OCEAN QUEEN

Best months: Jul–Sep

Protected Area

Gouliot Caves and Headland, Sark

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) - OCEAN QUEEN 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

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The Ocean Queen is a proper Cornish wreck, and we love her for her history and the way she’s blended into the seafloor. Sunk in 1906, she went hard aground on Kaines Rock, ripping open her hull. What you get now is a broken, scattered wreck, but that’s precisely her charm. We think she’s best dived on a calm day with good visibility, preferably around slack water if you want to explore the deeper sections without a fight. The stern lies in about 16-18 metres, and you can still make out the prop shaft. It’s a fantastic spot for lobsters and crabs, and we often find dogfish tucked into the nooks and crannies. The midships section is more broken, like a steel jumble sale, but it's brilliant for spotting wrasse darting between the plates and anemones clinging to every surface. Head towards the bow, and the wreck becomes more spread out, fading into the rocky seabed. It’s not a penetration dive, but rather an exploration of history and marine life. This site is great for divers who enjoy piecing together a story from scattered remains and those who appreciate the resident critters. The way the light filters through the kelp on a sunny day, illuminating the rusted metal, is one of our favourite sights in these waters.