San Diego · United States · Wreck
HMCS Yukon
A destroyer on her side, starboard rail at 17 m and bow at 32 m
A 111-metre Canadian Mackenzie-class destroyer (366 feet) lying on her port side at the north end of Wreck Alley, about 3 km (1.85 miles) off Mission Beach. The exposed starboard rail sits at 17–18 m and the bow rests at 32 m, and the fall onto her side turned a planned intermediate dive into an advanced one.
Also known as Yukon.
Where it is and how deep
32.7800° N, 117.2853° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The boat moors over the north end of Wreck Alley, about 3 km (1.85 miles) off Mission Beach. The Yukon lies on her port side in 31 m (102 ft) of water, so the first part of the ship reached on the descent is her exposed starboard rail, the shallowest point at around 17–18 m (56–60 ft). That rail is the natural reference line for the dive, running the length of a hull 111 metres long (366 feet).
Below the rail the hull falls away to the sand, with the bow the lowest point at 32 m (105 ft). The ship was meant to settle upright as an intermediate dive, but the fall onto her port side put the long Grand Promenade corridor at 32 m (105 ft). Metridium and strawberry anemones cover the hull. Sand and silt have worked their way into the wreck, so any look inside calls for careful finning and a plan to keep the way out clear.
The wreck
- Vessel
- HMCS Yukon
- Type
- Mackenzie-class destroyer
- Length
- 111 m (364 ft)
- Sunk
- 2000
- Cause
- Bought by the San Diego Oceans Foundation and sunk in Wreck Alley as an artificial reef
- Lies
- On her port side in 31 m, starboard rail at 17–18 m, bow at 32 m
HMCS Yukon was a Canadian Mackenzie-class destroyer, 111 metres long (366 feet). The San Diego Oceans Foundation bought her for the purpose of sinking in Wreck Alley, and she went down on 14 July 2000. She was planned as an intermediate dive, but she fell on her port side, putting the Grand Promenade at 32 m (105 ft) and turning her into an advanced one.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
Season follows San Diego: Visibility is best from late summer into autumn and poorest from late winter through spring; lobster season runs October to March.
Know before you go
- A lot of sand and silt has entered the wreck, so penetration needs good trim, careful finning and a clear way back out.
- The bow sits at 32 m (105 ft), so the lower hull is a deep dive in cold water and needs the gas and no-stop time planned before descending.
- Monofilament fishing line sits on the structure year round, and lobster traps and lines lie around the hull from October into March, so carry a cutting tool.
Dive videos
🌊 Wreck Diving the HMCS Yukon | San Diego’s 366ft Destroyer Escort (Aug 18 Dive) · Marissa Charters - San Diego Scuba Diving on YouTube
The HMCS Yukon Wreck | Deck 3 - Burma Road | Wreck Alley | San Diego | California · SDScuba on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the HMCS Yukon wreck?+
She lies on her port side in 31 m (102 ft) of water. The exposed starboard rail sits at around 17–18 m (56–60 ft) and the bow, the lowest point, at 32 m (105 ft).
What certification do I need to dive the Yukon?+
It is an advanced dive. The ship fell on her side when she was sunk, which put the Grand Promenade corridor at 32 m (105 ft), and sand and silt have since entered the wreck.
Sources
- HMCS Yukon Wreck, San Diego: History and How to Dive It — Marissa Charters
- Wreck Alley — Wikipedia
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