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HMS NEW DAWN

The HMS New Dawn, a drifter sunk in 1918, lies quietly at 32 metres, just off the Cornish coast. We love this wreck because it’s a proper piece of history, not just a pile of metal. You can still make out her lines, the bow pointing into the current, and that single boiler is a real focal point, now heavily encrusted with dead man's fingers and anemones. Dropping down, the visibility here can be a bit of a lottery – sometimes 10 metres, sometimes less – but that just adds to the atmospheric dive. Our favourite part is nosing around the stern, where you often find conger eels tucked into the deeper recesses, their heads poking out like grumpy old men. Look closely among the wreckage and you’ll spot nudibranchs, particularly lemon slugs, making their slow way across the rusting plates. It’s a dive for those who appreciate the quiet dignity of a well-preserved wreck and don't mind a bit of a rummage. Best tackled on a slack tide, otherwise, you're just flying past her.