BELLUCIA - Cornwall & Devon

The Bellucia, torpedoed in 1917, is a proper wreck dive, sitting upright and surprisingly intact at 12 metres. It’s an ideal depth for extended bottom times, letting you properly take in the scale of the 117-metre steamship. We love how the bow points directly into the current, often making the forward sections the best place to find shelter and watch the fish. You can trace the deck from bow to stern, spotting the two massive boilers standing proud amidships. The triple expansion engine is a tangle of machinery, now home to plump conger eels. Look closely and you’ll find scorpionfish tucked into crevices and plumose anemones waving like furry fingers in the gentle surge. Our favourite part is exploring the intact holds, often filled with schools of juvenile pollock swirling in the dim light. It’s a dive for those who appreciate history and the slow, inexorable reclamation by the sea. Just be mindful of fishing line, particularly around the mast sections, and always bring a good torch – even at 12 metres, the British light can be deceiving.

Location
Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
49.977250, -5.180833
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
12m

Wreck History - BELLUCIA

Year Sunk
1917
Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
torpedo
Tonnage
4,368 GRT

The SS Bellucia was a substantial steamship built in Glasgow in 1909. During World War I, she was tasked with the vital role of transporting supplies across the Atlantic. In the summer of 1917, she was on a voyage from Montreal to London, her holds filled with wheat and steel. On July 7, as she neared the Cornish coast, she was spotted by the German submarine UB-31. A single torpedo sealed her fate, and the Bellucia sank with her valuable cargo.

Located at a shallow depth of 12 metres, the Bellucia is an accessible and fascinating dive. Due to her shallow resting place and subsequent salvage efforts, the wreck is heavily broken up and spread over a wide area. Despite this, key features are still easily identifiable, including her two large boilers and the remains of her triple-expansion engine. The scattered steel plates and debris have created an ideal artificial reef, attracting a dense covering of marine life and providing shelter for fish, crabs, and lobsters, making it a vibrant dive into a piece of WWI history.

Marine Protected Area: Lizard 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 BELLUCIA

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 BELLUCIA

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