Wreck of Islay

Protected Area

Sanda Islands

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) - Wreck of Islay 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

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

Diving the *Islay* feels like stepping back into a moment frozen in time, right off the Scottish West Coast. We love how intact she is, not just a pile of scattered plates, but a proper ship lying on her side, offering plenty of nooks and crannies to explore. It’s a site that really rewards patience; give your eyes time to adjust to the light and you’ll start picking out incredible details – the mast still reaching up from the seabed, the engine room accessible if you’re comfortable with a bit of penetration. What really makes the *Islay* special, in our opinion, is the way the marine life has completely taken over. Ling and conger eels are often found lurking in doorways, their thick bodies camouflaged against the rust. You’ll spot nudibranchs, often some vibrant orange or purple, crawling across the deck plating, and the anemones here are just spectacular, waving gently in the faint surge. We’d suggest a dive with a good torch, even on a sunny day; it really brings out the colours and helps illuminate the darker sections of the wreck. It’s a dive for those who appreciate history and don’t mind a bit of a chill; the visibility can be excellent, but it’s still the North Atlantic, after all.