FELIX DE ABASOLO

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) - FELIX DE ABASOLO 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 2m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

Forget deep dives and big pelagics for a moment. The *Felix de Abasolo* is a different kind of wreck, and we absolutely love it for that. This isn't a site you descend onto, it's one you can almost touch from the surface, sitting in a mere two metres of water near Alderney. We're talking about a steamship, broken up by the relentless Channel, its steel plates and skeletal ribs now spread across the seabed. What you get here is a masterclass in how the sea reclaims things. Snorkelling or freediving, you’re drifting over a mosaic of rust and kelp, schools of pollack shimmering between the twisted metal. We often spot blennies peeking out of crevices, and the anemones are particularly colourful here, catching plankton in the gentle surge. It’s an intimate experience, feeling the history just below the surface, imagining that thick fog that sealed its fate back in 1910. Visibility can be a bit challenging after a good blow, but on a calm day, with the sun filtering through the shallows, it’s a surprisingly vivid snapshot of a wreck evolving into a living reef. It’s our pick for an easy, contemplative dive, a real gem for photographers or anyone who appreciates the quiet drama of a historical site.