PRINCESS IRENE

Best months: Jul–Sep

Protected Area

Broomhill Burrows

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) - PRINCESS IRENE 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 · max 5m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

Princess Irene is a lovely introduction to wreck diving. She sits shallow, just five metres deep, spread across the rocks at Brimstone. We’ve visited her a few times, always on a calm day, because those winds that sunk her can still make things lively. You’ll find her bones scattered, not an intact ship, but the remains are substantial enough to feel like a proper wreck. Rusting plates and twisted metal create little hidey-holes for the local critters. Conger eels are a common sight, peering out from under steel beams, and we’ve often spotted lobsters tucked into crevices. The way the light plays through the kelp on a sunny day, hitting the dark metal, is quite atmospheric. It’s not a big dive, but it’s a tranquil one, perfect for refining your buoyancy or just enjoying a relaxed poke around. A good pick for newer divers, or when you just want a gentle dive without the hassle of deeper, more technical wrecks.