Darkdale
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
The Darkdale is a Royal Fleet Auxiliary oil tanker lying in Jamestown Bay, St Helena, torpedoed by a German U-boat during the Second World War. The wreck is classified as a war grave and rests almost fully intact at depths of 30–43 m on the seabed.
The wreck's profile spans from 30 m down to a maximum of 43 m, making it a deep dive that rewards those with Deep and Wreck specialties. The structure is described as near-intact, giving divers a coherent hull to explore along its full length.
Conditions at the Darkdale are generally favourable, with light current and sheltered exposure in the bay. Visibility regularly reaches 30–40 m, rising to around 45 m in the February–March period. Water temperatures range from 18–25°C depending on season, and a 5–7 mm wetsuit is recommended. The best diving window runs from January through June, when visibility is at its greatest.
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Because of the depth, this dive is rated technical in difficulty, and Deep and Wreck specialty certifications are strongly recommended. Its status as a war grave means divers should treat the site with corresponding respect. Nearby on the same dive excursion, the remnants of the 1613 Dutch cargo ship Witte Leeuw—cannon, timbers, and ballast stones—lie close to the Darkdale.
Marine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
- Saint Helena ButterflyfishChaetodon sanctaehelenaeReported here · unconfirmed
- Strigate ParrotfishSparisoma strigatumReported here · unconfirmed
Eastern Atlantic TrumpetfishAulostomus strigosusReported here · unconfirmed
SquirrelfishHolocentrus adscensionisReported here · unconfirmed
Brazilian Ocean SurgeonfishAcanthurus bahianusReported here · unconfirmed
St. Helena Sharpnose PufferfishCanthigaster sanctaehelenaeReported here · unconfirmed
Whale SharkRhincodon typusReported 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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