When is the best time to dive HMS Colossus?

The typical diving season is May to September. Conditions vary year to year, so confirm locally before booking.

Is HMS Colossus good for snorkelling?

Not really - this is a scuba site rather than a snorkelling spot.

United Kingdom · Isles of Scilly

HMS Colossus

Best time to dive

May to September

Certification & difficulty

Advanced Open Water - advanced conditions (currents/depth); dive within your training.

Snorkelling

Not a snorkel site - Limited - depth (~10m) is snorkel-range in theory but this is a protected historic wreck site normally accessed by scuba divers following the numbered dive trail; not promoted as a snorkel site

Safety notes

Protected wreck - no digging, penetration or artifact removal permitted without a Historic England licence; possible swell/surge in unsettled weather; boat traffic in St Mary's Roads; tidal stream to consider around slack water

Permits & fees

Yes - the stern section is a designated Protected Wreck under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 (Designation Order No. 773, 18 Aug 2017; originally designated 1975/2001); recreational diving is permitted via the managed public Dive Trail, but any survey, excavation, or recovery work requires a licence from Historic England (NAS training encouraged for licensees)

Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.

Location

Nearest hub: St Mary's

This profile is desk research, compiled from public sources - not a first-hand dive report. Coordinates are approximate.