Dive Site.

Enter the water at the North end of Thurlestone Sands, close to the rocks on the right. Surface swim out keeping close to the rocks until you pass over the submerged reef and see a narrow sand bottomed gully. Descend here in about 4 meters and follow the gully along, keeping close to the left edge of the gully which widens out as you head towards the wreck. Soon you will come to the end of the gully, obstructed by rocks and some wreckage.

A section of twisted metal plating is visible just to the right. This is the stern and remains of the rudder. The prop shaft can then be easily followed through the center of the open wreck to heavier kelp and the three boilers. The wreckage stops here with only a few bits to be found further out. This is where the ship broke in two. At low tide the taller parts of the wreck , just aft of the boilers, can be seen breaking the surface. Apparently a small amount of wreckage from her bow can be found on the south side of Leas Foot Bay.

Rocks are found on her starboard side where open sand is predominantly to the port side and front, beyond the boilers. As this wreck is only shallow, maximum 10 meters, swells can cause some disruption to divers. The wreck has little current and can be dived at any state of the tide apart from during strong W or SW winds where the swell and surf make conditions treacherous.

The Louis is a good dive for novices and an excellent introduction to UK wreck diving. There are no areas for penetration so little risk of entrapment. In poor visibility the wreck can be disorientating though to novices so Dive Leaders and Instructors should take this into consideration.

The wreck can also be approached from Leas Foot beach. Parking at the Golf Club divers have less of a walk to the water but a greater swim accross difficult rocks and gullies.