ALEYNA - Cornwall & Devon

The Aleyna, a fishing trawler that went down in 2008, sits upright at 45 metres. It is one of our favourite deep wrecks in the area, offering a real sense of a vessel caught mid-task. You'll often find the visibility here surprisingly good for the UK, with light shafts cutting down to the deck on a sunny day. What we love about the Aleyna is how intact it still feels. You can peer into the wheelhouse, imagine the skipper's last moments, and even spot the trawl gear strewn around the stern. Dogfish love to hide amongst the machinery, and we've regularly seen conger eels poking their heads out from deeper recesses. This is a dive for experienced wreck enthusiasts comfortable with deeper profiles and the often-chilly UK water. Plan for deco, and ideally, hit it on a slack tide for the best experience.

Location
Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
50.303432, -2.894850
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
45m

Wreck History - ALEYNA

Year Sunk
2008
Vessel Type
fishing vessel
Cause
unknown

The ALEYNA was a modern fishing vessel built in 1989 by the Newhaven Engineering Co. Operating out of the busy fishing port of Brixham for McLeod Trawlers Ltd., she was a workhorse of the local fleet. Her career came to an abrupt and mysterious end in November 2008 when she sank for reasons that were never officially determined or publicly released. The loss of the relatively new vessel was a somber event for the tight-knit fishing community.

Now resting upright and largely intact on the seabed at 45 meters, the ALEYNA is a superb wreck dive for experienced and technical divers. Due to its depth, the visibility is often excellent, revealing the vessel in stunning detail. Divers can see her nets still spooled on their drums and explore the wheelhouse and deck, which are remarkably well-preserved. The wreck is draped in its own fishing nets, which, while creating a hauntingly beautiful scene, present a serious entanglement hazard requiring caution, proper training, and careful dive planning. The ALEYNA serves as a poignant reminder of the perils of the sea and offers a challenging, rewarding dive off the Cornish coast.

Marine Protected Area: East of Start Point

Best Time to Dive in Cornwall & Devon

The warmest water temperatures in Cornwall & Devon occur in January, averaging 9.6°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 9.6°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 9.6°C (air: 7.3°C)
  • February: 9.6°C (air: 8.4°C)
  • March: 9.6°C (air: 8.6°C)
  • April: 9.6°C (air: 10.1°C)
  • May: 9.6°C (air: 12.6°C)
  • June: 9.6°C (air: 15.2°C)
  • July: 9.6°C (air: 16.6°C)
  • August: 9.6°C (air: 17.1°C)
  • September: 9.6°C (air: 15.9°C)
  • October: 9.6°C (air: 13.5°C)
  • November: 9.6°C (air: 10.7°C)
  • December: 9.6°C (air: 8.7°C)

Nearby Dive Sites in Cornwall & Devon

Nearest Dive Centres to ALEYNA

Marine Life in Cornwall & Devon

Home to 192 recorded species including 93 reef fish, 18 sharks & rays, 13 whales & dolphins, 11 crabs & lobsters, 11 other, 10 seagrass & algae.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for ALEYNA

Based on average water temperature of 9.6°C.

  • Drysuit - water at 10°C demands a drysuit with thermal undergarments
  • Hood & Gloves (7mm+) - critical to prevent heat loss
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories