DON BOSCOE

Protected Area

Niarbyl Bay

Why dive here

With 118+ marine species recorded in the area - including dolphins, dwarf minke whales, humpback whales, ocean sunfish (mola mola) and orcas - DON BOSCOE offers some of Northumberland & Northeast's richest wreck diving.

Marine lifeDolphins, Dwarf Minke Whales, Humpback Whales, Ocean Sunfish (Mola Mola) and Orcas · 118+ species recorded

CharacterWreck dive · max 25m

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

The Don Boscoe, just off the Northumberland coast, is one of those wrecks that just hits right. It’s a fishing vessel, went down in 1990 after a trawling incident – a real shame, actually, as its rescuers ended up colliding and another boat went down too. We find it at about 25 metres, and for a fairly small wreck, just over 14 metres, it holds a surprising amount of interest. The stern is often the first thing you’ll properly make out through the murk, draped in kelp. Drop down and you’re into the wheelhouse, which is still fairly intact, and then forward to the bow. We love poking around the hold; it’s usually packed with crabs and lobsters scuttling away from your torch beam. Look for the massive conger eels, they really have made this wreck their own. The visibility here can be tricky, as is often the case in the Northeast, so we’d suggest timing your dive with slack water on a neap tide for the best chance of a clear run. It's a fantastic wreck for divers who appreciate the history and the way the sea reclaims things, rather than just chasing big pelagics.