Wreck of Kartli

Protected Area

Sound of Gigha

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 Kartli 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

We love a good wreck with a story, and the Kartli delivers. This Russian cargo ship, a casualty of a 1919 gale, lies broken but substantial, a truly atmospheric dive. She’s shallow enough that you can spend a decent amount of time exploring the scattered plates and twisted metal, imagining the force of the storm that ripped her apart. The engine block, still largely intact, is our favourite part, rising like a metal sculpture from the seabed. The Scottish west coast delivers incredible invertebrate life, and the Kartli is no exception. Look closely amongst the wreckage; you’ll find nudibranchs, squat lobsters, and often a grumpy conger eel peering out from a dark corner. Visibility can vary, but on a good day, the light filtering through the kelp forest that has grown around her is genuinely beautiful. It's a dive that suits those who appreciate history and the slow reclamation of the sea, rather than just big pelagics. We’d suggest timing your dive with slack water, as currents here can be a bit of a nuisance.