BARON ST JERNBLAD - Scottish East Coast & Borders
The Baron St Jernblad, just off Dunbar, is one of those wrecks we keep coming back to. She’s a Danish steamship, went down in 1916 after hitting a mine, and now she sits upright in about 18 metres. It’s perfect for a long, relaxed dive. We love the way the light filters through the kelp forest that has grown up around the bow, casting a green glow over the deck fittings. You’ll find plenty of crabs scuttling over the plates and big ballan wrasse patrolling the holds. On a good day, with a bit of sunshine, the visibility can push 10 metres, and the wreck truly comes alive. Our favourite part is exploring the intact stern section; the prop shaft is still visible, leading back to a rudder that’s usually festooned with dead man’s fingers. There’s enough to poke around without feeling rushed, making it a solid choice for anyone keen on wreck diving without the deep-water challenge.
- Location
- Scottish East Coast & Borders, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 55.841400, -2.052850
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 18m
Wreck History - BARON ST JERNBLAD
- Vessel Type
- cargo ship
- Cause
- unknown
The Baron St Jernblad is an enigmatic wreck resting at 18 metres on the seabed off Scotland's East Coast. The history of this vessel is largely a mystery; its name, combining the common Hogarth 'Baron' prefix with a distinctly Scandinavian-sounding name, hints at a potentially interesting story that is now lost to time. It was most likely a cargo steamer that met an unrecorded end in the challenging waters of the North Sea. Its official designation as a 'Dangerous Wreck' advises divers to be cautious, as the structure may be unstable or pose entanglement risks. For the prepared diver, the Baron St Jernblad offers a dive into the unknown, a chance to explore a forgotten piece of maritime heritage now claimed by the sea.
Marine Protected Area: Burnmouth Coast
Nearby Dive Sites in Scottish East Coast & Borders
- ABESSINIA - 2m (wreck)
- ACCLIVITY - 26m (wreck)
- ADAMS BECK (PROBABLY) - 52m (wreck)
- ADORATION (POSSIBLY) - 52m (wreck)
- AEPOS - 60m (wreck)
- ALASKAN - 43m (wreck)
- ALBANO - 49m (wreck)
- ALERT - 42m (wreck)
- ALEXANDER - 2m (wreck)
- AMSTERDAM - 38m (wreck)
- ANGELA - 18m (wreck)
- ANLABY - 20m (wreck)
- ANNETTE MARY - 15m (wreck)
- ANN MODROS - 36m (wreck)
- ANU - 7m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to BARON ST JERNBLAD
- Aquanorth - ["PADI"]
- Aqua Purists
- Deep Blue Scuba - PADI
- Deep Sea World Aquarium - ["PADI"]
- Libertas Scuba Stirling
- Newcastle University Sub Aqua Society - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Scottish East Coast & Borders
Home to 126 recorded species including 53 reef fish, 12 whales & dolphins, 10 seagrass & algae, 10 sharks & rays, 9 crabs & lobsters, 8 other.
Notable Species
- Protestant (Clupea harengus) - Reef Fish
- whiting (Merlangius merlangus) - Reef Fish
- dab (Limanda limanda) - Reef Fish
- Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) - Reef Fish
- Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) - Reef Fish
- long rough dab (Hippoglossoides platessoides) - Reef Fish
- sprat (Sprattus sprattus) - Reef Fish
- Common sea star (Asterias rubens) - Starfish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Edible periwinkle (Littorina littorea) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Acorn barnacle (Semibalanus balanoides)
- harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) - Whales & Dolphins
- Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) - Clams & Mussels
- Common lobster (Homarus gammarus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Beadlet anemone (Actinia equina) - Hard Corals
- bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus) - Seagrass & Algae
- Dog whelk (Nucella lapillus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Common brittlestar (Ophiothrix fragilis)
- butterfish (Pholis gunnellus) - Reef Fish
- grey gurnard (Eutrigla gurnardus) - Reef Fish