wreck

Log This Dive

CINDERELLA

The Cinderella wreck off Plymouth is one of those sites that quietly delivers. We’ve probably dived her more times than we can count, and she always feels welcoming, even on a day when the visibility is just decent. Lying upright in a respectable 15 metres, this old fishing vessel, just 14 metres long, is completely colonised. You’ll find squat lobsters tucked into every crevice, their claws waving cautiously as you pass. Conger eels, some surprisingly large, often peer out from under plates of metal, looking like grumpy old men. What we really love about Cinderella is her accessibility. You can pretty much circumnavigate her in a single dive, tracing the outline of the deck, imagining the trawler at work before she hit that mystery object back in ‘80. The stern is particularly interesting, with a bit of the superstructure still offering shelter for wrasse and even the occasional small dogfish. Look for the anemones, bright oranges and purples, clinging to the hull plates. It’s a site that suits divers who appreciate historical context but aren’t chasing dramatic, intact wrecks. Cinderella is about the life she now supports, a little reef in her own right. Come on a calm day; the visibility improves dramatically.