wreck

Log This Dive

MURIELLE

The Murielle is a proper little time capsule, sitting upright in about 11 metres of water off the Northumberland coast. We always enjoy a dive here. She's a trawler, sank back in 1941, and while she’s not huge at 26 metres, there’s plenty to poke around. You can trace her lines easily, and the stern section with the single boiler and triple expansion engine is our favourite part to explore. It’s a tight squeeze in places, but the machinery is still quite intact, a real testament to her build. What truly makes the Murielle special, though, is how she’s become an artificial reef. The metalwork is completely encrusted with plumose anemones, creating these soft, undulating walls of white that ripple with the surge. Look closer in the nooks and crannies and you’ll find plenty of crabs, lobsters, and often a grumpy-looking wolf fish tucked away. The visibility can be typical for the North Sea – sometimes it's an amazing 10 metres, other times it’s a green soup, but even then, the wreck looms out of the murk with a real sense of atmosphere. It’s a site that suits divers who appreciate history and don't mind a bit of a low-viz adventure. We’d suggest timing your dive for slack water to make exploring the interior much more comfortable.