HMS HERALD - Southern Islands
The HMS Herald is a proper old-school wreck, and our pick for something a bit different in Singapore. This isn't a deep dive, sitting in the shallows, which makes it perfect for longer bottom times and really exploring its nooks and crannies. You can trace the hull's outline, still surprisingly intact in places, and imagine its journey from a 1918 build to a survey vessel, then scuttled and later raised by the Japanese. We love how the structure has become a home for so much life. Look closely, and you'll spot nudibranchs inching along the metal, tiny crabs scuttling into crevices, and schools of fusiliers darting in and out of the skeletal remains. It’s a photographer’s dream on a clear day, with sunlight dappling through the water, highlighting the coral growth on the wreck. We'd suggest aiming for a slack tide – the currents here can pick up, making it a less enjoyable rummage around. It’s a site that rewards slow, deliberate diving; don't rush it.
- Location
- Southern Islands, Singapore, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 1.466667, 103.800000
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 0m
Marine Protected Area: Labrador Nature Reserve
Best Time to Dive in Southern Islands
The warmest water temperatures in Southern Islands occur in January, averaging 28.2°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.2°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.2°C (air: 26.0°C)
- February: 28.2°C (air: 26.6°C)
- March: 28.2°C (air: 27.1°C)
- April: 28.2°C (air: 27.4°C)
- May: 28.2°C (air: 27.9°C)
- June: 28.2°C (air: 27.4°C)
- July: 28.2°C (air: 27.5°C)
- August: 28.2°C (air: 27.2°C)
- September: 28.2°C (air: 27.2°C)
- October: 28.2°C (air: 27.2°C)
- November: 28.2°C (air: 26.5°C)
- December: 28.2°C (air: 26.3°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Southern Islands
- AB9 - 27m (wreck)
- ABU MOOSA - 25m (wreck)
- AH LAM II - 27m (wreck)
- ANGSA 3 - 10m (wreck)
- AOI MARU - 22m (wreck)
- ARROW - 25m (wreck)
- ARWANA - 21m (wreck)
- ASSIMI III - 33m (wreck)
- BANTEN - 37m (wreck)
- BETHLEHEM - 30m (wreck)
- BINTANG MAS - 35m (wreck)
- BLACKMARK - 11m (wreck)
- BLISSFUL REEFER - 24m (wreck)
- BLISSFUL REEFER (POSSIBLY) - 27m (wreck)
- BONNIE - 10m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to HMS HERALD
Marine Life in Southern Islands
Home to 284 recorded species including 179 reef fish, 46 hard corals, 17 seagrass & algae, 13 sharks & rays, 8 sea snails & nudibranchs, 6 other.
Notable Species
- Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- halodule (Halodule uninervis) - Seagrass & Algae
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Species code: Si (Syringodium isoetifolium) - Seagrass & Algae
- Brain coral (Platygyra sinensis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora millepora) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora hyacinthus) - Hard Corals
- Fluorescence grass coral (Galaxea fascicularis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora valida) - Hard Corals
- Honeycomb coral (Favites abdita) - Hard Corals
- Galaxea coral (Galaxea astreata) - Hard Corals
- Species code: Tc (Thalassodendron ciliatum) - Seagrass & Algae
- Bristle-tailed Leatherjacket (Acreichthys tomentosus) - Reef Fish
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Butterfish (Scatophagus argus) - Reef Fish
- Stony coral (Echinopora lamellosa) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora nasuta) - Hard Corals
- Savigny's Brittle Star (Ophiactis savignyi)
Recommended Packing List for HMS HERALD
Based on average water temperature of 28.2°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories