GIRL SYLVIA - Northumberland & Northeast

The Girl Sylvia isn’t a grand liner, but we love it for its quiet charm and the way it sits upright on the seabed. This 15-meter fishing vessel went down in 1992 after taking on water, and it’s now a perfect deep wreck for divers with a bit of experience. Dropping down, you’ll find her mast still standing, pointing towards the surface, and the wheelhouse is largely intact – you can even peer inside where the helm used to be. For us, the real draw is the way the wreck has become a home. Ling, those big, often curious cod-like fish, frequently lurk in the holds, and we’ve seen some hefty edible crabs scuttling across the deck. Keep an eye out for dogfish resting on the sand nearby too. Visibility here can be a bit variable, as it often is in the North Sea, but on a good day, when the light penetrates to 52 metres, the Girl Sylvia feels incredibly peaceful. Our favourite time to dive it is on a slack tide, obviously, to avoid any strong currents, and we’d suggest an early morning dive if you want the best chance of encountering those bigger fish before they get disturbed. It’s a proper wreck dive, requiring good buoyancy and an appreciation for the history beneath the waves.

Location

Northumberland & Northeast, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe

Coordinates

53.984585, -5.723550

Type

wreck

Maximum Depth

52m

Marine Protected Area: Samuel's Port