OSPREY (BOW SECTION) (POSSIBLY) - Cornwall & Devon

The Osprey, or at least this chunky bow section, is a proper deep dive, sitting at 52 metres. It's a dark, silty site, and we love it for its sheer sense of history. Dropping down, you often hit a thermocline around 20 metres, then the temperature really drops. Down on the seabed, the bow faces north, upright and fairly intact for a wreck sunk in 1866. You can make out the anchor hawse pipes, and if you bring a decent torch, the structure of the forecastle still holds a lot of detail. This isn’t a wreck for darting about; it’s about slow, careful exploration. We’ve found conger eels tucked deep within the plates, and the odd lobster clinging on. Visibility can be 10 metres on a good day, but often it’s less, which just adds to the atmosphere. Our pick for this site is a slack tide dive, just after high water, as the currents can be strong here. It’s a dive for those comfortable with deco and low light, but the feeling of touching something so old, so far down, is pretty special.

Location
Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
50.186350, -2.936783
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
52m

Marine Protected Area: East of Start Point

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 OSPREY (BOW SECTION) (POSSIBLY)

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 OSPREY (BOW SECTION) (POSSIBLY)

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