Camp Bay

Walk off Camp Bay beach and the first wreck structures appear at 7m. The site splits into Camp Bay Left and Camp Bay Right, each with its own cluster of wrecks. The HMS 482, a 30m Royal Navy cable-laying barge, sits upright at 17m just 25m from the shore. Alongside it, Batty's Barge stretches 40m long and 6m wide at 12m on sand, offering the largest swim-through interior on the site. Two Spanish Barges rest side by side, their hulls forming a narrow canyon between them. The Three Barges at 10m are where the nudibranchs concentrate. Typical dives run 40-60 minutes, and operators usually split the site across two dives to cover both sides of the bay.

Gibraltar guards the entrance to the Mediterranean, and that geography defines Camp Bay's biology. Atlantic species share wreck surfaces with Mediterranean ones. Octopuses hunt alongside anthias schools. Conger eels occupy the same structures as Mediterranean morays. The artificial reef programme spans over 30 years, starting with Spanish Barges in the 1950s and continuing through to the True Joy in 2006. Every wreck has had decades to develop its own invertebrate community. Soft corals, sponges, yellow tree coral, and purple gorgonians coat the older structures. The common octopus is the subject of ongoing population research here, and the Three Barges area supports a density of nudibranchs that one long-time local instructor called exceptional.

Shore entry from Camp Bay beach. Kit up and walk in. A torch is essential if you plan to look inside any wreck structures. The site lies within the Southern Waters of Gibraltar SAC, and a dive permit is required under the 2014 regulations. Licensed operators handle this. Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory, so bring ID if crossing from Spain. Some operators run a minibus shuttle to the beach, which adds about an hour to the trip. Plan two dives to see both sides of the bay. The older structures show their age; gloves protect against corroded metal edges.