wreck

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Ethel (Wreck)

The Ethel is a proper wreck, one of our favourites in the UK, precisely because she’s not some manicured museum piece. We’re talking about a schooner, sunk back in 1891, and now she’s just… part of the seabed. Down at 35 metres, the light really starts to fade, giving the whole dive a moody, historical feel. You’ll find her broken up, but the bow and stern are still distinct enough to give you a real sense of her structure. We love finning slowly over the scattered timbers, imagining the old sailing days. What makes her special now, though, is the sheer volume of life that’s colonised the wreckage. Conger eels are always lurking in the deeper, darker sections, and we often spot spider crabs scuttling over the plates. Look closely amongst the rust and you’ll often find nudibranchs, tiny bursts of colour against the muted metal. It’s a dive that rewards slow exploration and a good torch, perfect for intermediate divers who appreciate history and don’t mind a bit of a low-visibility challenge.