Wreck Diving

Shipwrecks abound on the floor of almost every sea and ocean, and many are at depths within the range of recreational divers. For those that love delving into history, some of the world’s most iconic wrecks are still in possession of guns, cannons, motorbikes or even tanks. Most have become a haven for marine life large and small, protecting marine residents from the unpredictability of the surrounding ocean.

Red Sea

No round-up of the world’s best wreck diving can fail to mention the SS Thistlegorm. Weighting nearly 5,000 tonnes, this iconic vessel began her life in Sunderland. She took her name from the blue thistle and was built to transport cargo during World War II. This mighty steamship met her end in the warm waters of Egypt’s northern Red Sea when she was hit by German bombers while at anchor on 5th October 1941. Ironically, the German bombers were looking for a different prize, the iconic Queen Mary cruiser, but offloaded their cargo when they spotted the lights of the Thistlegorm.

Remarkably, all but nine of the crew were rescued, and the ship lay undisturbed off the west coast of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula until 1956, before being rediscovered by legendary explorer Jacques Cousteau. Now she is one of the world’s most famous wreck dives, where divers can explore her hold of motorbikes, trucks and tanks, or even look for her two locomotives!

The SS Thistlegorm is not the only wreck in the northern Red Sea. Four beautiful shipwrecks form the Abu Nuhas graveyard, with the Carnatic a particularly beautiful dive. These are accessible from a liveaboard, or as a day trip from El Gouna. The Rosalie Muller is a deep dive visited on dedicated wreck diving liveaboard itineraries, while the Dunraven can be explored on a day trip from Sharm el Sheikh.

This collection of historic wrecks ensures that the northern Red Sea deserves its place as one of the best wreck diving destinations.

Truk Lagoon

Truk is a remote island and lagoon in the western Pacific, part of the Micronesia islands. This unassuming spot may take a while to find on a map but happens to have the finest wreck diving in the world. To tell her story, we need to head back once again to World War Two.

With natural protection and deep waters, Truk’s extensive lagoon was chosen by the Japanese as a key naval base in the Pacific, playing a major role in their war aims. Despite formidable defences, the Americans were able to launch a surprise attack - codename Operation Hailstorm - in February 1944, following up with more attacks in April 1944. These attacks sunk the entire fleet, including 70 shipwrecks, 400 aircraft and an assortment of artefacts that are too large to mention.

Fast-forward to the modern age, and this former theatre of war is now a mecca for wreck divers, offering the perfect combination of historic wrecks, tropical water and excellent visibility. While many of the wrecks are within recreational diving limits, this is a destination for more experienced divers only.

Malta

Closer to home, the islands of Malta & Gozo in the Mediterranean are another superb location for wreck divers. These waters have always been strategically important for regional powers, but not all wrecks here are of historic significance. Many wrecks have also been deliberately sunk to create a wreck diving playground for divers.

Malta & Gozo’s shallower wrecks are great for those looking to get into wreck diving, while her deeper wreck diving sites require specific qualifications. Highlights include the wreck of the Um El Faroud, the Karwela, The HMS Maori and, for more experienced divers, the famous Blenheim Bomber.

Coron Bay

Tucked away on the western edges of the Philippines, Coron Bay is a beautiful area of limestone karst scenery, beaches and coves. This tranquil tropical setting hides a secret, however. Similar to Truk Lagoon, this area was being used by the Japanese in World War Two to hide a large supply fleet. They were discovered and attacked by the Americans on 24 September 1944, sinking twelve ships in a devastating twenty-minute raid.

Ten of these wrecks can now be explored by divers, offering the chance to dive on vast oil tankers, gun boats, sub chasers, supply vessels, and even a seaplane carrier.

While the wrecks are every bit as impressive as those in Truk Lagoon, diving conditions here can be a little trickier, with timing key to getting the best from this experience.

Those looking for a wreck diving trip like no other can combine the wrecks or Coron Bay with those at Truk Lagoon in one extended itinerary.

Bikini Lagoon

The story of Bikini’s ghost fleet is truly unique. After hostilities ended following the second world war, the Americans embarked on a mission named Operation Crossroads. Gathering boats from both the American and Japanese Fleets in the remote Bikini lagoon in the northern Marshall Islands, Micronesia, the Americans unleashed two nuclear bombs on the fleet, one from above and one from under the water. Inevitably, the huge explosions sunk all 21 vessels, at the same stroke ensuring this region of the Pacific was a no-go area for many years.

More than 70 years on, the area is now considered safe to visit once more, with seasonal liveaboard expeditions offered to suitably qualified technical divers only. Highlights include the vast USS Saratoga aircraft carrier; worth multiple dives in its own right, and the magnificent HIJMS Nagato.

Bahamas

Those looking for their first experience in wreck diving may be better served making a visit to the beautiful islands of the Bahamas. Tropical blue Caribbean waters hide numerous wrecks well within recreational dive limits, many of which are adorned with life.

Only in the Bahamas can you dive on a wreck used in a James Bond movie, dive on an aeroplane and experience wall, shark and wreck diving all on one dive!

In total, this chain of islands has around 50 wrecks accessible to divers. They can be dived from Nassau (New Providence Island), Bimini and Grand Bahama Island, while some liveaboard itineraries also include wreck diving.