Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Rathlin Island

Rathlin Island lies off the north Antrim coast of Northern Ireland and is one of the most rewarding dive destinations in the region, combining dramatic underwater topography with significant shipwrecks and exceptional water clarity. The waters around the island host more than 40 known wrecks, including HMS Drake, a Royal Navy armoured cruiser torpedoed by U-79 on 2 October 1917 and lying inverted at 19 metres in Church Bay, and SS Loch Garry sunk in 1937. Walls and pinnacles drop from the surface to 45 metres or more on rock and sand bottoms, densely covered with plumose anemones, dead man's fingers, jewel anemones, sponges, hydroids, kelp and pink coralline algae. Atlantic grey seals are commonly encountered, with ballan wrasse, cuckoo wrasse, pollack, ling, conger eels, lobsters and the occasional basking shark in late summer. Visibility frequently reaches 12 to 20 metres in summer because of the offshore tidal flushing, and water temperatures vary between 9 and 15 degrees Celsius. Currents are strong and dives are timed around slack water from Ballycastle and Rathlin charter boats.