wreck

Log This Dive

JAMES B RICHARDSON

The James B Richardson isn’t for the faint-hearted. Lying in the often-chilly, murky waters off Cornwall, this wreck is a big beast of a steamship, measuring over 130 meters. What we really love about this site is the sheer scale of the thing. You drop down, and the hull just looms out of the green gloom – it’s a proper dive into history, lost to thick fog back in the day. Exploring the superstructure is where the real fun begins. You can poke around the remains, feeling the cold steel, imagining the crew on deck. Visibility can be a challenge here, often only a few meters, so a good torch is essential for cutting through the murk and picking out the details. Despite the low light, plenty of conger eels have made the deeper recesses their home, and we’ve seen some huge spider crabs scuttling across the plates. It’s a dive that rewards careful navigation and an appreciation for dramatic, atmospheric wrecks, rather than colourful corals. This is one for experienced divers who enjoy a bit of an adventure and the thrill of discovery.