Dive Pembrokeshire UK

WRECK DIVES

South Section.

No dust have I to cover me,
My grave no man may show;
My tomb is this unending sea,
As I lie far below.
My fate, O stranger, was to drown;
And where it was the ship went down
Is what the sea birds know.

Edwin Arlington Robinson

Wrecks around Pembrokeshire and the Celtic Sea.

These pages contain details of many of the wreck dives found around Pembrokeshire. If you would like to help us discover the many that have yet to be found, then we have a members section that you might be interested in, free diving special days running monthly.

North Section.

There is no experience comparable to a shipwreck appearing out of nowhere as you descend through the water. One can almost sense the presence of the ghosts of the past. Diving on shipwrecks both natural and artificial is becoming the most popular form of sport diving today. Here you will find what we believe are some of the best wreck dives in the country

The Pembrokeshire coastline is riddled with wrecks, being the main shipping line from the South for vessels heading Northwards. Dive Pembrokeshire have special wreck discovery weeks for the more adventurous diver. Help us search for new wrecks in our area. On average two new wrecks are being discovered every year. For details of our Wreck Discovery Weeks, check out our Safari  page.

Great Storm of 1703.

This was the year of one of the greatest storms the country has ever had. 150 ships were wrecked and 8000 people killed in 2 days, on Nov. 26th and 27th 1703. 30 ships alone were sunk along the Pembrokeshire coast. An area along Newgale beach containing a pub was also washed away.

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HMS Whirlwind. 52 16 74 N 04 40 41W

Lies 20 miles SW of Aberystwyth, and lies within a missile target area. Essential to carry VHF radio. Contact the MOD at Aberporth to check if active.

Wreck lies on her port side, intact, and the forward guns pointing upwards. She lies at 36m and is covered in Dead Mans fingers. Built in 1943 and resembles a Hunt Class Destroyer, her length 80 m plus. Sank in 1974.

Arrive at her at LW slack water. She can be located on the depth sounder. 36m rising up. There are places to penetrate, the forward section, battle bridge where a large bronze Kent rotating screen can be found.

Gramsbergen. Wreck. 52 00`31"N 04 56`18"W

A cargo vessel of 498 tons. She sank in 1954 after breaking her anchor chain, and before she could restart the engines she hit the rocks. All 11 crew were rescued, but the RNLI Lifeboat had to be rescued when she fouled her prop with some rope. Lies off the cliffs at Penrhyn around the corner past Abergwaun out of Fishguard harbour. She lies in 11 metres of water, with the tides week. Visibility is very good, and tides slack.

Salus. Wreck 52 01 44N 05 03 13W

Sank in a force 9 gale on Strumble Head. She flew the Union Jack upside down and the coastguard fired a rocket. Seven men clung to the rigging and the one on the wheel soon joined them as a high wave pushed the vessel onto her side. A rescue was made via the cliffs, but the ship broke into bits within four minutes, and all were lost. She lies at between 4-11 meters.

Calburga. Wreck 52 01`04"N 05 05`35"W

Plan of Calberga

The Calburga sank in 1915 off Penbrush Point. A sailing vessel of 1,406 tons. 210 feet long and 39 feet wide. She was the last of the square rigged sailing ships to be lost in this area. She was hit by a hurricane which blew out her sails and downed three of her masts, and was at the mercy of the sea. She finally hit the cliffs and sank in deep waters. She was carrying a cargo of timber which the locals collected from the seas for many weeks. She lies at 43 m, but her anchor lies in only 12m alongside Penbrush Island. Slack water is at 1 1/2 to 2 hours after low and high water at Milford Haven. A deep sided wall descends to the bottom from around 10m. The wreckage covers quite a large area. Strong westerlies would make this a difficult area to dive.

Wreck 22. 59 49 40 N 05 16 30 W

Lies two miles out of Porthgain. Her bows are dissapearing under the sand, as she lies in a slight hole. Finding her on the depth sounder is difficult. The amount of life on her is fantastic, she can be picked up on depth sounder by the number of fish found around her.

Dan Beard

Torpedoed in 1944, 7 miles off Strumble Head.

Charles Holmes. Wreck 51 58 27N 05 05 10W

A sailing vessel of 886 tons, she sank in 1859 off Porth Dwgan, north out of Aberbach beach. She hit a rock in a terrible storm and spread her cargo northwards towards Carreg Dandy, where she scattered thousands of pieces of pottery. Some carry the mark of Morley & Ashworth dated 1858-1862. She was also carrying a chest full of gold, which might have been taken off or lost with the wreck. A find waiting for someone! The pottery pieces are still being picked up today. Not much of the wreck to be seen as she is spread far apart. The bodies of the crew were washed ashore and are buried in the local church yard.

Leysian. Wreck. 51 37`36"N 05 07`52"W

The wreck lies just out of Abercastle on the left hand side, about half way along and 50m out from the cliffs. Depth is around 15m and can be dived at most points of the wind. Northerly winds would cause the most problems. Lots of wreckage, with cargo holes holding all types of fish. A large Pollack has made his home in the wreck. A small Shark was also seen nearby.

Ragna.

Sank on Dec 28th 1900. 718 tons a 3 masted sailing ship sank in a hurricane. People on the shore pulled the crew to safety as the lifeboat could not get them. 8 lives were lost.

Baron Ardrossan. Wreck. 51 56 26"N 05 12`06"W

A steamship sunk in 1898 near Porthgain. She weighed 1451 tons, was 243 feet long and 34 feet wide. She ran into thick sea fog carrying a cargo of coal, but on a wrong heading sunk under the cliffs near Porthgain. She lies at a depth of 9m to 13m. There is hardly any current inside the bay. Launch site out of Porthgain.

Glenisla Wreck 51 56`09"N 05 13`54"W

A Coal Steamer weighing 1885 tons, she sank after hitting an underwater reef, half a mile out of Abereiddi, after she identified the wrong lighthouse. thinking she was further out to sea. Artefacts are still being recovered from the wreck.

Launch out of Porthgain. This wreck needs to be dived at slack water, which is 3 hrs after HW Milford and 2 hrs 20 min after LW. She lies at 20m, and currents can reach 5 knots.

Amazonense. Wreck. 51 54`46"N 05 16`33"W

A Steamship which sank in 1879. Weight 1791 tons, 287 feet long and 35 feet wide. A heavy fog was prevailing as she hit the rocks, and it was so sudden that one of the crew died of shock. She lies in a small cove opposite a cave at Gesail Fawr, in depths between 8m and 16m. Her broken prop is still seen lying at 14m. Usually there are lots of fish to be seen around the wreck. The seabed consists of boulders and kelp.

Nimrod. Wreck 51 54 36N 05 17 54W

Plan of Nimrod

The wreck is in three parts. A Paddle Steamer from Ireland, 583 tons 177 feet long and 25 feet wide. Sank in 1860 NE of St David's Head in depths of between 18m and 32m. Forty five people were killed, unable to climb the cliffs to safety. The Captain had previously declined help from a passing ship, thinking she would be able to cope. The wreckage is quite widespread, and very interesting, and in one area of wreckage four large Lobsters were seen to be congregating.

he anchor lies at 20m and the chain leads down to 30m. At the end of the wreckage lies about 7 m away. The middle section at 35m. Two boilers are still standing. Willow pattern dinner plates, grind stones, broaches and brass port holes have been found.

In July 1998 a local dive club found some silver spoons and decanters not far from the deeper section of the vessel.

Langton Grange. Wreck 51 54 14N 05 22 35W

The Langton Grange sank in 1909, hitting Bell Rock. She weighed 5,852 tons, 420 feet long and 54 feet wide. Some Swansea divers located her wine storeroom and brought up some bottles of wine and champagne still corked, some Swansea divers dispute this fact, saying they could not remember much after the dive, and most came down with headaches the following morning! A dive not for the inexperienced, especially on the North going current. Slack water is about 3 hours after low water and high water, Milford Haven. Visibility is good. Launch out of Porthclais or Whitesands.

Count D`Aspremont Wreck 05 18`58"W 51 52`25"N

She sank on Dec 15th 1903 after hitting Horse Rock in the middle of the Ramsey Sound. A coastal Steamship weighing 452 tons. The wreck can be entered, the boiler intact with bits of rails blown off. Visibility is usually very good, as the tidal flow is rapid to say the least. Launch out of Porthgain or Porthclais.

She lies in Ramsey Sound and marked with a buoy, out from St Justine lifeboat station, at a depth of 28m. The waters are very turbulent, so great care must be taken to choose the slacks.

The safer slack is the one 2 hrs 10min after LW Milford, when the north going tidal stream commences.

Wreck 30 51 49 N 05 24W

To the south of Ramsey Island, we have the GPS marks and is one wreck we hope to dive in the near future.

The Tugs.

To the right out of Solva harbour close into the rocks. All broken up, but pieces of her can still be found.

Mystic Tie.

Sank in Nov 1877 on Ramsey Island. She was carrying Palm Oil from West Africa. Her sails were blown to ribbons as she smashed against the rocks. Her crew managed to get to the rocks as the ship broke up, and one member was drowned. The St Davids lifeboat was called out and eventually got near to the wreck, throwing lines to the stranded crew and saving them.

Szent Istvan Wreck 51 51 25N 05 20 54W

Plan of Sz Istvan

Sank on Sept. 28th 1908 off Ramsey Island, the wreck lies between 11m to 22m. Lies infront of a small cave. The prop is quite impressive, as is the large boiler, rising up 6 metres in the water. Looking down you can see three holes in the top containing pipes. The boiler lies NW of the prop and mast. Bits of wreckage can be see to the east. Current can be quite fast and care must be taken. Slack water is 1 hr 30 min after L.W. Milford Haven.

A Steamship 2,996 tons, 314 feet long and 40 feet wide. Sank in 1903 at the Northern end of Ynys Bery Ramsey Island. Most of the survivors took to the ships lifeboats and managed to escape. The remaining six tied themselves to the ships mask, where they stayed for 48 hours in the freezing water. Three people were killed. She now lies in between 10m and 15m of water. The seabed is rock and boulders and currents are not too bad. Lies east of Ynys Bery south of Ramsey Island at a depth of 15m

Prince Cadwgan. Wreck

A Steamship which sunk in 1876 off Carreg Fran in 12m of water, as she hit Half tide rock. The blade on her propeller was snapped clean off. launch out of Porthgain. tides are slack under the cliffs.

Colemere. Wreck

Thanks Mike for letting me have the photos below. For more info contact Mike at Mkochab@aol.com

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For more wrecks around Pembrokeshire, south of Ramsey Island, St Brides Bay, Skomer Island and down to Castlemartin.    

  For more wrecks..South section.

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For the big list : Every wreck that ever sunk in Pembrokeshire. If you need info for research this is the place for you.

For more information on wrecks in Pembrokeshire...
Wrecks of Historic Interest.

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