BRITSUM - Cornwall & Devon

Now, the Britsum. If you’re into proper wreck diving, not just poking around some scattered debris, this is a belter. She’s a big steamship, over 128 metres long, which means there’s a lot of ship to get your head around. We love exploring the holds, especially with the ambient light filtering down – it gives the whole place a really eerie, atmospheric feel. There are three boilers still pretty much intact, and the quadruple expansion engine is a sight, really makes you think about the engineering of the time. Visibility can be a bit hit or miss, as it often is around here, but when it’s good, you can really appreciate the scale. The wreck is a hive for critters; we’ve seen everything from schooling pollack swirling around the superstructure to hefty conger eels tucked into crevices. Keep an eye out for dogfish on the sand too. Because of the sheer size, it suits divers who are comfortable with wreck penetration and have good buoyancy control. It’s a great dive for extending your bottom time, just remember to keep an eye on the tides – they can run hard here.

Location
Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
50.673367, -0.795650
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
5m

Wreck History - BRITSUM

Year Sunk
1940
Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
torpedo
Tonnage
5,255 GRT

The SS Britsum was a Dutch steamship built in 1929. Following the German invasion of the Netherlands in 1940, the ship came under Allied control and continued the perilous work of transporting goods across the Atlantic. On July 4, 1940, while sailing in a convoy off the coast of Cornwall, her journey came to a violent end.

The convoy was attacked by the German U-boat U-99, commanded by one of the war's most successful aces, Otto Kretschmer. A single torpedo struck the Britsum, sending the 5,255-ton vessel to the seabed. As the wreck lies in only 5 metres of water, it has been heavily affected by decades of storms and surge. Divers will find a very scattered site, with the most prominent features being the ship's boilers and the remains of its powerful quadruple-expansion engine, now a shallow haven for local marine life.

Marine Protected Area: Selsey Bill and the Hounds

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 BRITSUM

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 BRITSUM

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