HMS ASSURANCE

Protected Area

Magilligan Point

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) - HMS ASSURANCE 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

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

The HMS Assurance isn't your typical pretty reef dive, but we love it for its raw, rugged character. This old tug, sunk in 1941, now lies sprawled across Bluick Rock in Loch Foyle, a testament to a rougher era. Diving here, you're not just seeing a wreck, you're feeling the bite of history, even if the chill of Scottish waters is a constant companion. What really makes the Assurance for us is how she’s been completely adopted by the local marine life. We've seen conger eels snaking through collapsed sections of the superstructure, their heads poking out from rusting plates. Expect a kaleidoscope of anenomes and dead man's fingers clinging to every surface, bright oranges and purples against the muted steel. Look out for the nudibranchs too; the cold water often brings out some stunning varieties. It’s a dive for those who appreciate the story beneath the waves, a bit of a challenge perhaps, but incredibly rewarding. She's broken up quite a bit, so you won't be penetrating huge sections, but there's plenty of interest in the debris field and the way the wreck has settled into the seabed.