Wreck of William And Lydia

Protected Area

Cree Estuary

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 William And Lydia 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 Wreck of the William And Lydia, lying off the Northumberland coast, is one of those dives that sticks with you. It’s a solid chunk of history down there, not just a pile of scattered metal. We love how intact sections of the hull still stand proud, giving you a real sense of its former life as a sailing ship. As you descend through the green-blue, a shoal of pollack often greets you, flickering in and out of the gloom. Exploring the William And Lydia feels like stepping into a time capsule. Look for the massive anchor chain still draped across the bow, and the ghostly outline of masts now blanketed in dead man's fingers. It's not a dive for chasing big pelagics, but rather for appreciating the slower, more intricate beauty of the North Sea. Crabs scuttle into shadowy crevices, and we’ve often found lobsters tucked deep inside the broken timbers. It's a dive for those who appreciate history and the quiet colonisation of man-made structures by marine life. It can get breezy up top, so we always check the forecast for a calmer day to make the most of the visibility.