Meet the site
The Ahwina is the easiest wreck in the Albany area to reach – a short swim off a sheltered beach – and one of the most charming shallow snorkels on the south coast. The vessel was a wooden-hulled tug with a long working career in Australian and New Zealand waters. In 1936, while being stripped of fittings, she foundered alongside the Albany town jetty; she was refloated, towed around to Gull Rock on the northern shore of King George Sound, set alight and scuttled in shallow water.
Today the remains lie on white sand in about 2 m of water roughly 50 m off Gull Rock Beach. The ship's boiler stands up from the seabed and is visible from the beach, with the burnt iron remains of the hull fittings scattered around it. The timber hull has long since burnt and rotted away, but the ironwork gives the site structure and has become a small artificial reef, attracting schools of juvenile fish, wrasse, old wives, leatherjackets and blue swimmer crabs, with seagrass meadows nearby holding cuttlefish, squid and flathead.
The water here is usually very clear over the white sand and the shallow depth makes it an ideal family snorkel, a first wreck for young divers, or a relaxing macro dive for photographers looking at the growth on the boiler. It is not a destination for experienced divers on its own, but it pairs well with a visit to nearby Ledge Point, and the beach is one of the more sheltered on the sound.
The local area is sometimes called Boiler Bay after the wreck. Divers should remember that the remains are protected historic material: look but do not remove anything.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Ahwina Tug Wreck (Gull Rock) is recorded as Wreck in Albany & Great Southern. The listed access is shore. Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is Ahwina Tug Wreck (Gull Rock) suitable for my certification?
The record lists Snorkel/Any. That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book Ahwina Tug Wreck (Gull Rock) through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Juvenile fish schools, wrasse, old wives, leatherjackets, blue swimmer crabs, cuttlefish, squid, flathead, seagrass
Location
Burnt remains and boiler of a wooden tug scuttled in 1936, visible above water about 50 m off Gull Rock Beach on the northern shore of King George Sound.
Facilities nearby
Gravel car park at Gull Rock Beach; no toilets or showers at the beach (nearest facilities at Emu Point or Nanarup); air fills and gear hire at South Coast Diving Supplies, Albany.
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
divingwawrecks.comhistoricalbany.com.auRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
