TRIDONIA

Best months: Jul–Sep

Protected Area

Great Tor (Three Cliff Bay)

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) - TRIDONIA 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 1m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The Tridonia, off the Cornish coast, is one of our favourite wreck dives, especially for newer divers looking for a proper old ship without the crushing depth. She’s a sailing vessel, sunk back in 1916 on her way from Dublin to Buenos Aires, and she lies in such shallow water, sometimes you can even spot parts of her on a very low tide. That 1m max depth is no typo; it’s practically a snorkel, making it fantastic for extended bottom times and really picking apart the remains. What we love here is the way the wreck has become part of the seabed. Barnacles encrust the hull plates, and you’ll often see spider crabs scuttling across the deck timbers. It’s a gentle wreck, with ribs exposed like ancient bones, and in the right conditions, with the sun breaking through the surface, the light play is just beautiful. You won't find flashy corals, but the anenomes and hydroids provide a soft, swaying covering, and we’ve seen some surprisingly large pollack lurking in the shadows. It’s a dive that makes you feel connected to history, a quiet, contemplative exploration rather than an adrenaline rush.