Reefwander
Moored boats sit on sand and seaweed at low tide in a sound ringed by granite rocks and islets — Chausey Islands & Granville

Chausey Islands & Granville · France · Wreck

Anvers wreck

A century-old cargo wreck open to French Level 1 divers

Area photo: Pline · CC BY-SA 3.0

The Anvers is a small cargo ship of 35 to 40 m that sank in a collision early in the last century and now lies to the east of the Chausey islands. Depending on the tide, the bottom around it sits between 12 and 22 m. It is the Chausey wreck open to French Level 1 divers, reached by boat from Granville.

Also known as Anvers, L'Anvers.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Anvers wreck: typical dive 12–22 m (40–72 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit12 m22 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

48.8982° N, 1.6829° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The boat runs out from Granville to the eastern side of the Chausey archipelago, where the Anvers lies. The tide sets the depth more than anything else here: the same seabed around the wreck reads 12 m at low water and 22 m at high water, so the depth of the dive depends on when the boat arrives. Divers descend to a small cargo ship of 35 to 40 m, sunk in a collision at the start of the last century.

The currents over the Anvers are capricious and never really stop, which is why the dive is best planned for a neap tide, when the flow is at its weakest. Being open to French Level 1 divers, it is the Chausey wreck for divers early in their training. The archipelago's tidal range reaches 14 m on the equinox springs, so timing the dive to the tide table matters as much as the dive plan itself.

The wreck

Vessel
Anvers
Type
Small cargo ship
Cause
Sank after a collision early in the 20th century
Lies
East of Chausey on a bottom of 12 to 22 m, depending on the tide

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Anvers wreck
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairFairFairFairGoodGoodPrimePrimeGoodGoodFair

Season follows Chausey Islands & Granville: The ratings follow the sea temperature, warmest in August and September (about 18 °C) and coldest in February (about 9 °C); no month is singled out for diving.

Know before you go

  • The current over the wreck never fully stops, so the dive is best planned for a neap tide.
  • Depth changes with the tide, from 12 to 22 m, so plan gas and no-stop time for the high-water figure.

Questions divers ask

How deep is the Anvers wreck at Chausey?+

The bottom around the Anvers lies between 12 and 22 m, depending on the state of the tide.

What level is needed to dive the Anvers?+

The Anvers is open to divers from French Level 1. The current never fully stops, so it is best dived on a neap tide.

Sources

  1. CR épave l'Anvers à Chausey (forum) — Plongeur.com
  2. Plongée sous-marine tous niveaux — Plongée Chausey Loisirs

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