ELLA HEWETT

Protected Area

Rathlin Island

Why dive here

With 112+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue whales, dolphins, dwarf minke whales, humpback whales and ocean sunfish (mola mola) - ELLA HEWETT offers some of Scottish West Coast's richest wreck diving.

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

CharacterWreck dive · max 14m

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

The Ella Hewett, a trawler from Hull, came to rest quite spectacularly in 1962, high up on the rocks above the wreck of the Drake. Now, she’s a standout on the Scottish West Coast, sitting at a shallow 14 metres, making her perfect for divers who love to linger. We love how accessible she is, even when the wind whips up a bit. When you drop down, you’ll find the Ella Hewett broken, but with plenty to explore. Her stern and midships are the most intact, offering swim-throughs into the engine room. You can push through a narrow gap where the triple expansion engine once sat, feeling the cool current as you navigate the darkness. Light filters in through cracks, illuminating the shadows. Look for the large boiler, a brooding presence now home to crabs and blennies. The decks are covered in a carpet of plumose anemones, their white tentacles swaying with every surge, and we always spot a few inquisitive wrasse darting between the metalwork. This wreck gives you that proper sense of history, the ghosts of her working life still clinging to the metal. It’s a site that rewards multiple dives, each one revealing a new detail or a different angle of light playing on the wreck.