wreck

Log This Dive

PERSIER

If you’re diving the south coast, the *Persier* is absolutely one to prioritise. We love a good big wreck, and at 122m, this former Belgian cargo steamer delivers. She was sunk by a mine in 1945 and now rests upright, mostly intact, though time and trawlers have taken their toll on the superstructure. Dropping down onto the main deck at 26m, you’re often greeted by schools of pouting, sometimes so thick they obscure the bow. It’s a proper swim-through wreck, with cavernous holds you can penetrate if you're comfortable. Our favourite part is exploring the stern, where the prop shaft alley is still accessible and often shelters conger eels the size of a diver's thigh. Keep an eye out for dogfish tucked into crevices and the occasional lobster peering out from under plating. Visibility here can be hit or miss; a good slack tide on a neap will give you the best chance of decent light, otherwise it's an atmospheric, torch-lit dive. This one suits experienced wreck divers who appreciate the history and the sheer scale of a major shipwreck.