wreck

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GIBEL-HAMAM

The Gibel-Hamam is one of those wrecks that really sticks with you. Dropping down, you hit the bow first, often enveloped in a cloud of pollock and bib. She’s a steamship, torpedoed back in 1918, and we find the history really adds to the atmosphere here, knowing 21 lives were lost. You can still make out the forecastle, and the hold forward of the bridge is usually packed with conger eels – we’ve seen some absolute monsters tucked away in there. Our favourite part is exploring the engine room. It’s pretty open now, but you get a real sense of her scale. The deck plates have largely collapsed, so you’re looking down into the guts of the ship, usually with a shimmering curtain of jewel anemones along the bulkheads. Visibility can be a bit hit or miss in the UK, but when it’s good, the light penetrating the structure is genuinely beautiful. This wreck suits divers who appreciate a bit of history and don't mind a bit of a current sometimes; it’s a proper British wreck dive.