FORTUNA

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) - FORTUNA 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 27m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The Fortuna. Now, this is a wreck we always look forward to diving, a proper piece of history off the Cornish coast. She was a steamship, bound for Cardiff from Rotterdam, until a German mine ended her voyage in 1916. You’ll find her sitting upright, largely intact at 27 metres, which means decent bottom time if you're mindful of your deco. What we love about the Fortuna is the way she’s opened up over the decades. Her holds are accessible, and you can swim through various sections, getting a real sense of her scale. Sunlight filters down, creating these shifting patterns on the corroded metal, and it always feels a bit eerie, in a good way. Expect to see conger eels tucked into every crevice, sometimes surprisingly large ones, along with inquisitive pollack darting through the superstructure. If you’re lucky, you might spot a lobster or two clambering across the deck plates. It’s a site that really suits divers who appreciate a wreck with a story, offering a decent penetration experience without being overly challenging. Our tip? Go at slack water, it makes a huge difference to how much you can explore comfortably.