wreck

Log This Dive

HOPPER BARGE NO.42

Hopper Barge No. 42 is one of those unexpected, satisfying dives in Lyme Bay, especially when you’re looking for a relaxed potter. Sunk in 1913, she sits upright on the seabed at a comfortable 13 metres. It’s perfect for a second dive or if you’ve got newer divers in the group. We love how the wreck is just broken enough to allow for interesting swim-throughs without feeling like a jumble of twisted metal. You can easily spend 40 minutes here, weaving through the hold and around the main structure. Schools of bib and pollack often hover above the deck, while blennies and gobies peer out from cracks in the hull. Look closely amongst the kelp and you'll spot crabs scuttling about, and we’ve even come across small cuttlefish hunting here. The visibility can be variable, as is typical for the English Channel, but on a good day, with a bit of sunshine filtering down, the light plays beautifully off the encrusted steel. We’d suggest timing your dive for slack water; the currents here can pick up, making it a less enjoyable explore. It’s a real charm of a wreck, unpretentious but full of life.