Diving in Cornwall & Devon
Why dive here
Cornwall & Devon offers some of United Kingdom's richest diving, with 176+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, dolphins, dwarf minke whales, humpback whales and ocean sunfish (mola mola). Water sits around 10°C.
Forget the tropical brochures for a minute. We love a good challenge, and the UK’s southwest coast, particularly Cornwall and Devon, delivers something genuinely unique. This isn't about big pelagics or technicolor coral; it's about history, rugged beauty, and a surprising abundance of temperate marine life. Diving here is all about the wreck. They line the coast, hundreds of them, from ancient sailing vessels to more modern freighters. Dropping onto a site like the **SS James Eagan Layne**, resting at 20m, you feel the weight of history. The visibility can vary, sure, but on a good day, sunlight filters through the kelp, illuminating shoals of bib darting through the rusted hull, and you’ll spot a common lobster peering out from a crevice. It’s atmospheric, a real dive into the past. We often find ourselves scanning the seabed for sand eels, and if you're lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of a porbeagle cruising by offshore, particularly in late summer. For macro enthusiasts, the sea fans and sponges are home to an impressive array of nudibranchs, and we’ve spent many a decompression stop watching transparent gobies flit around rocky outcrops. Conditions can be brisk, especially outside of summer, but the rewards are always there. Bring a good drysuit, be ready for some current on certain sites, and you'll come away with some incredible memories.
Cornwall & Devon Dive Site Map
Dive sites and dive centres in Cornwall & Devon
Cornwall & Devon Dive Sites
2,227 dive sites in Cornwall & Devon
12
The 12, an unidentified wreck lying at 49m, is a deep dive for experienced cold-water wreck enthusiasts off the Cornish coast. We’ve found her to be well-preserved, with interesting structural features still intact, giving you plenty to explore. Visibility here can be variable, but when it’s good, the resident conger eels, lobsters, and jewel anemones really put on a show. This site suits divers comfortable with technical depths and the often-challenging conditions of the English Channel.
20
Diving the '20' in Cornwall means exploring a dangerous wreck, submerged at a shallow 5m. This site is really for experienced divers who understand the risks involved with unstable structures. What you'll find here is a challenging wreck dive, where the real draw is the wreck itself and the way it’s been colonised by various species. It’s an interesting spot for those looking for a technical wreck dive rather than a creature hunt.
A2
The A2, a submarine resting at a mere one metre, is less a dive and more an intertidal snorkel, but it’s a fascinating bit of history nonetheless. We’ve found her often partially exposed at low tide, a barnacle-encrusted hull hinting at what lies beneath. What you get here is a chance to explore a wreck right from shore, peering into the shadowy nooks and crannies where small crabs scuttle and blennies dart. It’s perfect for a leisurely explore with a mask and snorkel on a calm day, especially if you’re into the historical angle without the full scuba kit.
AALESUND (POSSIBLY)
The *Aalesund* is a proper historical wreck, and we reckon it’s one of the best deeper dives in this part of Cornwall. Dropping down onto her at 37 metres, you hit an iron hull that’s surprisingly intact for a ship sunk in 1918. We love the way the light filters through the superstructure, creating these moody shadows around the single boiler, which stands proud and really gives you a sense of her scale. Exploration is the name of the game here. You can pick your way along her 44.5-metre length, peering into cargo holds now colonised by thick carpets of plumose anemones – pure white against the dark iron. Our favourite detail is the triple-expansion engine, a marvel of turn-of-the-century engineering, now home to inquisitive conger eels. We’ve had some fantastic encounters with schools of pollack swirling around the bow, and occasionally a curious grey seal will pop by for a look. This is a dive for experienced wreck enthusiasts, offering a respectful peek into maritime history and a chance to truly immerse yourself in a thriving artificial reef.
ABRAHAM COVE
Abraham Cove’s fishing vessel, sunk in 1983, is one of those wrecks we keep coming back to. It’s not about size here, the wreck is only 10.7m, but about the intimate exploration. We often find the visibility surprisingly good, especially on a settled day with a gentle swell, making the descent feel less like a plunge into the unknown and more like dropping into a well-lit aquarium. The wreck itself is mostly intact, resting on its side, and you can still make out the wheelhouse and the stern. Look for the prop, it’s often covered in jewel anemones, a vivid splash of orange and pink against the grey steel. Around the hull, we always spot bib and pollack darting in and out of the shadows. It’s a site that rewards a slow, methodical dive, allowing you to really soak in the details and the life that has made this fishing boat its home. Our favourite time to dive it is on a slack tide, giving you plenty of time to poke around without fighting the current.
ACADIAN
The Acadian is one of those wrecks that just keeps giving, despite being down for over a century. Lying at 38 metres, she’s a deep dive and often comes with a bit of a current, so we'd only recommend it for experienced divers comfortable in those conditions. But the rewards are worth it. We particularly love dropping onto her bow, where the anchor chain still stretches out, leading you down the length of the ship. Her two boilers are a real focal point, huge cylinders encrusted with dead man's fingers and anemones. You’ll often find conger eels peering out from gaps in the plates. The triple expansion engine is also impressive, a jumble of metal now home to lobsters and crabs. Visibility here can swing dramatically, from 20 metres on a good day to a murky five, so picking your weather window is key. Even in poorer vis, the sheer scale of the Acadian makes for an atmospheric dive, her history palpable as you drift over her decks.
ACADIAN
We love the Acadian for its solemn history and surprisingly intact structure. She went down fast after a U-boat torpedo hit her in 1918, taking 25 souls with her. That sense of history hangs heavy when you descend onto her 34-metre deck. The bow is particularly striking, often standing proud with a ghostly elegance, while the stern is more broken up, scattered with debris that makes for excellent rummaging. We’ve found conger eels are almost a given here, their heads peeking out from dark corners, and the occasional anglerfish, perfectly camouflaged, hugging the metalwork. The visibility can be hit or miss, as with much of the UK, but on a good day, the light filtering down through the green water gives the wreck an ethereal glow. Our best advice? Check the tides, aim for slack water, and bring a good torch – there’s plenty to illuminate inside her holds.
ACHIEVEMENT
The *Achievement*, a yacht that found its final resting place in 1984, isn't a grand, deep wreck, but it’s still one of our favourite shallow dives in the area, especially when the conditions are right. Lying in just 6 metres of water, often less at low tide, this 7.6-meter vessel is a testament to how quickly the sea reclaims things. We’ve spent many an hour here just pottering about, watching the light play through the kelp on a sunny day. What really makes the *Achievement* special is its accessibility and the sheer density of life for such a small wreck. The ribs of the hull are now home to nudibranchs the colour of sunset, and we always find spider crabs scuttling across the remaining decking. It’s a site that really rewards a slow, careful exploration, peering into every crevice for blennies or a curious wrasse. This is a brilliant spot for newer divers looking to get a feel for wreck diving without the depth, or for photographers wanting to capture macro life in good light. Just pick a calm day with minimal swell, and you’ll love it.
ACTIVE
Diving the *Active* is like stepping into a cold water time capsule. This 1874 steamship, resting at 27 metres, is a proper chunk of history off Cornwall. We love how much of her remains, especially the bow section – it’s still very recognisable, and you can really get a sense of her original form. The hull provides plenty of cover for lobster and crab, and we’ve often seen big conger eels tucked into the deeper recesses. She went down in 1881 after hitting Stag Rocks, and the wreck now hosts dense growths of plumose anemones, their white tentacles waving gently in the mild currents. Visibility here can be tricky, often a good 10-15 metres, but when it’s clearer, the scale of the wreck is impressive, spread across a rocky seabed. Our tip: aim for slack water on a neap tide. It makes exploring the interior sections much more comfortable. This is a site for experienced wreck divers who appreciate maritime history and aren’t afraid of a bit of gloom. It's a real slice of the past, wonderfully colonised by local marine life.
ADA
The ADA is a proper bit of history off Anvil Point, a sailing vessel sunk by gunfire back in 1917. She sits at 40 metres, upright and largely intact, a testament to her sturdy 1872 build. We often find her deck colonised by plumose anemones, their white tentacles swaying in the current, and you’ll likely spot conger eels tucked into any available crevice. While the visibility can be typical UK murk, on a good day, exploring her 31-metre length gives a real sense of her past. It’s a dive for those who appreciate wrecks with a story, and don't mind a bit of depth.
ADA MARY
The Ada Mary isn't about depth or big pelagics, it’s about accessibility and history. Resting in just two metres of water, this barge, scuttled back in '58, is perfect for a long, relaxed dive or even a snorkel on a calm day. We love how the shallow depth lets sunlight flood the wreck, illuminating the structure and the surprising amount of life that's made it home. You'll spend your time exploring the skeletal remains of the hull, perhaps finning through a hatch or two if the tide is right. Look closely, and you'll spot crabs scuttling amongst the plates, blennies peeking from crevices, and anemones clinging to every available surface. It’s a fantastic spot for macro photography, especially when the sun is high and those shallow shadows really pop. Our tip: go at slack tide for the clearest views and easiest navigation around the exposed sections. It’s a great confidence builder for newer divers looking for their first wreck experience, or simply a chilled-out dive when you don't fancy a long boat trip.
ADDAX
Dropping onto the Addax, you’re met with the ghostly outline of a smack vessel, lost to a German U-boat back in 1918. At 52 metres, it’s a deep dive, making it one for experienced wreck enthusiasts who are comfortable with decompression. The wreck itself is reasonably intact for its age, with plenty of nooks where you’ll often find conger eels peering out and crabs scuttling over the plates. Visibility can be hit or miss in these waters, but when it's good, you get a real sense of its history, often with schools of pollack circling above. It’s a somber site, a true piece of wartime history resting on the seabed.
Cornwall & Devon Dive Centres
87 dive shops and operators in Cornwall & Devon
Ocean Wildlife in Cornwall & Devon
176 species recorded in Cornwall & Devon
Cornwall & Devon Daylight & Sunrise/Sunset
Sunrise and sunset times for Cornwall & Devon, calculated from coordinates
Today - Tuesday 25 August
Sunrise
05:15
Sunset
19:13
Daylight
13h 58m
Golden Hour
18:29
First light (dawn) at 04:40 · Last light (dusk) at 19:48
Monthly Averages
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 08:07 | 16:34 | 8h 27m |
| Feb | 07:26 | 17:26 | 10h 1m |
| Mar | 06:28 | 18:14 | 11h 45m |
| Apr | 05:20 | 19:03 | 13h 43m |
| May | 04:26 | 19:50 | 15h 24m |
| JunLongest | 04:00 | 20:24 | 16h 24m |
| Jul | 04:16 | 20:19 | 16h 3m |
| AugNow | 04:58 | 19:35 | 14h 36m |
| Sep | 05:45 | 18:30 | 12h 44m |
| Oct | 06:32 | 17:23 | 10h 51m |
| Nov | 07:24 | 16:28 | 9h 4m |
| DecShortest | 08:05 | 16:08 | 8h 3m |
Times are approximate local times based on longitude. Actual times may vary slightly depending on the exact timezone observed in Cornwall & Devon.
Where to Stay near Cornwall & Devon
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Marine Protected Areas near Cornwall & Devon
381 protected areas near Cornwall & Devon - please respect local regulations when diving
Bristol Channel Approaches / Dynesfeydd Môr Hafren
Bristol Channel Approaches / Dynesfeydd Mor Hafren
Western Channel
Western Channel
Wight-Barfleur Reef
Wight-Barfleur Reef
South-West Approaches to Bristol Channel
Solent and Dorset Coast
Solent and Dorset Coast
Offshore Brighton
Offshore Brighton
Severn Estuary/ Môr Hafren
Showing 12 largest of 381
Getting to Cornwall & Devon
Exeter, Devon
Bristol
Cardiff
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