Rudder post and collapsed stern section
Rear hold winch skeletal . Nevertheless , this is a pretty dive , as much marine growth clings to the bones of the wreck . You will see lots of dead men ’ s fingers ; anemones ; lobsters ; crabs ; eels ; cod and even Devonshire cup corals . The middle of the ship , where once the bridge would have been , is the shallowest part of the wreck at around 38m , and a shoal of bib inhabit the wreck here , playfully darting in and out of the deck .
Moving forward , you will see the pistons of the three-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine peeking out of the wreck , followed by the boiler that once powered
the vessel . Swimming further towards the bow , you should then descend into the forward hold , where another deck winch can be found . The final part of the wreck is the bow section , complete with stowed anchors and winch , which is twisted to port , presumably as a result of the damage taken from hitting that fateful mine . Depending on bottom time and gas available , now is a sensible point to put up a DSMB and begin your ascent . As with all deep wrecks , prudent planning is important to get the most out of your dive safely . �
Looking down at the propeller and rudder from the rudder post
Peeling stern deck below the rudder post
Essentials
Depth range : 38m to 42m .
Finding the wreck : 55 ° 28 ’. 647 N 001 ° 29 ’. 962 W ( WGS 84 ).
Tidal information : Slack water is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes after LW and HW at North Sunderland . The best advice is to get there early and wait for slack .
Gas planning : 21 % or 27 % is best for this dive . Accelerated Decompression Procedures would be appropriate here to reduce decompression time , depending on required bottom time . Toby Douglas runs the air station for Sovereign Diving at Broad Road Industrial Estate , NE68 7UP . He can be contacted on 01665 721500 . Nitrox is available .
RIB launching : Unfortunately , the nearest slipway to the Nidelven in Craster is only for the use of local fishermen and leisure craft , so the nearest launching sites are either the tractor launch in Beadnell Bay or the public slipway in Seahouses . The slipway at Seahouses is open from 08:30 to 17:00 between 1 April and 31 October each year . It costs £ 30 to launch . Parking for the day in the harbour car park is £ 6 . Toilets are past the RNLI station off Seafield Road . Contact the Harbour Master on 01665 720033 or VHF channel 08 ( operational during opening hours ). Beadnell Boat Launch operates a tractor launch from the car park at Beadnell Bay . It costs £ 35 to launch ( boats under 7m ) plus £ 7 to park for the day . Boats need to be back by 5pm for recovery . Book online via the Facebook page ( search for ‘ Beadnell Boat Launch ’)
Accommodation : Lee Hall owns a suite of excellent dive chalets in Beadnell . farnedivingservices . com
Eats and Treats : The Craster Arms or Beadnell Fish & Chip Van are both popular eateries , as is The Olde Ship Inn in Seahouses .
Blown out : Coastal walks are de rigueur . The best ( arguably ) is to head south to The Ship Inn at Low Newton .
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