Wreck of Vale

Protected Area

Isle of Whithorn 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 - Wreck of Vale 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 10-30m

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

The Vale is one of our favourite North Sea dives, though you’ll want to pick your weather window carefully for this one. She was a steam trawler, sunk in 1918, and what’s left is scattered across a sandy seabed, often at around 20-25 metres. We love how the individual pieces tell a story – you’ll find sections of plating, ribs, and machinery, all beautifully colonised. You’ll often be sharing the wreck with dogfish tucked into crevices and ling lurking under the larger plates. The visibility here can be surprisingly good on a calm day, giving you that lovely greenish light filtering down, illuminating the anemones and dead man’s fingers that cling to the metalwork. It’s a dive that rewards slow exploration, taking your time to piece together the wreck’s past. Definitely one for the wreck enthusiast who appreciates history and prefers a quieter site over busy reef dives.