CORNELIA

Best months: Jul–Sep

Protected Area

Gouliot Caves and Headland, Sark

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) - CORNELIA 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 50m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The *Cornelia* isn’t for the faint of heart or the casually curious. Sitting deep at 50 metres, this World War I sailing vessel is a serious undertaking, but what a reward for those with the training and the gas to get there. We’ve always been drawn to wrecks with a story, and the *Cornelia*, captured by U-boat UB-18 en route to Lisbon, certainly has one. When you drop down, the sheer scale of it becomes apparent. It’s mostly intact, spread across the seabed, and the visibility here, often 10-15 metres, lets you appreciate the lines of her hull, barnacle-encrusted and draped in kelp. Our favourite part is exploring the stern, where the rudder often plays host to conger eels, thick as a diver's thigh, peeking out from behind plating. Look for dogfish nestled in the sand nearby, too. It’s a quiet, humbling dive, feeling the slight pull of the current, knowing the history beneath your fins. We’d suggest a calm day for this one, as the surface conditions can be testing, and you want all your focus on the wreck below. This is a dive for experienced technical divers who appreciate historical wrecks in their natural, deep environment.