PHOENIX

Good diving all year

Protected Area

Cork Harbour SPA

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) - PHOENIX 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 2m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The *Phoenix* isn't a deep dive, not even close, but what it lacks in depth it absolutely makes up for in pure, unadulterated character. This isn't some pristine, intact wreck from a documentary, it's a trawler that met its end, and the chaos of that event is still etched into its twisted metal, lying scattered in only two metres of water. We love picking our way through the jumble of plates and beams, imagining the sheer force that tore it apart. For us, the real magic happens when the light is a little flatter, maybe on an overcast day, when the colours of the algae and anemones really pop against the dark steel. Look closely and you’ll find plenty of small crabs scuttling in the shadows, and our favourite, the blennies, peeking out from every nook and cranny. It's an ideal spot for macro photographers who enjoy a challenge, or really anyone who gets a kick out of poking around a piece of history that’s been thoroughly reclaimed by the sea. Just watch your buoyancy; it’s shallow enough that you can easily stir things up.