CHATEAU YQEM - Cornwall & Devon

The Chateau Yquem. Now this one, we love. It’s a proper dive, sitting deep at 44 metres, so it’s one for the experienced tech divers among us. Dropping down, you’ll feel the chill hit you long before you see the wreck materialise out of the green, a real testament to its 85-metre length. She went down in 1917, torpedoed by a U-boat, and what’s left is a fascinating skeletal structure. We’ve spent hours here, meticulously tracing the deck lines, poking our lights into what would have been cargo holds. The boilers are still impressively intact, huge cylindrical guardians of the wreck’s heart. Our favourite part has to be the stern, where you can often find conger eels peering out from gaps, thick as a diver's thigh. She’s become a home for so much life down there; often we’ll spot schools of pouting darting through the superstructure, and the odd spider crab scuttling across the plates. Visibility can be a challenge, so we’d always suggest timing your dive for slack water on a neap tide. It makes all the difference when you’re trying to appreciate the sheer scale of her. This isn't a quick dip; it’s an exploration, a step back into history shrouded in a vibrant, living ecosystem.

Location
Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
50.484833, -2.984183
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
44m

Marine Protected Area: East of Start 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 CHATEAU YQEM

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 CHATEAU YQEM

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