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Alternative Names: None

Type of Dive: The Chingford is a wreck and reef shore dive.

Suggested Experience: Novice in good conditions

Type: Steel steamship Built 1889 1517 grt. Length: 80m. Beam: 11m.

Travel directions: The dive site is located off the shore at Sauchope Links Caravan Park on the outskirts of Crail. To get there you have to drive through Crail, heading in the direction of the Airfield and the Golf Course. As you leave the village, you will come to the Balcomie Links Hotel (a blue sign on the left of the road). At the hotel, there is a junction on the right of the road. It is Warsea Road with the sign for the Sauchope Caravan Park. Google maps

Turnoff to the beachRoad to the beach

Parking directions: Drive through the caravan park ( When you enter the caravan park, be aware of the speed limit (10mph), the owners might get stroppy if you don't) until you come to the end of it (it is exactly 0.5 miles, running parallel to the shore). As you come to the end you will see the sign for the Coastal Walk. Park carefully on the grass and be respectful.

 Parking areaCoastal walk

Lat / Long: 56 15.9667, -2 35.7667 The wreckage is broken up. The stern can be located by finding the only piece of sandy beach at the caravan site, then diving between 2 rock spines. The forward section is further offshore.

Site entry/exit: There are two lines of rocks heading out, swim out between these on a 90 deg bearing and 270 coming back. To get to the wreckage there is a bit of a swim out, it's fairly shallow for a bit heading out.

SS Chingford entry/exit

Wreck Information: The propeller was on one side of the reef and the rudder was on the other side with some wreckage spread around which was only about 7m at HW. She was on passage from Trangsund to Grangemouth. Cargo: Timber....mostly redwood battens.

Air & Nitrox: Edinburgh dive centre  Aquastars

Site Hazards: Contact me

Tides: Tide tables

Depth: 7m

Nearest Public phone: None close to here.

Mobile Network service: Contact me

Accommodation: In the caravan park.

Other comments: If you are used to navigating with your compass, this does not work here. There is a lot of iron in the surrounding rocks and compasses cannot be trusted. There is/was a photo of the Chingford aground and a clock from the wreck in the Crail museum

Pub: Golf Hotel in Crail

Cafe: None close to here.

Created by: Finstrokes

Date:17/3/2008

Revision: 3

Thanks To: Gogs for pictures and Info.

Links: Link

Surface photos:

Underwater photosContact me

Dive sitemap: Contact me

Dive Report: Comment in the box below.