CITY OF SWANSEA

Best months: Jul–Sep

Protected Area

Lyme Bay and Torbay

Why dive here

With 176+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, dolphins, dwarf minke whales, humpback whales and ocean sunfish (mola mola) - CITY OF SWANSEA offers some of Cornwall & Devon's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 10-18°C, warmest July, August, September.

Best timeJul–Sep

WetsuitA 5mm wetsuit

Marine lifeBlue Sharks, Dolphins, Dwarf Minke Whales, Humpback Whales and Ocean Sunfish (Mola Mola) · 176+ species recorded

Water10-18°C · warmest July, August, September

CharacterWreck dive · max 28m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The City of Swansea isn't your average pile of scattered metal, not by a long shot. This isn't a dive for the faint of heart or the perpetually chilly, but if you’re into proper wreck diving, it delivers. We love how intact the bow and stern sections are, standing proud at 28 metres. You can still make out the anchor chains, draped like forgotten jewellery, and often we’ve seen conger eels peering from the deeper crevices. It’s a dark dive, naturally, but that only adds to the atmosphere. As you descend through the often green-tinged water, the sheer size of the wreck starts to make sense. It’s a genuinely evocative dive, especially when the visibility stretches to a decent 10 metres. We’ve spent many a decompression stop just contemplating the history here. Keep an eye out for dogfish resting in the sand nearby and the occasional lobster tucked into an exposed pipe. This is a dive that suits experienced wreck enthusiasts who appreciate a bit of historical gravitas with their exploration.