Wreck of the month

The Runnel Stone - Cornwall UK

Probably one of the most spectacular dive sites in Europe which can satisfy every diver's taste. This is largely thanks to the spectacular reef systems and wrecks numbering in excess of thirty that have run aground on the reefs and pinnacles. The last remaining surface - breaking feature of these pinnacles was lost in 1923 when the City of Westminster hit the stone.

The region that boasts the Stone - the remains of that pinnacle - is within sight of Land's End and the Longships lighthouse. It's open to Atlantic seas which means that you must be sure that tides and weather are right before you dive. A strong local knowledge of the undersea terrain is essential. Expect a healthy swell at all times and occasionally vicious, unpredictable tides. The weather too is changeable, however under the right conditions the Stone is a magnificent dive. Underwater reef systems consist of walls, gullies and plateaus supporting a huge amount of marine life. Surprisingly the area is even occasional host to tropical species like triggerfish and sunfish.

Encounters with large shoals of bass, mackerel and pollock are common among the rocks and wrecks. Also common are sponges, cup corals, urchins and shellfish. The visibility here is generally around 20 metres although the plankton bloom around late spring/ early summer greatly reduces this. Wrecks here are often so piled up on top of each other that it's hard to work out when one wreck starts and another one finishes.

Of the wrecks in The Runnelstone region notables include Febrero which sunk in 1910, Joshua Nicholson, which was torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1917 and both the Moorview and the Lake Grafton which sunk in 1920. A drift dive across this region will guarantee sightings of at least five wrecks and diverse marine life. A must see for all enthusiasts.