CITY OF ST ANDREWS - Northumberland & Northeast
The *City of St Andrews* isn’t your deep, dramatic wreck dive, and that’s precisely why we love it. Sunk in 1882, this old sailing vessel sits in a paltry 4 metres of water, making it a fantastic, relaxed second dive or a brilliant site for newer divers looking to get some wreck time without the nitrogen narcosis. You’ll find the remains spread across the sandy seabed, scattered timbers and frames forming low-lying structures. It's a proper archaeological treasure hunt, picking out the ship’s ribs from the sand. What truly makes this site special is the life it attracts. We've seen more flatfish here than anywhere else, perfectly camouflaged against the sand, and the occasional crab scuttling between the timbers. The visibility can vary, as with any shallow site in the North East, but on a good day, with a bit of sunlight filtering through, it’s a peaceful, almost contemplative dive. Our tip: go at slack tide on a sunny morning. The light really brings out the subtle colours of the encrusting life. It’s a gentle introduction to wreck diving, perfect for honing buoyancy and exploring history in comfort.
- Location
- Northumberland & Northeast, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 53.529686, -3.192996
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 4m
Marine Protected Area: Ravenmeols Hills
Nearby Dive Sites in Northumberland & Northeast
- AARLA - 35m (wreck)
- ABBOTSFORD - 7m (wreck)
- ABYDOS - 8m (wreck)
- ACACIA - 11m (wreck)
- ACTION - 0m (wreck)
- ADC 527 - 60m (wreck)
- ADC 527 - 50m (wreck)
- ADC 527 (POSSIBLY) - 37m (wreck)
- ADGILLUS - 36m (wreck)
- AFTON - 22m (wreck)
- AFTON - 0m (wreck)
- AILSA - 1m (wreck)
- ALARM - 27m (wreck)
- ALASTOR - 13m (wreck)
- ALBANIAN - 35m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to CITY OF ST ANDREWS
- Above & Below Dive Centre - ["PADI"]
- Academy Divers - ["PADI"]
- Aqua Adventurers Scuba Diving
- Aqualogistics
- Aquaventurers - ["PADI"]
- Barracuda Scuba Ltd
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
- Protestant (Clupea harengus) - Reef Fish
- whiting (Merlangius merlangus) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) - Reef Fish
- Common sea star (Asterias rubens) - Starfish
- Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) - Reef Fish
- dab (Limanda limanda) - Reef Fish
- harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) - Whales & Dolphins
- long rough dab (Hippoglossoides platessoides) - Reef Fish
- sprat (Sprattus sprattus) - Reef Fish
- Edible periwinkle (Littorina littorea) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Common lobster (Homarus gammarus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Acorn barnacle (Semibalanus balanoides)
- Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) - Clams & Mussels
- bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus) - Seagrass & Algae
- Dog whelk (Nucella lapillus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Beadlet anemone (Actinia equina) - Hard Corals
- Common brittlestar (Ophiothrix fragilis)
- butterfish (Pholis gunnellus) - Reef Fish
- Common shore crab (Carcinus maenas) - Crabs & Lobsters