HMS Vortigern

Protected Area

Cromer Shoal Chalk Beds

Why dive here

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

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

The HMS Vortigern, sitting off the Northumberland coast, is a proper dive, a deep-set wreck that really tests your skills. We love diving a piece of history like this, especially when it’s so well preserved. Dropping down, you’ll find her upright and largely intact, a testament to her robust build despite the years on the seabed. She was a V and W-class destroyer, sunk in 1917, and there’s a real sense of that era about her. The stern is often our favourite part, with the prop shaft still visible and sometimes the rudder. You can poke around the superstructure, see how the deck plating has peeled back in places, creating little ledges and overhangs for the resident fish. Expect to see plenty of wolfish tucked into crevices, their grumpy faces peering out, alongside schools of coalfish darting through the skeleton of the ship. On a good day, with decent visibility – which we'd always recommend checking before you go – the sheer scale of her is impressive. It’s a dive for those who appreciate wrecks with a story, and aren’t afraid of deeper water and the North Sea’s temperament.