ELMCREST (POSSIBLY) - Cornwall & Devon

The Elmcrest wreck, sitting at 54 metres, is a serious dive for those with the training to get there. We’re talking about a significant piece of history here, a steamship torpedoed in 1940. When you descend, the sheer scale of her hull, 115 metres long, slowly emerges from the gloom. It’s a vast, dark shape, often swathed in a shifting tapestry of current-borne plankton. We love the fact that she’s relatively intact for a wreck of her age and depth. You can often make out the triple expansion engine, a hulking mass of metal that speaks volumes about the power that once drove her. Around the superstructure, conger eels find perfect ambush points, and if you bring a good torch, you'll pick out plumose anemones clinging to every surface, waving gently in the surge. This isn't a quick dip; it’s a commitment, a journey into the past, best suited for experienced technical divers comfortable with deeper, colder water and the strong currents that often sweep through this part of the Channel. Dive it on a slack tide, if you can time it right, and the visibility really improves.

Location
Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
50.297825, -2.387979
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
54m

Marine Protected Area: South Dorset

Best Time to Dive in Cornwall & Devon

The warmest water temperatures in Cornwall & Devon occur in January, averaging 9.6°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 9.6°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 9.6°C (air: 7.3°C)
  • February: 9.6°C (air: 8.4°C)
  • March: 9.6°C (air: 8.6°C)
  • April: 9.6°C (air: 10.1°C)
  • May: 9.6°C (air: 12.6°C)
  • June: 9.6°C (air: 15.2°C)
  • July: 9.6°C (air: 16.6°C)
  • August: 9.6°C (air: 17.1°C)
  • September: 9.6°C (air: 15.9°C)
  • October: 9.6°C (air: 13.5°C)
  • November: 9.6°C (air: 10.7°C)
  • December: 9.6°C (air: 8.7°C)

Nearby Dive Sites in Cornwall & Devon

Nearest Dive Centres to ELMCREST (POSSIBLY)

Marine Life in Cornwall & Devon

Home to 192 recorded species including 93 reef fish, 18 sharks & rays, 13 whales & dolphins, 11 crabs & lobsters, 11 other, 10 seagrass & algae.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for ELMCREST (POSSIBLY)

Based on average water temperature of 9.6°C.

  • Drysuit - water at 10°C demands a drysuit with thermal undergarments
  • Hood & Gloves (7mm+) - critical to prevent heat loss
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories