Wreck of Fountains Abbey

Protected Area

Whiting Ness - Ethie Haven

Why dive here

With 112+ marine species recorded in the area - including dolphins, dwarf minke whales, humpback whales, ocean sunfish (mola mola) and orcas - Wreck of Fountains Abbey offers some of Scottish East Coast & Borders's richest wreck diving.

Marine lifeDolphins, Dwarf Minke Whales, Humpback Whales, Ocean Sunfish (Mola Mola) and Orcas · 112+ species recorded

CharacterWreck dive

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

Diving a Scottish wreck is always an exercise in managing expectations, but the *Fountains Abbey* really delivers. We love the feeling of descending into that cold, green gloom and watching the superstructure slowly resolve itself out of the murk. It’s a substantial wreck, broken but still largely coherent, spread across the seabed. You can spend a good hour exploring the various sections – we always make sure to poke our heads into the deeper cargo holds, sometimes finding a grumpy conger eel curled up in the shadows. The sheer amount of life that has made this their home is impressive. Crabs scuttle across corroded plates, plumose anemones flower from every surface, and we’ve seen some surprisingly large cod hanging out near the bow. It’s a proper expedition dive, often with a bit of current to contend with, so it really suits experienced wreck enthusiasts who appreciate the history as much as the biology.