wreck

Log This Dive

LEOPOLDVILLE

The Leopoldville. Now this is a proper deep wreck. Sunk on Christmas Eve, 1944, just off Cherbourg, she’s a huge liner, 151 metres long, and lies in 52 metres. You’ll need your trimix certs for this, no question. We love how intact she is, despite the torpedo hit. You can really get a sense of her original form, huge plates of steel, a massive superstructure. What divers experience here is the sheer scale and the solemnity of a war grave. It’s dark down there, even on a sunny day, and the water is always cool. We’ve had some incredible moments, seeing conger eels emerge from collapsed sections, their thick bodies disappearing into the gloom. The wreck’s character is one of stately decay; she sits upright, proud even in her final resting place. You can explore the bow, the stern, and parts of the accommodation block if you’re careful and well-practised at overhead environments. It’s certainly not for beginners. Visibility can be a challenge, but when it’s good, the structure is just immense, home to pollack, wrasse, and always, always, those monstrous congers. Our favourite time to dive her is early autumn, when the plankton has died back a bit, giving you the best chance of decent viz.