HMS STOCKFORCE (POSSIBLY) - Cornwall & Devon

The HMS *Stockforce* is one of those deeper wrecks that really gets our dive team talking. Lying at 60 metres off the coast of Cornwall, this isn’t one for the casual diver. She was a Q-ship, a decoy merchant vessel bristling with hidden guns, torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1918. When you drop down, that history feels palpable. What makes *Stockforce* special for us is the intact nature of her midships. You can still make out the single boiler and the triple-expansion engine, looming out of the gloom. Visibility here can vary wildly, but on a good day, with a bit of ambient light filtering through, the wreck stands proud. We’ve had dives where large conger eels peered from every dark opening, and the occasional inquisitive anglerfish has made an appearance. It’s a proper expedition, demanding solid trimix skills and careful planning, but the rewards are in that tangible connection to wartime history and the sense of diving a truly significant, silent sentinel.

Location
Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
50.137516, -3.925567
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
60m

Marine Protected Area: Start Point to Plymouth Sound and Eddystone

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 HMS STOCKFORCE (POSSIBLY)

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 HMS STOCKFORCE (POSSIBLY)

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