Wreck of Welcome
Protected Area
Horse Island
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 Welcome offers some of Scottish West Coast's richest wreck diving.
There's a gritty charm to diving the Scottish West Coast, and the Wreck of Welcome embodies it perfectly. This isn't your vibrant coral dive; it's a dive into history, a raw, atmospheric experience that we absolutely love. She's a smaller coaster, sitting upright on a sandy seabed, quite broken up in places but with enough structure to make for a truly engaging exploration. We particularly enjoy poking around her bow and stern sections, where the plating has started to peel back, creating intriguing nooks and crannies. What really makes the Welcome special, beyond her historical gravitas, is how marine life has utterly taken over. You'll find huge conger eels peering out from shadowed openings, their thick bodies surprisingly agile. Dogfish often rest on the sand nearby, and the whole wreck is encrusted with anemones and dead man's fingers, adding a surprisingly colourful layer to the rusting steel. For divers who appreciate history, the eerie beauty of a wreck reclaimed by the sea, and a bit of a challenge, the Welcome is our favourite kind of dive. Go on a calm day, if you can, to really appreciate the visibility.
Safety Notes
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Nearest Dive Centres to Wreck of Welcome
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Field Studies Council Millport
C&C MARINE SERVICES
Just Dive In CIC
Splashsports Services
Scuba Diving Scotland
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