Alex van Opstal

The Alex van Opstal is a large Belgian passenger and cargo liner lying as a wreck off the Shambles, near Portland Bill. The 5,965-ton vessel ran a regular service between New York and Antwerp before becoming the first victim of U-26's minefield off the Shambles, sinking on 15 September 1939. At 128 metres long, the wreck is designated a war grave and must be treated with respect.

The hull lies in two sections at around 28 metres (the verified maximum depth is 29.3 m), with the bow detached from the stern. Substantial hull sections stand up to 6 metres above the seabed, and the stern is the most intact portion. Across the debris trail divers will find goalposts of paired masts, cargo winches, and hold coamings spread across the seabed, making for a long, wide-ranging dive with a great deal to explore.

The site is sheltered by Portland Bill and the Shambles Bank, which means it is often diveable when other nearby sites are blown out by poor weather. Resident marine life on the wreck includes lobster, spider crabs, conger eels, and tompot blennies.