Location:Descriptive location referring to nearest landfall i.e. town, village, harbour or island
Portrush
Type:Describes whether this dive site can be dived from the shore, from a boat, or both
Boat
Wreck:Dive sites which include a shipwreck (or part of a shipwreck) are labelled with a ‘Yes’
Yes
Min. dive depth (m):The approximate minimum depth of the dive given in metres
11
Max. dive depth (m):The approximate maximum depth of the dive given in metres
14
Max. seabed depth (m):The maximum depth of the seabed at the site taken from the intersect between the dive site point and the depth contour on an Admiralty Standard Nautical Chart
14
Diving experience (min level):The recommended minimum level of diving experience for a specific site, described as Novice (<50 dives in temperate/cold waters and minimum certification of PADI Open/Advanced Open Water, BSAC Ocean Diver or CMAS 1 star), Intermediate (50-100 dives in temperate/cold waters and minimum certification of PADI Rescue Dive, BSAC Sports Dive or CMAS 2 star) or Advanced (>250 dives in temperate/cold waters and minimum certification of PADI Divemaster, BSAC Dive Leader or CMAS 3 star
Intermediate
Optimal wind direction:The general wind direction which causes minimal exposure at the site, corresponding to 8 points of the compass: North (N), North East (NE), East (E, South East (SE), South (S), South West (SW), West, North West (NW)
E/SE/S/SW
Exposure:The approximate level of exposure to wind and wave action at the site on any given day, described as Sheltered (inshore sites surrounded by a form of shelter on all sides), Moderate (sites which are partially sheltered) or Exposed (sites with little to no shelter)
Moderate
Tidal strength:Anecdotal description of tidal strength at the site
Moderate
Marine Protected Area:A Yes or No highlighting whether or not the site occurs within a Marine Protected Area
Yes
Visibility:Anecdotal description of the typical underwater visibility at the site
5-10 metres
Best time to dive:Anecdotal recommendation for the best time to dive the site for optimal underwater conditions. This typically relates to the stage of the tide
LW slack
Getting there:Directions for getting to the site
By boat from Portrush Harbour. The site is located approx. 1km west of the harbour, close to the shore beneath Ballyreagh Golf Course
Facilities:Details of nearest facilities to dive site i.e. public car parking and toilets, slipways etc
Portrush Harbour offers free car parking above the harbour, public toilets in the harbour office and a slipway on the North Pier. There is a barrier to the harbour which is staffed during office hours, 7 days a week from April – September. Fees apply; for use contact Portrush Harbour Office: 02870822307 / 0788981860.
Nearest tank filling is Aquaholics in Portstewart (028 7083 2584)
Hazards:Anecdotal information on possible hazards at the site for divers and snorkellers
Boat traffic in/out of Portrush Harbour, including Portrush 7 Class Lifeboat.
Numerous lines from lobster pots, snagged fishing lines, plastic and metal rubbish.
Description:A general description of the physical features of the dive site
The wreck lies upright in two parts, approx. 600 metres offshore. The ship’s superstructure is totally gone. The wreck lies on a sandy seabed with rocks and boulders to the south-east.
History:The history of the wreck provided by the Senior Marine Archaeologist from the Department for Communities Historic Environment Division (only included for wreck sites)
Date of loss 20/06/1930. This 199 g.t. Steamship “grounded after leaving Portstewart Harbour”. Pumps were installed on board, and an attempt was made to reach Portrush Harbour, but the vessel sank between Juniper Hill and Dhu Varren. The Towy was built in 1914 and owned by Whiteabbey Sailing Co. Ltd., Belfast.
(Sources: WA G89). WA (Wilson Archive)
Information derived from Historic Environment Record of Northern Ireland (HERoNI), Department for Communities, Historic Environment Division.
Biodiversity:A description of the species composition at the site. Species of interest are highlighted. Follow the links for more information about the species on the NBN Atlas Northern Ireland website
Plumose anemones Metridium senile cover the wreck alongside Dead man’s fingers Alcyonium digitatum. Dense patches of hydroids and algae are also found on the top of the wreck. Shoals of small fish found are often found around the wreck. The rocky upper seabed to the south-east is covered in kelp forest.
A link to the dive site location on the NBN Atlas Northern Ireland website, showing all species records from within a 1km boundary of the site centroid. Any new species records from the site submitted to Seasearch, iRecord, CEDaR Online Recording or iNaturalist will appear here
Local charters:A link to the website for the nearest Dive Centre to the site. A map of all dive centres is provided under ‘Go Diving’
Environmental and Historical Designations:A list of any environmental or historical designations attributed to the site, or overlapping it. Follow the link for more information
In an emergency call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.
Follow VHF radio Channel 16 (156.8 MHz), the international distress frequency. Send a distress alert followed by ‘MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY’ and ‘This is [boat name]’.
When navigating within the harbour/marina, use VHF Channel 12.
Latitude, Longitude:The approximate XY coordinates for the dive site in Decimel Degrees (DD). These can be converted to DMS or DDM by following the link below
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