In the second quarter of 2021, the Alert Diver magazine from the Divers Alert Network published an article by Richie Kohler on the dangers of wrecks. The rule he states is simple: never enter a wreck without advanced training, provided by a qualified professional.
The reason is simple.
Once inside, you can no longer ascend straight to the surface. We reviewed the previous version of this article line by line, and several claims did not hold up, starting with the number of dives required for the course. Here is what remains when only verified information is kept.
What changes on a wreck compared to a regular dive?
On a wreck, the danger mainly comes from what separates you from the surface. Kohler mentions the overhead ceiling as soon as you enter, disorientation in sloping corridors, sediments that erase visibility, fishing lines and nets, rusty metal that cuts. Around the wreck, staying outside already reduces some of these risks.
A hull lying on its side quickly misleads your sense of orientation.
Kohler explains that you can change decks without realizing it, or turn around in a passage and no longer know where to exit. Sediments worsen everything. A poorly placed fin kick stirs up fine dust that remains suspended for a long time in water that circulates little. Even with good technique, a flashlight can fail. And he reminds us of a risk often forgotten on military wrecks: unexploded munitions or chemicals still present in the structure.
However, a wreck visited from the outside remains a dive accessible to many guided divers, provided the site, depth, and current match their level.
The photo of the deck says nothing about all this.
What level is required to take a wreck diving course?
For the PADI Wreck Diver specialty, the official course page consulted on October 3, 2026, requires an Adventure Diver certification or equivalent, a minimum age of 15 years, and good physical condition. Other organizations have their own access conditions, to be checked on their official page or with the club.
The previous version of this article announced two guided dives.
The PADI page mentions four dives with an instructor, spread over at least two days, with a theoretical part online lasting two to four hours. For what level? The certification opens the door to the course. But it says nothing about your actual buoyancy, your air consumption, or your calmness when visibility suddenly drops. A diver who still stabilizes their position with their hands will stir up sediment everywhere inside the hull, which hinders the whole group and reduces everyone’s visibility.
If you quickly feel claustrophobic in a confined space, read our guide on managing stress in diving and reacting better before signing up. Talk openly about it with the instructor.
What does a wreck diving course teach you, and where does it stop?
According to PADI, the specialty teaches you how to survey a wreck, use lines and reels, and avoid common problems. The core of the course is external reconnaissance and preparation. Advanced penetration is part of more advanced training, which Kohler considers essential before entering a wreck.
The survey comes before everything else.
Thus, a good part of the training takes place around the wreck, drawing a plan, measuring the hull, noting openings and fragile areas even before approaching an entrance. The reel provides a return path to the starting point; it is the tool Kohler emphasizes to avoid getting lost. Without a line, there is no reliable path. He also recommends a powerful main light, backup lights, and a large main reel for any incursion. The training finally teaches you to recognize the risk of entanglement and to free yourself from a line with a cutting tool, without panicking. This action is repeated until it becomes automatic.
Your sense of direction also matters. An orientation training in diving helps you keep a heading around a hull that looks like nothing up close.
For deep wrecks, gas mixtures and decompression open another chapter, which our article on trimix diving and its limits details.
How to manage your air and exit on a wreck?
Your air supply must cover much more than the visit. Kohler requires enough gas for the entire team to exit the wreck, ascend, do their safety stop or mandatory stops, then reach the surface with air to spare. For penetration, he mentions a backup air source, a stage bottle or twin set with a long hose.
The calculation is done before entering the water, not halfway through.
Set with your instructor the turn pressure and safety margin, then repeat them at the briefing. Write them on your slate. Keep an eye on your pressure gauge much more often than in open water. If the wreck is exposed to current, the return to the mooring point may cost much more air than the way in, and our guide on drift diving and current safety helps you anticipate this cost. Yet, a calm wreck does not exempt you from this margin.
A clear signal to announce the turn, understood by the whole buddy team, avoids hesitation at the worst moment.
In short, reserve air is the air you hope never to breathe.
What does the law say if you find an object on a wreck in France?
In France, anyone who discovers a maritime cultural property must leave it in place, not damage it, and declare it within 48 hours to the administrative authority, according to the Ministry of Culture. The competent service is the DRASSM, and the reference text is article L532-3 of the Heritage Code.
The souvenir in your pocket is therefore no trivial matter.
The Ministry’s definition is broad: deposit, wreck, relic, or any property presenting prehistoric, archaeological, or historical interest. Yet a diver does not always know, at depth, what qualifies as heritage. We will not venture to decide here. When in doubt, do not touch, note the position, and inform the club. Outside France, rules vary by country and some wrecks are protected or require authorization.
Check before departure, with the club or local authority.
How to choose your club and your first wreck?
Choose a club that starts with a shallow, clear wreck, not exposed to strong currents, with an outside visit. Ask about the depth, usual current, supervision ratio, equipment provided, and the procedure if a diver loses the group. A vague answer is already an answer.
The French coasts offer many of these.
The English Channel, for example, holds many wrecks, often affected by tides, and our sheet on diving in Saint-Malo and its historic waters shows what a club publishes on this subject. On the Spanish Mediterranean side, our guide to the bay of Calpe and its wrecks asks the same questions. But good visibility does not make a wreck safer. No brochure promises a school of fish inside the hull, and the day’s visibility tells nothing about the current at the bottom or the condition of the structure. Judge at the briefing.
The real cost involves one or two extra dives before entering somewhere, a few hours repeating the reel in clear water, and sometimes a canceled outing when the sea or current do not match the group’s level.
FAQ
What is the minimum age for the PADI Wreck Diver course?
The official PADI page, consulted on October 3, 2026, states a minimum of 15 years. You also need an Adventure Diver certification or equivalent and good physical condition. Other organizations set their own conditions.
How many dives does the PADI wreck specialty include?
Four dives with an instructor, spread over at least two days, according to the PADI page. An online theoretical part of two to four hours is added. Practical arrangements depend on the center.
Can you enter a wreck after this training?
DAN, in an article by Richie Kohler published in 2021, recommends never entering a wreck without advanced training provided by a qualified professional. For penetration, it cites a main light, backup lights, a reel, and a backup air source. Check with your instructor what your certification allows.
What to do if I find an object on a wreck in France?
Leave it in place and do not touch it. The Ministry of Culture requires reporting the discovery of a maritime cultural property within 48 hours to the DRASSM. Note the position and inform the club.
Sources
- Hazards in Wreck Diving (Richie Kohler, Divers Alert Network, Alert Diver, 2021)
- Discovery of maritime cultural property (Ministry of Culture, consulted in 2026)
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