wreck

Log This Dive

CARTEGENA

The *Cartegena* is a proper piece of history sunk just off the Northumberland coast, and we rate it as one of the best wreck dives in the northeast. Dropping onto her at 33 metres, you’ll find the bones of this 1917 trawler, still largely intact and sitting upright. We love exploring the bow, where the anchor chain often lies draped, and pushing our way into the wheelhouse area if conditions are calm enough. It’s dark down there, even on a sunny day, so a good torch is non-negotiable. What really makes the *Cartegena* special for us is the sheer volume of life that has made it home. Ling often lurk in the deeper sections, their pale bodies almost glowing against the rusted metal. Shoals of saithe will swirl around the mast, and you can expect to find plenty of crabs and lobsters tucked into every crevice. Visibility can be a bit of a lottery, sometimes twenty metres, sometimes five, but even on murkier days, the scale of the wreck still comes through. Our tip is to time your dive for slack water; the currents here can be powerful, making a leisurely exploration impossible otherwise. This is a dive for experienced wreck enthusiasts who appreciate a good historical story and aren’t afraid of deeper, darker waters.