IDA ADAMS

Protected Area

Bridgend Flats, Islay

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) - IDA ADAMS 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 25m

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

The Ida Adams is one of those wrecks that really makes you work for it, but the payoff is substantial. Lying upright on a rocky seabed at 25 metres, she’s a trawler that went down in 1930 off Frenchman's Rocks. The journey out can be lumpy, and getting a good slack water window is crucial; otherwise, you’ll be battling a solid push. But descend onto her deck, and the current often eases, letting you poke around properly. We love how she’s completely draped in dead man’s fingers – it’s like a shaggy, off-white carpet has grown over the entire vessel. The wheelhouse is still largely intact, which is always our favourite part to explore, imagining the last moments. You’ll find plenty of inquisitive wrasse darting in and out of the plating, and conger eels often peek out from behind bent metal. This isn’t a pristine, intact wreck, but a wonderfully colonised skeleton that feels truly wild. It suits divers comfortable with colder water and current, keen on genuine wreck exploration rather than just a quick look.