KELVINIA

Best months: Jul–Sep

Protected Area

Limestone Coast of South West Wales / Arfordir Calchfaen de Orllewin Cymru

Why dive here

With 176+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, dolphins, dwarf minke whales, humpback whales and ocean sunfish (mola mola) - KELVINIA offers some of Cornwall & Devon's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 10-18°C, warmest July, August, September.

Best timeJul–Sep

WetsuitA 5mm wetsuit

Marine lifeBlue Sharks, Dolphins, Dwarf Minke Whales, Humpback Whales and Ocean Sunfish (Mola Mola) · 176+ species recorded

Water10-18°C · warmest July, August, September

CharacterWreck dive · max 38m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The *Kelvinia* is a proper dive, one that truly earns its 'standout' label. Dropping down onto a large steamship like this, a vessel that’s been on the seabed since 1916, always gives us a shiver. She’s big, over 100 meters long, and when you’re finning along her hull at 38 meters, you really get a sense of her scale. The stern is our favourite spot; the prop is often silhouetted against the slightly brighter surface, and that’s where the conger eels really like to set up shop. Visibility here can be a bit variable, typical for the Channel, but when it’s good, you can make out the full structure, including the three massive boilers. Exploring the various holds, now home to shoals of pouting and the occasional lobster, feels like stepping back in time. We’d suggest a good torch is essential, not just for peering into the darker sections, but also for bringing out the colours of the jewel anemones that carpet parts of the wreck. It’s a dive for experienced wreck enthusiasts who appreciate history and don't mind a deeper profile.