TO VENNER

Best months: Jul–Sep

Protected Area

Gouliot Caves and Headland, Sark

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) - TO VENNER 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 18m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The To Venner wreck, off the coast of Cornwall, is one of our favourite dives in the area, offering a really atmospheric experience. This barque sank back in 1893, and the years have turned her into a genuine reef. You won’t find a perfectly preserved hull, but instead a scattered debris field that tells a story. We particularly love the bow section, often home to decent-sized conger eels peeking out from under plates of steel. Visibility can be a bit of a lottery here, as with many UK sites, but on a good day, the light filtering through the kelp-draped remains is quite haunting. Keep an eye out for dogfish resting on the sand beside the wreckage, and schools of pollock darting through the skeleton of the ship. It’s not a deep dive, around 18 metres, which means plenty of bottom time to really explore the layout and appreciate how nature reclaims these old vessels. A great pick for those who enjoy historical wrecks that have become artificial reefs, rather than just intact structures.