NavList:

Thanks Frank.

I’ve been lucky and  privileged to dive the HMS Association 5 times over the last 30 years, first one 1983. (that + Hewitts’s and Letchers’s books started my madness!) Also sailed over it many times on my boat and seen it on echo sounder. (only 30 miles from where I live)

I will dig out my now ancient dive log books and get back to you with details asap. Meanwhile take a look at this http://www.submerged.co.uk/association.php

The wreck is in shallow water and mostly collapsed, (no wooden structure. Deep under the sand, can find planks etc) it has also been extensively “salvaged” by divers from the time and since. Most of the artefacts and silver treasure were salvaged in the 1960s and much is still there in the local museum on St Mary’s. The currents are bad (up to 4-5 knots) except at slack, you have to dive off a local expert dive boat for safety. The visibility varies depending on the wind, often up to 15-20 meters, but after a blow (hooley as we say in Cornwall) can be down to 1 meter.

All you see when you dive it recently is the occasional cannon and piece of wreckage, all covered in calcium carbonate crud. Bear with me, I have work (Crime against humanity at my age!)

I will try to find details and photos for you asap.

Still a major dive site for UK and European, mostly German, amateur divers.

Scillies great for sailing too. I try to take my boat + family over for a month every year if possible. Wonderful place. Empty beaches even in August! Just have to beware the rocks of which there are hundreds! Pre-GPS was challenging, mostly eyeball nav. Cel Nav no place here really, in fog a nightmare, so Sir Cloudesley Shovell would likely not have been saved by a Harrison watch then.

Francis