4 meters long, and has been sitting on the seabed since 1890, after a foggy run-in with Mizen Head. What we love about her is how remarkably intact she is for her age, especially the bow section. You can still see the elegant curve of the hull and the anchor chains draped across the deck. Dropping down, the first thing you notice is the sheer scale. The main deck is around 25-30 meters, so it’s a good deep dive, best for experienced wreckies comfortable with their buoyancy. We’ve had some fantastic dives here when the visibility is good, maybe 10-15 meters, and the light filters through the structure. You’ll weave around the cargo holds, which are now home to some impressive conger eels – they’re not shy, often peering out from crevices. Our favourite part has to be the stern, where the prop shaft is still visible, giving you a real sense of her former power. Look closely for the jewel anemones that carpet parts of the metalwork, a splash of colour against the rusted steel. It’s a truly atmospheric dive, a glimpse into a bygone era of maritime travel.