wreck

Log This Dive

ALISON (POSSIBLY)

The Alison, or possibly the Ethel as some charts suggest, is a proper technical dive, and one we’ve spent a few decent bottom times exploring. Sitting upright at 60 metres, this isn't a site for the faint-hearted or those without the training, but for wreck enthusiasts, it’s a beautiful piece of history. You'll find the entire structure largely intact, and the visibility down there often surprises us – sometimes pushing 15 metres on a good day. Dropping down, the first thing you notice is the way the light fades, leaving the wreck in a permanent twilight. The hull is draped in dead man's fingers, orange and white, with the occasional lobster peeking out from a shadowed crevice. We love navigating the deck, picking out the boiler and the compound expansion engine, imagining the life on board before she went down in 1916. Our favourite is exploring the bow, where the anchor chain still runs out, disappearing into the seabed, a stark reminder of her final moments. It’s a quiet, contemplative dive, and one that rewards patience and a good torch beam, revealing the wreck’s secrets in the cold embrace of the deep.