| LOCATION | 50º.19.53N | 004º.14.70W |
| DEPTH | 17M inside/22M to seabed | |
| LEVEL | Ocean Diver/Sports Diver | |
| SLACK | Can be dived at any state of Tide. | |
There are plenty of wrecks in the South-East Cornwall area, the most famous being the James Eagan Layne,which must be the most dived wreck in Britain. Every weekend divers flock to Cornwall from all over the country and for many of them the James Eagan Layne is a must!
The James Eagan Layne was an American Liberty ship. She sank on March the 21st 1945, after being hit by a torpedo. The ship is sat upright on a sandy bottom, in a charted depth of 24m, at position 50.19.32N 04.04.42W.It is situated about three quarter of a mile off shore, and is marked with a wreck buoy to seaward.
Diving the Eagan Layne
The wreck is split into two sections, the bow section being the largest is some 25m away from the stern section. The bow complete with railings points north and was very much intact until 2012. Visibility is generally good, although this does depend on the number of divers on the site.In summer it becomes very busy!
It is possible to dive the wreck at most states of the tide, as it is sheltered from the South- easterly / easterly winds by Rame Head.
Care should be taken not to move or collect radioactive discs which are 4-5 cm in diameter, and are still occasionally found on the wreck! In recent years, ammunition has also been found in the stern section.
This wreck is a favourite with many of our members. Several years ago, part of the bow collapsed, opening up even more of the wreck to explore. However, one of the most impressive views of this wreck is still from the seabed – looking up at the bow towering above you!
You can swim through the wreck from bow to stern, exploring the various holds filled with wreckage. The bulkheads are long disintegrated however upright ‘ribs’ stick out from the wreckage which you can easily swim between. A favourite route for many on the Eagan Layne is to swim down the outside of the hull, which is covered in life, and come back up the middle of the ship over the holds.