CARMARAND - Cornwall & Devon

The Carmarand wreck, sunk in 1989 off the Cornish coast, is one of our favourite UK dives for a reason – it’s a proper little time capsule. We love how intact she is for her size, only 12.2 metres long, sitting upright at 40 metres. You can still make out the wheelhouse, the mast, even the gantry crane, all covered in a thick fuzz of plumose anemones. It’s a dive for those who appreciate history and macro life. Get in close, and you’ll find squat lobsters tucked into every nook, gobies peering from portholes, and jewel anemones sparkling on the deck. Our tip for this one: pick a day with minimal swell and dive it early. The visibility often drops later, and you want to be able to savour the detail. Don’t expect screaming pelagics, but for a classic Cornish wreck dive with character, the Carmarand delivers. It’s ideal for experienced divers comfortable with deeper wrecks and keen on exploring every crevice of a well-preserved vessel.

Location
Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
51.158130, -4.420300
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
40m

Wreck History - CARMARAND

Year Sunk
1989
Vessel Type
fishing vessel
Cause
flooding

The Carmarand was a small 12-meter fishing vessel whose career came to an abrupt end on July 15, 1989. While at sea off the coast of Cornwall, a pump failed, leading to uncontrollable flooding in the engine room. The small boat was quickly overwhelmed and sank, settling on the seabed 40 meters below. Unlike the historic wrecks that surround it, the Carmarand's demise was not the result of warfare or storm, but a simple, catastrophic mechanical failure.

Today, the Carmarand offers a compelling dive for those with advanced or technical qualifications. Its 40-meter depth means a shorter bottom time and requires careful planning, but the reward is a largely intact modern wreck. Given its small size, divers can easily circumnavigate the entire vessel in a single dive, exploring the wheelhouse, deck, and fishing gear that now provide a habitat for conger eels, lobsters, and dense shoals of bib. As a 'non-dangerous' wreck, it provides a fascinating and manageable deep dive experience in the rich waters of the English Channel.

Marine Protected Area: Morte Platform

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 CARMARAND

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 CARMARAND

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