GRAND COPAISE - Cornwall & Devon

The Grand Copaise is one of those wrecks that really sticks with you, a bit of a local favourite for us. She went down in '84, a French trawler, and has settled nicely on the seabed at 45 metres. What we love about her is how intact she remains; you can still make out the wheelhouse, the mast, and even the trawl winches. Dropping down, the gloom of the deep water gives way to the superstructure, often draped in fishing nets, a somber reminder of her working life. Explore the deck, and you'll find plenty of nooks and crannies where conger eels have set up shop, their heads poking out from pipes and crevices. We've seen some impressively large ones here. The deeper sections around the stern are particularly atmospheric, with schools of pouting often schooling so densely around the wreck you can barely see past them. It's a dive that demands experience and a good handle on your trim, but for those capable, it offers a genuinely rewarding glimpse into a working vessel lost to the Channel. Dive this one on a slack tide, otherwise, you'll be flying past a lot of good stuff.

Location
Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
49.690666, -0.800361
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
45m

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

Nearest Dive Centres to GRAND COPAISE

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

Recommended Packing List for GRAND COPAISE

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