HURLFORD

Protected Area

Crossapol and Gunna

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) - HURLFORD 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 19m

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

Hurlford is one of those wrecks we keep coming back to. The old steamship, sunk back in 1917, now sits upright on a sandy seabed at a very manageable 19 metres. It’s got real character. We love nosing around the bow, which is still remarkably intact, and then tracing the hull back towards the single boiler. That boiler is an absolute magnet for critters. You’ll often find wrasse poking their heads out of crevices, and we’ve seen some surprisingly large conger eels lurking deeper inside the structure. The visibility can be a bit hit or miss, as it often is on the Scottish West Coast, but even on a murkier day, the wreck stands proud enough that you can still get a good sense of its scale. It’s not a drift dive; you can take your time exploring. Our favourite part is the stern section, where the propeller shaft is still visible, drawing your eye into the deeper recesses of the hull. It’s a great dive for anyone comfortable with wreck penetration, even if it’s just a cautious peek inside the holds. Just remember your torch; it gets dark quickly under those decks.