Wreck Dive: HERA, Falmouth

For my favourite dive site I have chosen the wreck of the Hera just off Nare Head, near Falmouth.   It is difficult to choose a favourite dive, the UK has so many sites to offer.  But the Hera holds a special place in my heart.  I first dived her with a friend from his boat out of Falmouth.  I guess it was during these trips that I cut my teeth as a diver.  We did not have a vast amount of experience between us and were diving without the support of a club, so no help about tide times, lengths of anchor line, weather forecasts etc., etc.  It was do-it-yourself and consequently we learnt from our mistakes, fortunately without too many disasters.

It was misfortune, however, that wrought disaster upon Captain Lorentz and his crew and put the Hera on the seabed.  She was a 1,994 ton German four-masted steel barque (classic square rigger to you and I) carrying a cargo of nitrates from Chile to Falmouth.  She sank in a south-westerly gale on 1 February 1914, when her captain, unsure of his position and looking for the shore lights of Falmouth bay, struck the reef known as the Whelks.  The Hera did not remain afloat for long and in the ensuing chaos only five of the twenty four crew survived.  The dead, including the Captain, were buried at the nearby Veryan churchyard.

The Hera now lies in approximately 15 metres of water making her accessible to most levels of diver.  The wreck sits on a seabed of shale, sand and rock and is well broken up, although she is not so broken as to make it difficult to tell where you are on the wreck.  The wreckage even stands proud of the seabed by several metres at a number of places, offering a couple of swim-throughs if my memory serves me correctly.   She provides shelter to plenty of life with plumose anemones adorning her steel plates and fish making their home amongst her structure.  Cuttlefish are not uncommon, large pollack can often be seen at the margins of the wreck and the obligatory wrasse is always on hand. The sand and shale seabed generally makes for better visibility and the wreck can be very bright when the sun shines.  A very pretty wreck indeed, with all the ingredients for a memorable dive in my logbook.   

The reason I really have a soft spot for the Hera is she is so easy to find.  The co-ordinates are no secret, it stands out like a sore thumb on the sonar and, best of all, the local dive operators often put a permanent shot on it for the summer.  You cannot miss it, even I manage to find this wreck, and believe me I have missed a lot of the other wrecks.  Better still she is close to shore and is protected by Gull Rock, which apart from helping with navigation also provides a lea shore to kit up behind.  What more could you ask for?  Well how about several good pubs, restaurants and plenty of B+B’s in Falmouth.  Plus the new Maritime museum and some good walking if the diving, heaven forbid, is off.

If you fancy visiting the Hera yourself I have included a rough sketch showing her approximate position.  Her co-ordinates are 50.11.48N and 04.54.01W. 

If you are taking your own boat you can launch at the Falmouth slip for a small fee (about £5). The slip is well maintained and has good access with a wide ramp and floating pontoons to allow easy loading of kit and crew.  However parking can be problematic during the summer.

If you want to go with a local dive operator I recommend Cornish Divers.  They are located a short walk from the slip and run a large rib providing a shuttle service to this and many of the other excellent wrecks and reefs around Falmouth.  I think it was there permanent shot we used so the least I can do is give them a plug.  Cornish Divers 01326 311265

If you want to find a B+B in Falmouth or require further information give the local tourist information center a ring 01326 312300.

Wishing you safe diving.  Alastair

Last Edited 30/12/2002