DOWNSHIRE (POSSIBLY)

Protected Area

Croker Carbonate Slabs

Why dive here

With 118+ marine species recorded in the area - including dolphins, dwarf minke whales, humpback whales, ocean sunfish (mola mola) and orcas - DOWNSHIRE (POSSIBLY) 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 57m

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

The Downshire, off the Northumberland coast, is one of those wrecks that really gets under your skin. We often find ourselves thinking about its story, sunk by a mine in 1918, a mere two months before the Armistice. It’s a proper expedition dive, sitting at 57 metres, so you’ll need your trimix cert and some solid experience in these colder waters. We usually find the visibility is decent here, often pushing 10-15 metres, which is a blessing at that depth. Dropping down, the first thing you notice is the way she lies, pretty much upright, which makes exploration a real joy. Her bow points northwest, and the stern is a bit more broken, but the engine room, with its single boiler, is still very much there and penetrable for those with the right training. We love to poke around the collapsed accommodation blocks; you can almost hear the echoes of the crew. Over time, it’s become a home for some impressive coalfish, and we’ve seen some huge lobsters lurking in the darker crevices. This isn’t a quick dive; you need time to appreciate the history and the marine life that has claimed it. It’s a site for those who truly appreciate wreck diving, a deep, silent witness to the war at sea.