GEFION - Cornwall & Devon
The *Gefion* is one of our favourite wreck dives in Cornwall, a genuine standout. This steamship met its end in 1917, now resting upright at 33 metres, her stern nicely intact. You’ll fin down, feeling the colder thermocline, then suddenly the dark shape emerges, huge and imposing. The bow section is a bit more broken up, but the midships, with its two big boilers and the triple-expansion engine, offers some fantastic penetration for suitably trained divers. We’ve seen some hefty conger eels here, tucked deep inside the machinery, their heads peering out. The structure itself is just covered in anemones and dead man's fingers, a riot of colour against the dim light, especially when a torch beam hits it just right. It’s a dive that rewards careful exploration, not just a quick swim-over. We’d suggest a slack water dive for the best experience, as the currents can pick up and make finning around the deeper sections quite challenging.
- Location
- Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 50.501583, -3.254450
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 33m
Marine Protected Area: Lyme Bay and Torbay
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
- 12 - 49m (wreck)
- 20 - 5m (wreck)
- A2 - 1m (wreck)
- AALESUND (POSSIBLY) - 37m (wreck)
- ABRAHAM COVE - 56m (wreck)
- ACADIAN - 34m (wreck)
- ACADIAN - 38m (wreck)
- ACHIEVEMENT - 6m (wreck)
- ACTIVE - 27m (wreck)
- ADA - 40m (wreck)
- ADA MARY - 2m (wreck)
- ADDAX - 52m (wreck)
- ADOLF VINNEN - 1m (wreck)
- ADON - 0m (wreck)
- ADUR II - 11m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to GEFION
- Abyss Scuba School - ["PADI"]
- Andark Diving - ["PADI"]
- Aquanaut Scuba & Snorkelling Centre Ltd - ["PADI"]
- Berkshire Divecrew Training 2012 Ltd. - ["PADI"]
- Bouley Bay Dive Centre
- Celtic Deep
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
- Common dragonet (Callionymus lyra) - Reef Fish
- dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
- poor cod (Trisopterus minutus) - Reef Fish
- Common Seal (Phoca vitulina) - Whales & Dolphins
- dab (Limanda limanda) - Reef Fish
- Soldier (Chelidonichthys cuculus) - Reef Fish
- whiting (Merlangius merlangus) - Reef Fish
- common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) - Octopus & Squid
- Bastard Sole (Microchirus variegatus) - Reef Fish
- harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) - Whales & Dolphins
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- solenette (Buglossidium luteum) - Reef Fish
- Sand mason (Lanice conchilega) - Worms
- Scaldfish (Arnoglossus laterna) - Reef Fish
- Common sea star (Asterias rubens) - Starfish
- Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Angler (Lophius piscatorius) - Reef Fish
- Common shore crab (Carcinus maenas) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Devonshire cup coral (Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) smithii) - Hard Corals
- Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) - Clams & Mussels
Recommended Packing List for GEFION
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