ASMUND - Northumberland & Northeast

We’ve spent a lot of time poking around the Northeast wrecks, and the Asmund always feels like a bit of a secret. It’s incredibly shallow, just 3 metres, which means even on a grey day, you get decent ambient light filtering through. You're diving on history here, an old steamship that went down in 1930, built way back in 1900. What makes it special for us is how much of the structure remains, even after all these years and the constant push of the North Sea. The plates are well-broken, but you can still trace the lines of her bow and stern. We love picking through the twisted metal, finding little nooks where crabs have set up shop. The ship’s ribs, especially, are a fantastic sight, silhouetted against the surface. It’s a site for divers who appreciate the subtler beauty of a historic wreck, rather than a coral garden. The nudibranchs here are surprisingly diverse, little flashes of colour on the corroded steel. It’s the kind of dive where you can spend an hour just exploring a small section, imagining the ship in her glory. If you like your wrecks with a side of history and quiet contemplation, this is our pick.

Location
Northumberland & Northeast, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
53.321500, -4.590317
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
3m

Wreck History - ASMUND

Year Sunk
1931
Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
unknown

The vessel that ended its days as the Asmund had a long and storied history, reflecting the changing tides of early 20th-century shipping. Built in 1900 in Hartlepool, UK, this steamship served under a succession of owners and names, including Lugond, Bolivia, Atlantis, and Lotus. Each name represented a different chapter in its 31-year career at sea.

In February 1931, its final chapter came to a close when it sank off the coast of Northumberland. The exact cause of its loss is not recorded, but the treacherous nature of the North Sea in winter suggests weather likely played a role. The ship settled in the shallows, where it has been slowly surrendering to the sea ever since.

The wreck of the Asmund is now found in the extreme shallows, at a depth of only 3 meters. This makes it a unique site, accessible to snorkelers and novice divers when sea conditions permit. Decades of wave action have broken the wreck apart, scattering its remains across the seabed. Divers won't find an intact ship, but rather a fascinating historical debris field where they can spot boilers, hull plating, and other remnants of this turn-of-the-century steamer.

Marine Protected Area: Ynys Mon/Anglesey

Nearby Dive Sites in Northumberland & Northeast

Nearest Dive Centres to ASMUND

Marine Life in Northumberland & Northeast

Home to 132 recorded species including 53 reef fish, 15 whales & dolphins, 11 sharks & rays, 10 other, 10 seagrass & algae, 9 crabs & lobsters.

Notable Species