THE DUKE - Cornwall & Devon
The Duke, a steamship sunk by a German submarine in 1916, rests at a hefty 60 metres, making it one for the experienced technical diver. We’ve found her to be a fascinating, if deep, visit. The wreck itself, though largely broken, still holds the ghostly silhouette of her past. You can pick out elements of her structure, with a decent penetration offering glimpses into her engine room if you’re careful with your trim and aware of potential silting. Expect to see plenty of conger eels making homes in the deeper crevices, along with crabs and lobsters scuttling across her decks. It’s a rewarding dive for those prepared for the depth and cooler UK water.
- Location
- Cornwall & Devon, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 50.099000, -1.501333
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 60m
Marine Protected Area: Wight-Barfleur Reef
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
- 12 - 49m (wreck)
- 20 - 5m (wreck)
- A2 - 1m (wreck)
- AALESUND (POSSIBLY) - 37m (wreck)
- ABRAHAM COVE - 56m (wreck)
- ACADIAN - 34m (wreck)
- ACADIAN - 38m (wreck)
- ACHIEVEMENT - 6m (wreck)
- ACTIVE - 27m (wreck)
- ADA - 40m (wreck)
- ADA MARY - 2m (wreck)
- ADDAX - 52m (wreck)
- ADOLF VINNEN - 1m (wreck)
- ADON - 0m (wreck)
- ADUR II - 11m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to THE DUKE
- Abyss Scuba School - ["PADI"]
- Andark Diving - ["PADI"]
- Aquanaut Scuba & Snorkelling Centre Ltd - ["PADI"]
- Berkshire Divecrew Training 2012 Ltd. - ["PADI"]
- Bouley Bay Dive Centre
- Celtic Deep
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
- Common dragonet (Callionymus lyra) - Reef Fish
- dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
- poor cod (Trisopterus minutus) - Reef Fish
- Common Seal (Phoca vitulina) - Whales & Dolphins
- dab (Limanda limanda) - Reef Fish
- Soldier (Chelidonichthys cuculus) - Reef Fish
- whiting (Merlangius merlangus) - Reef Fish
- common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) - Octopus & Squid
- Bastard Sole (Microchirus variegatus) - Reef Fish
- harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) - Whales & Dolphins
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- solenette (Buglossidium luteum) - Reef Fish
- Sand mason (Lanice conchilega) - Worms
- Scaldfish (Arnoglossus laterna) - Reef Fish
- Common sea star (Asterias rubens) - Starfish
- Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Angler (Lophius piscatorius) - Reef Fish
- Common shore crab (Carcinus maenas) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Devonshire cup coral (Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) smithii) - Hard Corals
- Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) - Clams & Mussels
Recommended Packing List for THE DUKE
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