wreck

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KING CHARLES II

The King Charles II is a proper wreck dive, sitting upright at 41 metres off Start Point. We love a ship with a story, and this trawler went down in 1970 after a serious leak in her stern tube, becoming a designated dangerous wreck. Dropping down, you’ll find her largely intact, a real testament to how quickly the sea reclaims things around here. What you'll experience is a substantial hulk; a dark shape emerging from the green-blue, usually with a good run of current making things interesting. The wheelhouse is still there, largely stripped but with the ghostly outline of where machinery once sat. We've spent time poking around the hold, which often shelters some surprisingly large conger eels, coiled up in the darker corners. Look closely at the deck plating and you’ll spot dead man’s fingers – soft corals – creating a sort of fuzzy carpet, alongside anemones and nudibranchs. Visibility can be a bit of a lottery, as it often is in these parts, but on a good day, the structure looms impressively. This one suits experienced divers comfortable with depth and currents, who appreciate a proper historical wreck over a reef. Dive this on slack water for the best chance to properly explore.