United Kingdom · Farne Islands

Knivestone

Also known as: Abyssinia wreck

Best time to dive

May to September; September to October; November to December

What you might see

  • NudibranchLikely

Sightings are seasonal probabilities, not promises - even in peak season nature does its own thing.

Certification & difficulty

Open Water

Snorkelling

Not a snorkel site - Limited viability - shallow kelpy plateau near the rocks could suit experienced snorkellers at slack water, but the site is very exposed and covered at high tide; operators typically offer guided boat seal-watching/snorkel trips rather than free snorkelling

Safety notes

Extremely exposed reef graveyard with treacherous, fast-changing currents; site submerges at high water; kelp entanglement in shallows; risk of being swept off the sheltered area on the ebb; scattered wreckage can present snag hazards

Permits & fees

Not a Protection of Wrecks Act designated site - no special dive licence required; Farne Islands themselves (managed by the National Trust) have landing fees/restrictions on the islands but this does not apply to open-water diving on the reef

Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.

Location

Nearest hub: Seahouses

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