Explore the wrecks beneath UK and Irish waters
Wrecksite.uk is an interactive project for exploring shipwrecks and the seabed around the UK and Ireland. It brings together recorded wreck positions, bathymetric mapping and historical research so that wrecks can be viewed not simply as points on a chart, but in the context of the seabed on which they now lie.
Modern seabed surveys can reveal the surviving shape of a wreck, its orientation, debris fields, areas of collapse and the effect that the structure has on the surrounding seabed. Where detailed survey data exists, some wrecks can be examined at resolutions of around one metre or better.
About the project
Wrecksite.uk grew from an interest in what modern geospatial and hydrographic data can add to the historical record of a shipwreck. Many wreck databases describe where a vessel was lost, while bathymetric surveys show what is actually present on the seabed. Bringing those two sources together often makes it possible to see a familiar wreck in a very different way.
The aim is not to create a definitive catalogue of every wreck. Records are incomplete, identifications can change and survey quality varies considerably. Instead, the site provides a way to explore the available evidence and, through the Spotted features, look more closely at individual wrecks where the survey or history has something particularly interesting to reveal.
Exploring the maps
The UK wreck map combines recorded wreck positions with bathymetric mapping. Wreck points appear as the map is enlarged, and individual records can be selected to view information such as vessel type, dimensions, depth and, where available, details of the loss.
A separate Ireland wreck map uses information from the INFOMAR seabed-mapping programme. Ireland has extensive modern multibeam survey coverage, including a number of wreck sites recorded in considerable detail.
Bathymetry and survey coverage
Bathymetry is the measurement of underwater terrain. Modern multibeam sonar surveys produce detailed models of the seabed and can sometimes resolve individual wreck structures, debris and surrounding scour.
Coverage and resolution vary significantly. Some wrecks lie within exceptionally detailed modern surveys while others are represented only by their recorded position or lower-resolution seabed data. Wreck information is also inevitably incomplete in places, and the maps will continue to change as new surveys, identifications and historical research become available.
Data and attribution
UK wreck and bathymetric information is derived from publicly available marine datasets, including material from the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office. The data is processed and presented here to make wreck sites and their surrounding seabed easier to explore together.
Irish shipwreck and survey information is sourced from INFOMAR , Ireland's national seabed-mapping programme, delivered by Geological Survey Ireland and the Marine Institute.
Full information about the datasets, licences, historical sources and research approach used by Wrecksite.uk is available on the sources and methodology page.
Wrecksite.uk is provided for historical, educational and research purposes. Locations, depths and seabed information shown on the site must not be relied upon for navigation, diving safety or other operational purposes.