EXCELLENT

Protected Area

Traeth Lligwy

Why dive here

With 118+ marine species recorded in the area - including dolphins, dwarf minke whales, humpback whales, ocean sunfish (mola mola) and orcas - EXCELLENT 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 17m

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

The wreck of the Excellent off Northumberland is one of our absolute favourites in this part of the UK, especially when the visibility is on its side. This old sailing vessel, lost back in 1926 while on passage to Kilkeel, has settled upright on the seabed at a consistent 17 metres. It’s a proper dive, feeling genuinely like an archaeological site. You can often see the bowsprit still pointing out into the gloom, and the main deck is surprisingly intact in places. We love poking around the hold, which is now home to some sizeable lobsters and crabs. Look closely for the smaller stuff too: nudibranchs are always a good find here, clinging to the encrusted timbers, and every now and then a cheeky wolfish pokes its head out from under a plate. It's a dive that rewards slow exploration rather than speed. This site suits divers who appreciate history and don't mind a bit of a current sometimes. When the conditions line up – calm seas and a good tide – it’s a truly atmospheric dive, a real sense of stepping back in time.