Wreck of Mazeppa

Protected Area

Mull of Galloway

Why dive here

With 118+ marine species recorded in the area - including dolphins, dwarf minke whales, humpback whales, ocean sunfish (mola mola) and orcas - Wreck of Mazeppa 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

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

The Mazeppa, off the Northumberland coast, is one of our favourites for a proper North Sea wreck dive. It’s not just a pile of metal; you can still make out the bow, stern, and the engine room. We love dropping down and seeing the shape emerge from the green, often finding a resident wolfish tucked into a crevice or a conger eel peeking from a pipe. Visibility can be a bit of a gamble here, as it often is in the UK, but on a good day, when the light penetrates, it’s magical – schools of cod will swirl around the superstructure, and the anemones glow. We’d suggest timing your dive for slack water, obviously, but also look for a calm spell after a few days of settled weather. That’s when the silty bottom gets a chance to clear, and you really get to appreciate the scale of this old steamer. It’s a great dive for anyone who enjoys a bit of history with their marine life, a real explorer's wreck.