wreck

Log This Dive

MARY ANN

The Mary Ann, for us, is one of those wrecks that just makes you smile. She’s not deep, sitting in a comfortable 10 metres, and because of that, she’s bathed in whatever sunlight Northumberland can muster, which really brings out the colours of the kelp. Built of wood back in 1866, she went down after dragging her anchor and bumping into the Caledonia in 1893. What’s left now is a wonderfully broken-up collection of timbers, ribs, and hull plating, all colonised by the local life. We love drifting over the main sections of her hull, where you’ll spot velvet swimming crabs scuttling amongst the fronds and juvenile pollack darting through the light. The wooden structure has softened with time, but you can still make out the sweep of her bow and stern. Look closely and you’ll find nudibranchs grazing on the encrusting sponges, especially where the timbers offer a bit of shelter from the surge. It’s a gentle dive, perfect for photographers wanting to capture the light through the kelp, or for newer divers getting a feel for wreck penetration without the overhead. Our favourite part? Finding one of the old anchor chains, thick with rust and mussels, disappearing into the sand.