HOLME FORCE (POSSIBLY) - Cornwall & Devon

The Holme Force is a proper dive, a deep one, and we wouldn’t recommend it for anyone without solid wreck experience and the right gas. Dropping onto her at 53 metres, you’re hitting the seabed, so bottom time management is crucial. She’s a steamship, torpedoed in 1940 by a German E-boat, and lies broken but still recognisable. Our favourite part has to be the stern, often upright, where you can still imagine the torpedo striking. The bow is usually more collapsed, but the hold sections are worth a peek for the congereels and spider crabs. Visibility here can be a bit of a lottery, sometimes twenty metres, sometimes five, but even in murkier conditions, the sheer scale of the wreck is impressive. We usually see schools of pollack circling the superstructure, and the encrusting life, particularly dead man’s fingers coral, adds colour to the dark steel. It’s a site for serious divers who appreciate history and don’t mind a bit of a challenge.

Location
Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
50.597668, 0.008033
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
53m

Marine Protected Area: Beachy Head West

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 HOLME FORCE (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 HOLME FORCE (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