wreck

Log This Dive

U 86 (FORMERLY)

Diving the U 86, or what’s left of her, is a proper technical dive, and one we always enjoy for its history. She sits deep, around 53 metres, so plan your gas accordingly. We reckon she’s best suited for experienced wreckies, those who appreciate the story behind the metal as much as the dive itself. When you drop down, the sheer scale of this scuttled submarine starts to make sense. Built in 1916, she’s now largely broken up, but you can still make out the distinct sections – the pressure hull, conning tower remnants, and parts of the casing. It’s not a swim-through kind of wreck anymore, but we love picking apart the debris field, imagining her final moments in 1921. Look closely and you’ll find plenty of edible crabs tucked into the crevices, and we’ve often spotted conger eels snaking through the larger plates. Visibility down here can be a bit of a gamble, often swinging between 5 and 15 metres, so be prepared for a moodier dive. Our favourite part? Seeing how the sea reclaims these massive structures, turning steel into a canvas for anemones and hydroids. It’s a compelling dive into both history and marine colonisation.