Wrecks of Bell Island a-pealing

Forget the Red Sea or Malta, how about diving some pristine wrecks off the coast of Newfoundland instead?

Bell Island is one of the few locations in North America that German forces directly attacked in the Second World War.

Formerly a source of its iron ore supply, once WW2 started Germany turned on the Canadians and began sinking merchant ships in the area instead.

For example, On 5th September 1942 U-513 successfully torpedoed the Canadian ship SS Lord Strathconca and the British SS Saganaga. Then just under two months later, U-518 sank the Rose Castle and PLM-27.

Today the Bell Island Wrecks sit upright and intact in mouthwateringly clear Canadian waters. They’re also covered in starfish, anemones, sea urchins, mussels and crabs. Lying in 18 – 48 metres, they’re described as a Mecca for all temperate water wreck divers.

That probably means you.

So if you’re facing the Thistlegorm and Rosalie Moller for the umpteenth time and just can’t be arsed, you could do worse than check out Ocean Quest Newfoundland.

If you want to know more, find out more about the Bell Island Wrecks this weekend: hear Rick Stanley talk at 2pm on both days of DIVE 2011 at the NEC, Birmingham.