Wreck of Queen Of May

Protected Area

Kyles of Bute

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 Queen Of May 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 Queen Of May on the Scottish West Coast isn’t for the faint of heart, but that’s precisely why we love it. Forget warm, clear water; this is proper UK diving, complete with a chill that bites even through a drysuit. What you get in return is a genuine piece of history, a trawler that went down in 1937, now completely claimed by the Scottish sea. Dropping down, the first thing that hits you is the sheer scale. She’s largely intact, sitting upright, with the bow and stern still well-defined. We’ve spent hours here, poking around the holds, imagining the crew. Visibility can be a bit of a lottery, but when it’s good, the light filtering through the green water makes the metal gleam, and you start to notice the details: portholes, winches, even the outline of the funnel. This wreck is a haven for local critters. Lobsters peer out from cracks in the hull, and conger eels are often found coiled up in the darker sections. On our last visit, we spotted a huge wolf fish, its stony face perfectly camouflaged against the encrusted steel. It’s an advanced dive, for sure, with potentially strong currents and the cold to contend with, but for those who appreciate wrecks with a story and a real sense of atmosphere, it’s a truly rewarding experience. Just make sure your drysuit skills are up to scratch.