GHAMBIRA - Northumberland & Northeast

The *Ghambira* in Northumberland, now that’s a wreck with a story. She started life as a British India steamship, then got scuttled as a blockship at Scapa Flow, only to be refloated and used for target practice. You can still see the impact of that gunfire, which is a bit grim but fascinating. The wreck sits upright on a sandy bottom at 17 metres, generally well-sheltered, making it a cracking dive for most experience levels when conditions are good. We love exploring the holds, which are surprisingly open and offer easy penetration for divers comfortable with overhead environments. Light filters in, highlighting the thick carpets of dead man's fingers clinging to every surface. Look for the lobsters lurking in darker crevices and the blennies darting amongst the broken plating. It’s a proper historical piece, but the marine life has really made it home, turning a wartime relic into a vibrant artificial reef. Our favourite time to dive it is on a slack tide, an hour either side of high water, for the clearest visibility and easiest exploration.

Location

Northumberland & Northeast, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe

Coordinates

53.381565, -3.993667

Type

wreck

Maximum Depth

17m

Marine Protected Area: Puffin Island - Ynys Seiriol