HMS MARTIN (PROBABLY)

Best months: Jul–Aug

Protected Area

Carrowmore Dunes SAC

Why dive here

With 169+ marine species recorded in the area - including dolphins, dwarf minke whales, humpback whales, ocean sunfish (mola mola) and octopuses - HMS MARTIN (PROBABLY) offers some of West Coast's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 8-17°C, warmest July, August, September.

Best timeJul–Aug

WetsuitA 5mm wetsuit

Marine lifeDolphins, Dwarf Minke Whales, Humpback Whales, Ocean Sunfish (Mola Mola) and Octopuses · 169+ species recorded

Water8-17°C · warmest July, August, September

CharacterWreck dive · max 5m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The HMS Martin (Probably) site, despite the hesitant name, is a real favourite of ours on Ireland's wild west coast. We love the backstory: an 1809 Bermudan-built brig-sloop, cruising for smugglers, then smashed ashore in a Force 12 gale in 1817. You’re diving history, raw and exposed. At a mere 5m, it’s a perfect shallow exploration. What you’ll find isn’t a pristine intact ship, but rather scattered timbers, heavy iron carronades, and the ghost of a hull outline, all wonderfully colonised by kelp and anenomes. You’ll weave through the skeletal remains of a wooden warship. Look closely and you might spot a shy crab tucked into a cannon barrel or the darting shadow of a pollock. We’d suggest going at high slack water for the best visibility, otherwise, the surge can really kick up the sand. It’s a site for those who appreciate the narrative behind the dive, rather than just marine abundance, though the resident critters add plenty of charm. It’s a tangible link to a rougher, older Ireland.