wreck

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PRESIDENT HARBITZ

The President Harbitz is one of those wrecks that just keeps giving. We’ve done it a dozen times and always find something new, even if it’s just a different angle of light catching the plates. Lying scattered at 26 metres, she’s a proper dive for wreck lovers, especially those who appreciate a bit of history etched into the seabed. She was a sailing vessel, lost on a calm day back in 1913 after a navigation error put her on Middle Mouse Rocks. Imagine that, a smooth sea, then sudden disaster. Now, her remains are spread across a rocky seafloor, creating a home for all sorts of critters. We always find a few ling poking their heads out from beneath the larger sections of hull plating, and the occasional wolf fish has taken up residence in the deeper crevices. The scattered nature of the wreck means you’re not just swimming along a defined structure; you’re exploring a series of mini-habitats, each with its own residents. Our favourite part is navigating through the more broken-up sections, where the light filters down through the kelp, making the rusted metal glow a muted orange. It’s a dive that rewards careful observation and a bit of patience, perfect for divers who prefer exploring history to just ticking off big pelagics.