VIKING

Protected Area

Laxey Bay

Why dive here

With 118+ marine species recorded in the area - including dolphins, dwarf minke whales, humpback whales, ocean sunfish (mola mola) and orcas - VIKING 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 · max 4m

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

Okay, we're heading to the *Viking* in Northumberland, and for good reason. At just 4 metres, it's not about depth here, it's about atmosphere and history you can practically touch. This old steamer, gone down in 1890, is scattered across the seabed, but in that chaos, there's a real story. We love how the hull plates are peeling back like pages in a soggy book, revealing the guts of the ship. You'll fin through the twisted metal, often with sunlight dappling right down to the wreck, picking out the brassy glint of pipework or the curve of a forgotten porthole. Our favourite moments are finding the big, grumpy edible crabs tucked into crevices, or watching the shoals of pollock darting through the skeleton of the engine room. It’s perfect for new wreck divers, or anyone who just wants a relaxed dive with a proper sense of discovery. You can spend a good hour exploring the length of her, imagining the noise of that compound engine before she met her end. Just watch for strong tides; pick slack water for the best experience.