Days Out NI
Diving & snorkelling Rathlin Island

Rathlin Island dive sites

Wreck and reef dives off Rathlin for qualified divers, reached by charter from Ballycastle.

3 photos
Book aheadBook a charter from Ballycastle (e.g. Aqu…
Check pricesVaries by course or trip
Rathlin IslandDiving & snorkelling
Get directionsOfficial website
Wild dive siteType
Check pricesCost
Qualified diversExperience
KelpYou may see
Check locallyParking

Rathlin Island dive sites — Wreck and reef dives off Rathlin for qualified divers, reached by charter from Ballycastle.

  • What you can do: Wreck, reef and wall dives; some sites diveable across the tide, others calm-weather only.
  • Experience needed: Qualified, experienced divers; HMS Drake at ~18m suits those building experience; deeper wrecks and pinnacles for advanced divers.
  • Conditions: Cold water year-round; tide- and weather-dependent; offshore sites need settled conditions; no lifeguard.
  • Kit: Wetsuit or drysuit needed; hire available through the dive centre.
  • Booking & access: Book a charter from Ballycastle (e.g. Aquaholics Dive Centre); or self-launch at the Ballycastle ferry slip, mooring at Rathlin harbour pontoon.
  • Cost: Check current prices with the operator.
Plan your visit

Wrecks, walls and pinnacles in cold, clear water

Rathlin is known for its wreck diving. HMS Drake (1917) at about 18m in Church Bay is sheltered and diveable across the tide, which makes it popular for divers building experience. Deeper sites like the Lochgarry at around 33m, and offshore pinnacles rising from 60m, are for experienced, suitably qualified divers in calm conditions only. Reef dives such as the rocky slopes and drop-offs around the island carry abundant life, and you may see kelp, conger eels and seals. None of these are beginner shore dives — match the site to your training and depth limits.

Wild dive sites Qualified divers Cold water WW1 and WW2 wrecks Charter boat from Ballycastle No lifeguard
Good to know before you go:

Conditions here change with the weather and the tide, and visibility changes with them — clear and calm one day, murky and rough the next. Check a forecast and a tide table before you set off. This is a self-access site with no lifeguard, so match it to the experience you actually have, go with a buddy, and never dive alone. Boat access is arranged through an operator or club, so book ahead.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 📱A bookingCentres and clubs run try-dives and trips on set days and tides — arrange it before you travel.
  • ☕Warm layers and a hot drinkThe water is cold all year. Dry clothes and something hot afterwards make the whole day.
  • 🏖️A towelAnd somewhere to put wet kit for the drive home.
  • 🤿An honest look at your experienceMatch the site to the training you actually have. Plenty of people start with a try-dive instead.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Type
Wild dive sites (charter boat dives, not a centre or club)
What you can do
Wreck, reef and wall dives; some sites diveable across the tide, others calm-weather only
Experience needed
Qualified, experienced divers; HMS Drake at ~18m suits those building experience; deeper wrecks and pinnacles for advanced divers
Conditions
Cold water year-round; tide- and weather-dependent; offshore sites need settled conditions; no lifeguard
Booking / access
Book a charter from Ballycastle (e.g. Aquaholics Dive Centre); or self-launch at the Ballycastle ferry slip, mooring at Rathlin harbour pontoon
Kit
Wetsuit or drysuit needed; hire available through the dive centre
Cost
Check current prices with the operator
What you may see
Kelp, conger eels on the wrecks, grey and common seals around the island — never guaranteed
Parking
Not confirmed — check locally; Ballycastle harbour area for charter departures
Address / location
Rathlin Island, off Ballycastle, Co. Antrim; dive boats depart Ballycastle Harbour
Questions

Before you go

Do I need experience?
Qualified, experienced divers; HMS Drake at ~18m suits those building experience; deeper wrecks and pinnacles for advanced divers
How much does it cost?
Check current prices with the operator
Do I need to book?
Book a charter from Ballycastle (e.g. Aquaholics Dive Centre); or self-launch at the Ballycastle ferry slip, mooring at Rathlin harbour pontoon
What are the conditions like?
Cold water year-round; tide- and weather-dependent; offshore sites need settled conditions; no lifeguard
What kit do I need?
Wetsuit or drysuit needed; hire available through the dive centre
Getting there

Rathlin Island dive sites is at Rathlin Island, off Ballycastle, Co. Antrim; dive boats depart Ballycastle Harbour. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out around Rathlin IslandSee what else is close by More diving & snorkelling across NIDive centres, clubs and wild shore sites
The story

About it

Rathlin Island's waters have seen more than forty recorded shipwrecks over the centuries, drawn together by strong tides and the busy shipping channel of the Sea of Moyle. The standout dives include HMS Drake, a 14,100-ton WW1 heavy cruiser torpedoed by a U-boat in 1917 and now a protected historic monument, and the Lochgarry, a former MacBrayne's Hebrides ferry serving as a WW2 troopship that struck rocks in 1942.

These sites are dived mainly from charter boats out of Ballycastle, a short crossing across the Sea of Moyle, with Aquaholics Dive Centre among the operators running guided dives, training and kit hire in the area.