PERUVIAN

Best months: Jul–Sep

Protected Area

Beachy Head West

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) - PERUVIAN 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

We really enjoy a good wreck dive, and the Peruvian offers something a bit different for UK waters. It’s not about deep exploration or vast intact structures here. This sailing vessel, driven ashore on Seaford Beach way back when, is now a beautifully broken up jumble of timbers and ribs. What we love about it is how the sea has truly reclaimed it. You'll weave through scattered frames, imagining the ship's final moments. The real draw? The sheer amount of life that has moved in. Snakelocks anemones cling to every surface, their tentacles waving in the surge. Look closely and you’ll spot blennies peeking out from cracks and crevices, and we’ve often seen small schools of juvenile pollack darting through the skeletal remains. It’s a shallower dive, perfect for extended bottom times and photography, especially when the sun breaks through and illuminates the barnacle-encrusted timbers. We’d suggest timing your visit for a calm day with good visibility, as the sand can kick up quite easily. It’s a perfect site for divers who appreciate the natural reclamation of history, rather than a perfectly preserved hull.