CARENTAN - Cornwall & Devon

The Carentan. She’s not one of your grand, intact liners, but we love her for her history and the compact dive she offers. This French submarine chaser, sunk in 1943, sits upright at 35m, her 37-meter length a manageable circuit for a single dive. We often find the visibility here surprisingly good, especially on a neap tide, allowing you to really appreciate her lines. What you get is a solid, honest wreck dive. Her bow points west, often draped in long strands of kelp that sway with the surge. Descending onto her deck, you’ll see the main features like the forward gun platform and the remnants of her bridge structure. The stern is often a good spot for lobsters tucked into any crevice they can find, and we’ve seen some decent-sized pollack patrolling her perimeter. Given her manageable size and depth, she’s a brilliant wreck for those comfortable at 30-35m who want to explore a well-defined piece of wartime history without needing multiple dives to see it all. Just keep an eye on the current; it can pick up.

Location
Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
50.576767, -1.938667
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
35m

Wreck History - CARENTAN

Year Sunk
1943
Vessel Type
warship
Cause
grounding

The Carentan began its life in a French shipyard in 1940, built as a fast and agile submarine chaser. Following the fall of France, the vessel escaped to Britain and was quickly commissioned into the Royal Navy to help defend the vital Atlantic convoys. Armed and powered by two 1100 BHP engines, it became part of the front-line defence against the U-boat menace during the height of the Battle of the Atlantic.

The enemy that finally claimed the Carentan was not a submarine, but the sea itself. On December 21, 1943, while seeking shelter from a violent storm, the ship was overwhelmed by the conditions and driven hard onto the rocks near Fowey, Cornwall. The vessel was a total loss, breaking up under the relentless pounding of the waves.

Today, the wreckage of the Carentan is scattered across the seabed at a depth of around 35 metres. The force of its sinking has left the wreck heavily broken, but this creates a fascinating and extensive debris field for divers to explore. Sections of hull plating, engine components, and the ship's boilers are all identifiable. This site is an excellent dive for advanced recreational divers, offering a tangible connection to the naval history of the Second World War.

Marine Protected Area: Studland Cliffs

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 CARENTAN

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 CARENTAN

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