Wreck of Marie Claire - Northumberland & Northeast
Northumberland wreck diving is a specific taste, and the *Marie Claire* is a perfect example of why we love it. This isn't a colourful reef, or a warm water drift, it's about atmosphere and history, a proper plunge into the North Sea's embrace. We typically drop onto the stern, which is still quite intact, with the bow section having collapsed over time. The real magic here, for us, is exploring the engine room – it's often surprisingly open, offering a dark swim-through if conditions are calm and you're comfortable in overhead environments. Around the wreck, you'll find plenty of inquisitive ballan wrasse darting between the plates, and we’ve often spotted lobsters tucked into crevices. The visibility can be hit or miss, as with most UK diving, but when it's good, say 8-10 metres, the sheer scale of the wreck, silhouetted against the ambient light, is genuinely impressive. It suits divers who appreciate cold water challenges, love exploring historical structures, and don't mind a bit of a current, which can pick up here. Our favourite time to dive it is on a slack tide, obviously, but also after a few days of settled weather, which usually helps clear the water. Bring a good torch; the nooks and crannies demand it.
- Location
- Northumberland & Northeast, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 54.624664, -4.760431
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 15-30m
Marine Protected Area: Mull Of Galloway & Scare Rocks
Nearby Dive Sites in Northumberland & Northeast
- AARLA - 35m (wreck)
- ABBOTSFORD - 7m (wreck)
- ABYDOS - 8m (wreck)
- ACACIA - 11m (wreck)
- ACTION - 0m (wreck)
- ADC 527 - 60m (wreck)
- ADC 527 - 50m (wreck)
- ADC 527 (POSSIBLY) - 37m (wreck)
- ADGILLUS - 36m (wreck)
- AFTON - 22m (wreck)
- AFTON - 0m (wreck)
- AILSA - 1m (wreck)
- ALARM - 27m (wreck)
- ALASTOR - 13m (wreck)
- ALBANIAN - 35m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Wreck of Marie Claire
- Above & Below Dive Centre - ["PADI"]
- Academy Divers - ["PADI"]
- Aqua Adventurers Scuba Diving
- Aqualogistics
- Aquaventurers - ["PADI"]
- Barracuda Scuba Ltd
Marine Life in Northumberland & Northeast
Home to 132 recorded species including 53 reef fish, 15 whales & dolphins, 11 sharks & rays, 10 other, 10 seagrass & algae, 9 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- Protestant (Clupea harengus) - Reef Fish
- whiting (Merlangius merlangus) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) - Reef Fish
- Common sea star (Asterias rubens) - Starfish
- Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) - Reef Fish
- dab (Limanda limanda) - Reef Fish
- harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) - Whales & Dolphins
- long rough dab (Hippoglossoides platessoides) - Reef Fish
- sprat (Sprattus sprattus) - Reef Fish
- Edible periwinkle (Littorina littorea) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Common lobster (Homarus gammarus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Acorn barnacle (Semibalanus balanoides)
- Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) - Clams & Mussels
- bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus) - Seagrass & Algae
- Dog whelk (Nucella lapillus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Beadlet anemone (Actinia equina) - Hard Corals
- Common brittlestar (Ophiothrix fragilis)
- butterfish (Pholis gunnellus) - Reef Fish
- Common shore crab (Carcinus maenas) - Crabs & Lobsters