Wreck of Quebec

Protected Area

Oronsay and South Colonsay

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 Quebec 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

The Wreck of Quebec isn't your average lump of metal on the seabed. This 19th-century sailing ship, sitting upright in the cold embrace of the Scottish West Coast, feels less like a dive site and more like stepping back in time. We love how the wooden hull, surprisingly intact in places, gives you a real sense of its former life. You can glide along the deck, peer into what were once holds, and imagine the cargo it carried. It's a dive that rewards slow exploration. Look closely and you’ll find the wreck absolutely plastered in plumose anemones, their white tentacles swaying like ghostly fur in the gentle surge. Our favourite detail has to be the mast sections, still reaching skyward from the deck, now overgrown with hydroids and sponges, acting as apartment blocks for inquisitive wrasse and blennies. We'd suggest timing your dive for slack water; visibility can be a bit variable here, and without current, you can truly savour the stillness of this historic vessel. It’s a dive for those who appreciate history, atmosphere, and the resilience of life in colder waters.