LEACHS ROMANCE - Cornwall & Devon

Leach's Romance isn't for the faint-hearted, dropping down to 48m, but for those who make the dive, it’s a sombre and atmospheric experience. This fishing vessel, sunk by a mine in 1940, lies broken but still recognisable on the seabed. We love the way the wreck has settled, almost merging with the silt, creating this ethereal, silhouetted form against the often-murky green. We've seen conger eels that are practically small anacondas peeking from collapsed sections, and plump lobsters scuttling across the deck plates. The visibility here can be a real game of chance; sometimes it's like pea soup, other times you get a decent 10-15 metres, enough to really appreciate the scale. Our tip: go on a slack tide, obviously, but also look for a day with minimal surface chop – it seems to help settle the particulate. It’s a dive for technical divers, certainly, with a deep air or trimix setup, and definitely one that leaves you thinking about the four lives lost that day.

Location
Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
50.647266, -0.048223
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
48m

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 LEACHS ROMANCE

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 LEACHS ROMANCE

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