wreck

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HMS TULIP II

The HMS Tulip II sits at a modest 17 meters, making her a really accessible wreck dive and one of our favourites in the Plymouth Sound. She’s not huge, just 26 metres long, but what she lacks in size she makes up for in character. Sunk by collision in 1918, this drifter vessel lies upright, largely intact, and has become a fantastic artificial reef. We love dropping onto her bow, where you can often spot conger eels poking their heads from pipes and crevices, their thick bodies disappearing into the gloom. The stern provides some swim-through opportunities into the old engine room, just be mindful of your buoyancy and any stray fishing line. Dogfish are regulars here, often found resting on the seabed around the wreck, and the superstructure is plastered in jewel anemones, a vivid splash of orange and pink against the green-grey steel. It’s a site that rewards slow exploration, perfect for divers who enjoy poking around and appreciating the history, rather than just zooming past. She’s relatively sheltered too, making her a good option even when other sites are blown out.