The Santo

The Santo is one of the best dive sites in Ireland. It is more commonly known as The Santo was a 217-ton steam-powered, bucket dredger. Whilst on the maiden voyage from Scotland to Taiwan in December 1900, a gale made the captain change course and head for Cork Harbour. On Christmas Day, the sank with only 5 members of her crew being rescued. The Santo is now 28 meters below the surface (depending on the tide). The line of buckets can be seen resting on the seabed, connected to a large wheel.

The Santo has large holes in the boilers, which provide amazing peepholes that allow you to see what kind of marine life has made this incredible wreck their home. With the seabed being a mixture of rocks, reef, and sand gullies, it is the perfect place to see angler fish (monkfish) and behind every rock, you’ll find little critters. This dive is certainly a must if you’re planning a trip to Ireland.