HMS MOLLUSC (EX MEDUSA) - Scottish East Coast & Borders
The HMS Mollusc, formerly HMS Medusa, holds a gritty tale from 1941. She was a yacht-turned-auxiliary patrol vessel, sunk by near misses from German bombs, and now she lies upright at 28 metres. We love that you can still make out her elegant lines despite the years of submersion. Dropping down, the first thing you notice is the way the light filters through the green water, often quite atmospheric. Her stern is broken, a testament to the explosions, but the bow remains impressively intact. We always find ourselves drawn to the forward deck, where the old railings are now heavily encrusted with dead man's fingers and colourful jewel anemones. These wrecks off the Scottish East Coast are fantastic for finding conger eels, and the Mollusc is no exception; peer into any dark crevice. Our favourite time to dive her is on a slack tide, obviously, but also when the sun is higher in the sky. You get better ambient light, which really makes the encrusting life pop. This wreck is a proper piece of history, colonised by life, perfect for divers who appreciate a bit of character and a good story.
- Location
- Scottish East Coast & Borders, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 55.104570, -1.436300
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 28m
Marine Protected Area: St Mary's Island
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 HMS MOLLUSC (EX MEDUSA)
- 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