wreck

Log This Dive

HAWKWOOD

The Hawkwood, oh, she’s a beauty, especially for a shallower wreck. We love how accessible she is, sitting bolt upright in just three metres of water. It means you get incredible bottom time, really letting you soak in the details. You’ll find her off Beadnell, and while she’s not the most intact wreck, the sheer scale of the boilers and triple expansion engine is impressive. The steel framework, picked clean over the decades, now forms a skeletal home for lobsters and crabs. Look closely, and you’ll spot plumose anemones waving like tiny white flags in any surge. We often head out around high tide; the light penetration then is fantastic, especially on a sunny day. It makes the bronze hues of the steel really pop. This site is brilliant for newer wreck divers, or anyone who just wants a relaxed potter around a piece of history. There’s no challenging current to fight, and the visibility, while it can be typical North Sea green, often clears up nicely, giving you a good 5-8 metres on a decent day. It’s a proper historical dive without the depth demands.