HMS DARTMOUTH

Protected Area

Glas Eileanan

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 DARTMOUTH 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 9m

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

The HMS Dartmouth, a 26-metre frigate from 1690, is one of our favourite shallow wrecks on the Scottish West Coast. Resting at just 9 metres, it’s an ideal spot for those looking to spend some real time exploring a piece of history. We’ve always found the Dartmouth offers a surprisingly intimate experience; you can swim among the scattered timbers, imagining the storm that drove her ashore. The wreck isn’t a grand, intact vessel, but rather a wonderfully jumbled collection of ribs and hull sections, now heavily encrusted. The kelp sways around the remaining structure, and there’s always something tucked into a crevice – a lobster waving an antenna, or a couple of blennies darting between the timbers. Visibility can vary, but we’ve had some cracking dives here when the water is calm and the sun breaks through, illuminating the green light filtering down onto the old wood. Our top tip is to dive it around slack water to avoid any strong pushes, giving you plenty of time to really soak in the atmosphere.