DR RUDOLF WAHRENDORFF

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) - DR RUDOLF WAHRENDORFF 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 25m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The DR RUDOLF WAHRENDORFF is one of our favourite trawler wrecks in the area, a proper piece of history lying at 25 metres. We love the story behind her – a Finnish trawler taken by the Germans, armed, renamed, and then sunk by air attack in 1944. It’s got that palpable wartime feel, a real connection to the past. When you drop down, the visibility in this part of the Channel can be hit or miss, but on a good day, it’s a brilliant dive. We’ve had dives where the light filters through, illuminating the structure, and others where it's a moodier, torch-on affair – both have their charm here. What makes her special are the penetration opportunities; she’s well broken, but the engine room is still accessible for suitably qualified divers, and that's a highlight. Expect to find conger eels lurking in the deeper recesses, their heads poking out from pipes and crevices, sometimes a bit grumpy if you get too close. The deck area is draped in dead man's fingers and anemones, with shoals of bib darting in and out of the superstructure. It’s a site for divers who appreciate wrecks with a narrative, happy to navigate through confined spaces, and don’t mind a bit of a current if the tide is turning. We always recommend timing your dive for slack water to make the most of the penetration.