Buka

Buka is the wreck of the MV Buka, a 195-ton Dutch coastal cargo vessel that foundered off Craster, Northumberland, on 7 April 1970 after springing a major leak, with no loss of life. Built in the 1930s, she survived the Second World War and continued in service until she was lost. The wreck lies approximately 4 miles south-east of Dunstanborough Castle in 40 metres of water. When first dived in the early 1970s she was completely intact, but over subsequent decades non-ferrous metal was stripped and sections were apparently blown apart by salvors; by 2013 only the bow still stands proud of the seabed, the stern has collapsed with hull plates peeling outward, and the diesel engine stands alone and exposed.

The wreck sits at a maximum depth of 40 metres with the bow as the shallowest relief point above the otherwise flattened wreckage. The hold area has fully collapsed and the stern section has spread across the seabed, leaving a jumble of scattered metalwork. At depth, ambient light levels can be reasonable, giving a green-water background above the wreckage, though plankton blooms in warm summer weather can reduce light at depth significantly.

Entry is by boat, launched from Seahouses harbour, with a shot line dropped and snagged into the wreckage. The site is dived around slack water, though even near slack the tide can run hard, requiring strong finning on descent and ascent. Current is strong and the available slack-water window is limited, so two-wave dive plans are common. Visibility is generally good but can be affected by seasonal plankton blooms. The depth, strong current, and collapsed wreck structure make this a site suited to experienced divers.