Wreck of San Juan De Sicilia

Protected Area

Loch Sunart

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 San Juan De Sicilia 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 *San Juan De Sicilia* off Scotland's west coast feels like stepping into a cold, dark history book. She’s a beast of a Spanish Armada wreck, well-broken up but still substantial. We love tracing the enormous, scattered timbers, imagining the chaos of 1588 as she ran aground. The wreck is now a proper artificial reef, with plumose anemones blooming in the gloom and feathery hydroids swaying on what’s left of her ribs. Look closely and you’ll find squat lobsters tucked into crevices and perhaps a curious ballan wrasse nosing around. It’s a dive for those who appreciate history as much as marine life, a deep, atmospheric exploration rather than a colourful spectacle. Our advice? Go on a calm day; the surface swell can make things tricky, and you’ll want every ounce of visibility you can get down there. It suits experienced divers comfortable in low light and cooler waters, happy to spend time exploring the details of a truly ancient wreck.