CALDERON - Northumberland & Northeast

Northumberland wreck diving often means a fair amount of current and reduced visibility, but the Calderon is worth the effort, especially if you catch it on a good day. This isn't a massive, intact behemoth, but rather a sprawling debris field from a steamship that went down over a century ago. You’ll find the two huge boilers standing upright, our favourite feature, absolutely smothered in plumose anemones – the fluffy white kind that wave like tiny feather dusters. We’ve spent hours here, tracing the outline of the hull plates, now just ribs on the seabed at a shallow 12 metres. The sheer quantity of dead man's fingers and soft corals is impressive; the whole site feels alive. Look closely and you’ll spot wrasse darting in and out, and often a grumpy-looking conger eel peering from under a collapsed plate. It’s a site that rewards slow exploration rather than a quick swim-through. We’d suggest diving this one on a slack tide, an hour either side of high water is usually best for clearer views of the scattered structure. Just remember, it can get silty if stirred up, so good buoyancy is a must.

Location
Northumberland & Northeast, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
53.524180, -3.128158
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
12m

Wreck History - CALDERON

Year Sunk
1912
Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
grounding
Tonnage
4,905 GRT

The SS Calderon was a substantial steamship, built in 1900 by the famous Workman, Clark & Co. shipyard in Belfast for the prestigious Lamport & Holt Line of Liverpool. A product of the golden age of steam, she was a large cargo vessel powered by a mighty 534 NHP triple-expansion engine, serving the vital trade routes of the British Empire before the outbreak of the First World War.

The Calderon's career was cut short on January 23, 1912. While steaming along the Northumberland coast, the ship was enveloped by a sudden and ferocious blizzard. Blinded by the snow and battered by the storm, she ran hard aground on the unforgiving rocks near Beadnell. The wreck became a local spectacle, but the powerful North Sea swells soon broke the ship apart, and she slipped beneath the waves.

Lying in just 12 meters of water, the Calderon is now a classic shore or boat dive for enthusiasts exploring the Northumberland coast. The wreck is extensively broken up, a testament to the power of the sea over the last century. Divers can easily identify her two large boilers, which stand proud of the seabed, as well as the impressive remains of her engine block. The scattered steel plates and girders have created a perfect habitat for a profusion of marine life, including crabs, lobsters, and colorful anemones, making it a scenic and historic dive.

Marine Protected Area: Ravenmeols Hills

Nearby Dive Sites in Northumberland & Northeast

Nearest Dive Centres to CALDERON

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