wreck

Log This Dive

GARTLAND

The Gartland is a proper deep dive, a testament to Cornwall’s wild wartime waters. We love this wreck for its sheer scale, especially when you consider it’s a century old and still holding together. Dropping down, you’ll start to pick out the colossal hull, lying upright and mostly intact on a seabed of coarse sand. The visibility here can be a bit hit or miss, typical for the Channel, but on a good day, the sight of that bow emerging from the gloom is just fantastic. We’d suggest heading for the midships first. The cargo holds are largely open, easy to penetrate for those comfortable with overhead environments, and you can still make out the massive winches. Look inside for conger eels, thick as a diver's thigh, usually tucked into the darkest corners. The stern section is also great, with the propeller still in place and often surrounded by clouds of bib and pollack. It’s a dive for experienced wreck enthusiasts, no doubt about it. The depth means limited bottom time, so plan your gas carefully and watch those tides. A slack water dive is paramount here, otherwise you’ll be fighting a fierce current. This is a real piece of history, and we think it offers a genuinely rewarding dive.