Bolivar
Conditions & tides
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Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.
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About this site
Bolivar is a wreck on the Kish Bank in Dublin Bay, off Dun Laoghaire. The M.V. Bolivar was a Norwegian cargo and passenger motor vessel built in 1940. On a voyage from Uruguay to Oslo via Dublin she was caught in a snowstorm and hit the Kish sandbank in 1947. The ship was evacuated and later broke in two, and the wreck was afterwards dispersed with explosives, though parts are still reasonably intact.
The wreck sits on a sandy seabed in about 12 metres. The area around the engines still stands quite high, but the rest is scattered beams, masts and plates half sunk in the sand. It is graded Ocean Diver level.
Shoals of large pollack often hover nearby, and there are many holes for congers to hide in. At night the conger eels come out all around the wreck.
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Because of the scattered wreckage and lack of distinguishing features it can be very hard to orient yourself. Use a distance line to return to the shot, or carry and be able to deploy a delayed SMB. The wreck lies on a shallow bank, so it is very susceptible to swell and the currents can be quite strong. It is best dived 1.5 hours before high water or 1 hour before low water.
Marine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
Common DragonetCallionymus lyraReported here · unconfirmed
Spotted SkateRaja montaguiReported here · unconfirmed
Small-spotted CatsharkScyliorhinus caniculaReported here · unconfirmed
Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.
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