ABRAHAM COVE
Protected Area
Whitsand and Looe Bay
Why dive here
With 176+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, dolphins, dwarf minke whales, humpback whales and ocean sunfish (mola mola) - ABRAHAM COVE offers some of Cornwall & Devon's richest wreck diving. Water sits around 10°C.
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.
Typical ABRAHAM COVE Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Maximum depth 56m exceeds recreational limits (40m). Technical diving certification and equipment required.
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Cold water this month (avg 10°C). Drysuit or thick wetsuit (7mm+) recommended.
Always perform a 3-minute safety stop at 5m before surfacing.
ABRAHAM COVE Wreck History
Year Sunk
1983
Vessel Type
fishing vessel
Cause
unknown
The Abraham Cove was a small 10.7-meter fishing vessel that was lost on July 13, 1983. The vessel tragically capsized and sank while operating off Gribbin Head, a prominent headland on the south coast of Cornwall. The exact circumstances that led to the vessel's capsizing remain a somber mystery of the sea.
Resting at a depth of 56 meters, the Abraham Cove is a dive reserved for experienced technical and rebreather divers with the appropriate training and equipment for deep decompression dives. The challenging depths and potential for strong currents in the English Channel demand respect. For those qualified to make the descent, the wreck offers a glimpse into a modern maritime tragedy, a small but poignant site sitting upright on the seabed, largely intact and waiting in the quiet, dark waters off the Cornish coast.
Nearest Dive Centres to ABRAHAM COVE
Dive shops near ABRAHAM COVE
Dive Looe
Viewpoint Diving Centre
Scuba 2000
Plymouth Diving Centre
Sound Diving Limited
Karleyth Diving Ltd.
Reviews for ABRAHAM COVE
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for ABRAHAM COVE
ABRAHAM COVE Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for ABRAHAM COVE, sourced from NOAA buoy data - nearest station: Open-Meteo grid (50.61, -4.86) (0km away)
August Averages
Sea Temperature
9.63°C
49°F
Air Temperature
17.09°C
63°F
Wind Speed
6.66 m/s
12.9 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1015.6 hPa
Based on 5 years of monitoring data · Data sources: NOAA NDBC
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