BEN REIN (EX-STARLING) - Northumberland & Northeast

The Ben Rein, formerly the Starling, sits upright and largely intact on the seabed at 39 meters. We love a wreck that still feels like a ship, and this one delivers. Dropping down, the bow is often the first thing to loom out of the gloom, usually swarming with juvenile coalfish. The hold sections are accessible, and you can swim through if you're comfortable with overhead environments, where dead man’s fingers carpet the bulkheads. Keep an eye out for ling tucked into shadowy corners and edible crabs scuttling amongst the plates. The visibility here can be truly astounding on a good day, but it’s still Northumberland, so be prepared for a bit of chop and a green tinge. This dive is best for experienced cold-water wreck enthusiasts who appreciate history and the quiet beauty of a forgotten vessel. It's a proper British wreck, full of character and surprisingly vibrant marine life.

Location
Northumberland & Northeast, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
54.027110, -3.897556
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
39m

Wreck History - BEN REIN (EX-STARLING)

Year Sunk
1918
Vessel Type
tugboat
Cause
gunfire
Tonnage
197 GRT

The steam tug Ben Rein began her life in 1905 as the 'Starling', built by G. Brown & Co in Greenock. Owned initially by Steel and Bennie & Co Ltd of Glasgow, she was a powerful workhorse in the busy ports and waterways of the era. In 1917, a year before her loss, she was sold to the Ramsay Steamship Co and renamed Ben Rein, continuing her vital work during the First World War.

In a remarkable and tragic coincidence, this vessel was sunk on the exact same day, February 7th, 1918, as the ketch Ben Rein. She too fell victim to the German submarine UB-57 while operating in the Irish Sea. The U-boat, having already sunk the ketch, encountered the steam tug and dispatched it with gunfire, sending another vessel to the bottom in a single day's deadly patrol.

Lying at 39 metres, the wreck of the tug Ben Rein is a fantastic dive for advanced recreational divers and those venturing into technical diving. The wreck is more substantial than its wooden namesake, with key features like the boiler, engine, and winch gear often visible. The hull has collapsed in places after more than a century underwater, but its shape is still discernible. It's a classic WWI wreck, offering a fascinating glimpse into the past and is often home to conger eels, lobsters, and large schools of fish that shelter within its metal plates.

Marine Protected Area: West of Copeland

Nearby Dive Sites in Northumberland & Northeast

Nearest Dive Centres to BEN REIN (EX-STARLING)

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