UC42 Cork

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) - UC42 Cork 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 28m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The UC42, a German U-boat sunk by depth charges in 1917, lies almost perfectly upright at 28 meters. We love a wreck with a story, and this one delivers. Dropping down, the U-boat’s silhouette emerges from the green gloom, surprisingly intact given its age. You can clearly make out the conning tower, the torpedo tubes, and even some of the deck gun. Exploring the UC42 is like stepping back in time; the metal hull is now a rugged apartment block for conger eels, their heads peeking from every dark opening. Dogfish often rest on the deck plates, and we’ve seen schools of pollock circling high above the structure, catching the shafts of light that occasionally break through. The visibility can vary, as it often does in Irish waters, but on a good day, you get a real sense of the scale of this historical artefact. This dive really suits those who appreciate maritime history and the quiet drama of a wreck slowly succumbing to the ocean, now a vibrant artificial reef. It’s an intermediate dive, mainly due to the depth and potential for surge, but well worth the effort for a glimpse into the past.