Wreck of Bessie Arnold - Scottish West Coast

The Bessie Arnold is one of those wrecks we keep coming back to, not for massive pelagics or technicolour corals, but for the sheer drama and the stories she tells. Lying off the Scottish West Coast, she's a proper cold-water dive, often with that distinctive green hue to the water – embrace it. You’ll fin down into the gloom, and then her skeletal remains start to appear, a true wreck diver's delight. The iron hull, twisted and broken, is now home to an incredible amount of life. We’ve spent dives just poking around the collapsed bow, spotting wolf fish peering from cracks, and those enormous lobsters that seem to thrive in these conditions. It’s a dive for those who appreciate history and the resilience of marine life adapting to a sunken monument, not for clear water enthusiasts. Our favourite part is navigating through the interior sections, still somewhat intact, where you’ll often find schools of saithe swirling like silver ghosts. Come prepared for chillier water and a good surface interval between dives, as the boat ride out can be exposed.

Location
Scottish West Coast, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
55.429610, -5.291830
Type
wreck

Marine Protected Area: South Coast of Arran

Nearby Dive Sites in Scottish West Coast

Nearest Dive Centres to Wreck of Bessie Arnold

Marine Life in Scottish West Coast

Home to 127 recorded species including 50 reef fish, 15 whales & dolphins, 10 seagrass & algae, 9 sharks & rays, 8 other, 7 crabs & lobsters.

Notable Species