wreck

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PELICAN OR ANNA BHAN

Pelican, or Anna Bhan depending on who you’re talking to, is one of those wrecks that just feels *right* on the Scottish West Coast. We love the history here; built in 1850 and then sunk as a coal hulk in 1895, it’s a proper old-timer. Dropping onto it, you can make out the scale of the 62-meter hull, stretched out on the seabed at 23m. There’s a quiet dignity to it, even with the years of exposure. We always take our time poking around the collapsed holds, imagining the coal that once filled them. The engine room section is particularly atmospheric, though pretty broken up these days. It’s not a wreck for penetration, but there’s plenty to explore on the exterior, with little swim-throughs formed by buckled plates. The structure is well-colonised by plumose anemones, creating these vibrant white and orange carpets against the dark metal, especially striking in your torch beam. Look closely, and you’ll often spot squat lobsters tucked into crevices or a small conger eel peeking out from a pipe. Visibility can be typical Scottish – decent but rarely gin-clear – so a good torch is essential for bringing out the colours and details. It’s a solid wreck dive for anyone keen on maritime history and getting a feel for the past.