DALHOUSIE (POSSIBLY)

Best months: Jul–Sep

Protected Area

Beachy Head West

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) - DALHOUSIE (POSSIBLY) 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 59m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The Dalhousie, or what we strongly suspect is the Dalhousie, is deep, proper deep, at 59 metres. This isn't one for a casual potter. We’re talking about a wooden sailing vessel, sunk way back in 1853, and it comes with all the dark, silty drama you'd expect from a wreck this old and this far down in British waters. When you drop onto her, the structure is still surprisingly coherent, given the years. Ribs rise from the seabed, draped in dead man's fingers and anemones, which glow under your torch. You can often make out the curve of the hull and sections of deck planking, all softened by time and encrusting life. This isn't a penetration wreck, but you can hover above the collapsed sections, imagining the chaos of that gale. Our favourite finds here are the conger eels, huge and bold, peeking from any dark crevice, and the sheer number of squat lobsters scuttling across the timbers. Visibility is often the defining factor, so we’d always suggest picking a day with slack tide and calm seas; it makes the descent so much more enjoyable, letting the ambient light filter down a little further. This site is for experienced technical divers who appreciate the history and the silent, cold embrace of a truly venerable shipwreck.