CARASA (POSSIBLY) - Cornwall & Devon

The SS Carasa, or what we believe is the Carasa, offers a moody, historical dive. Dropping down to 38 metres, you’re enveloped by the dim, green light of the English Channel. This steamship, torpedoed in 1918, lies largely intact, a testament to a bygone era. We love picking out the details, the massive boilers standing proud, the skeletal remains of her deck structures draped in kelp and anemones. It's a dive that rewards slow exploration, peering into cargo holds where conger eels lurk, their heads protruding from shadowy corners. The wreck itself hums with life: dense clouds of bib and pollack shimmer around the superstructure, while dogfish often snooze on the sand nearby. We’d suggest diving this one on a slack tide for the best visibility, which, on a good day, can stretch to 10 metres. It’s a site for those who appreciate history and the quiet drama of a wreck reclaimed by the sea.

Location
Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
50.492218, -5.126044
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
38m

Wreck History - CARASA (POSSIBLY)

Year Sunk
1918
Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
torpedo
Tonnage
2,097 GRT

The SS Carasa was a Spanish steamship built in 1911 by William Pickersgill & Sons in Sunderland for the Cia Naviera Vascongada shipping company. For seven years, she plied the trade routes, a typical merchant vessel of her time powered by a triple-expansion steam engine. But her career was cut short by the escalating U-boat conflict of the First World War. On August 25th, 1918, while on passage from Bilbao, Spain, the Carasa was intercepted by the German submarine UB-92. A single torpedo struck the vessel, sealing her fate. She sank beneath the waves of the English Channel, becoming another maritime casualty of the Great War.

Today, the wreck of the Carasa lies at a depth of 38 metres off the coast of Cornwall. The years underwater have taken their toll, and the 86-metre-long hull is now broken and collapsing. However, key features like her two large boilers and the triple-expansion engine stand proud of the seabed, providing a focal point for the dive. The wreckage is often teeming with life; shoals of bib and pollack swarm the structure, while colourful cuckoo wrasse dart amongst the plates. Divers exploring the debris field may find conger eels peering from pipework and lobsters hiding in the shadows, making the Carasa a classic and rewarding UK wreck dive.

Marine Protected Area: Bedruthan Steps and Park Head

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 CARASA (POSSIBLY)

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 CARASA (POSSIBLY)

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