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HMS EMPRESS OF INDIA (EX RENOWN)

The Empress of India, or Renown as she started life, isn’t just a hunk of metal on the seabed, she’s a proper piece of naval history. Dropping down to 42 metres, you hit the bow first, often into a mild current that pushes you gently along her length. We love the sheer scale of her; 115 metres long, you can spend a whole dive exploring just a fraction of the deck. What makes her special for us is how intact she is for a battleship scuttled in 1913. The gun turrets are still prominent, huge structures draped in dead man's fingers and anemones. Look closely in the gloom and you’ll often spot massive conger eels peering out from the deeper recesses. The site can be dark, even on a sunny day, so a good torch is essential for peering into the internal spaces. This is a dive for experienced wreck lovers, comfortable with depth and reduced visibility. When the conditions line up, it's one of the best battleship dives in the UK.