The Manacles

The Manacles is a notorious reef system off the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall, near Manacle Point, and has been the site of numerous shipwrecks over the centuries due to its jagged rocks lying just below the surface in a heavily trafficked stretch of the English Channel approach. The area is popular with wreck divers for the sheer number of vessels lost there, including sailing ships and steamers dating back to the 19th century and earlier. Depths around the reef vary considerably with the many pinnacles and gullies, and the exposed position means tidal streams and sea conditions can turn quickly, making local knowledge and timing important. It is rated an advanced dive, reflecting the currents and the scattered, often broken nature of the wreckage across the site.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Dead Man's FingersAlcyonium digitatumReported here · unconfirmed
• Spiny StarfishMarthasterias glacialisReported here · unconfirmed
• European Edible Sea UrchinEchinus esculentusReported here · unconfirmed
• Devonshire Cup CoralCaryophyllia (Caryophyllia) smithiiReported here · unconfirmed
• Pink Sea FanEunicella verrucosaReported here · unconfirmed
• Ballan WrasseLabrus bergyltaReported here · unconfirmed
• Jewel AnemoneCorynactis viridisReported here · unconfirmed