AMELIE (PROBABLY) - Cornwall & Devon

The Amelie, or what we’re pretty sure is the Amelie, is one of those wrecks that just *feels* old. You drop down, and at 59 metres, the light really starts to fade, giving the whole site a wonderfully atmospheric gloom. Built in 1883, she’s a steamship torpedoed in 1917, and her age shows in the way the wreck has settled, almost melting into the seabed. We love picking our way through the collapsed sections, trying to piece together her original form. The stern is often a good spot to start, looking for the rudder post, then working forward. Visibility here can be hit or miss, typical for the Channel, but when it's good, you can make out the lines of the hull stretching into the murk. Dogfish often rest in the sand nearby, and conger eels peek out from every dark crevice, their eyes catching the beam of your torch. It's a deep dive, definitely one for experienced tech divers comfortable with decompression, but the sense of history down there is palpable. Our best tip? Go on a slack tide, obviously, but also look for a day with minimal surface chop – it makes the long deco stops much more pleasant.

Location
Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
50.154470, -3.834067
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
59m

Wreck History - AMELIE (PROBABLY)

Year Sunk
1917
Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
torpedo

The SS Amelie was a steamship built in 1883, a workhorse of the sea that found itself caught in the crosshairs of the First World War. By 1917, under the ownership of Armement Adolf Deppe, she was braving the U-boat-infested waters of the English Channel. On November 13, 1917, while on a passage from Le Havre, France, to Cardiff, Wales, her luck ran out. A German submarine spotted the merchant vessel, and a single torpedo sealed her fate. The Amelie sank quickly, becoming another silent victim of the unrestricted submarine warfare that defined the era.

Lying at a depth of 59 meters off the coast of Cornwall and Devon, the wreck of the Amelie is a dive reserved for experienced technical divers. The depth and strong currents of the channel demand careful planning and execution. Those who make the descent are rewarded with a view of a historic vessel, a tangible connection to the events of WWI. The wreck is a somber memorial, its decaying form slowly being reclaimed by the sea, offering a challenging and poignant dive into history.

Marine Protected Area: Start Point to Plymouth Sound & Eddystone

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 AMELIE (PROBABLY)

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 AMELIE (PROBABLY)

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