The top 3 Scuba Diving Wrecks of Cyprus

Cyprus Wrecks D ive S t op C e n t r e –D ivin g S c h ool D ivin g E xp lor a t ion D is c ove r t h e U n d e r wa t e r Wor ld a n d E xp lor e t h e 3 m os t im p or t a n t Wr e c k s of C yp r u s : Ze n ob ia , Lib e r t y a n d Ne m e s is III. Larnaca 1980

Protaras2009

Protaras2013

LIBERTY SHIPWRECK

The ‘Liberty Wreck’ is a Russian cargo ship which sunk in Protaras on 27th May 2009. It has a length of 37m and a width of 7m. The ship a part of the Liberty Reef Artificial Project initiated by I Dive Tec Rec Centers Plc and the Cyprus Dive Center Association. The wreck is the perfect platform for wreck diving training for new students into wreck diving since it offers penetration areas and swim through as well provides the necessary areas that students will learn the use of the reel, low visibility, buddy system etc.

This artificial reef still has some time to go before it is inhabited however, it will take years perhaps for the biodiversity to be on par with other wrecks around Cyprus (e.g. The Zenobia) . It is still awesome to see it happen however ….. to dive it when it is no more than a wreck on the ocean floor, then return year after year and witness the colonizing species (such as algae and invertebrates ) transform the outer shell into something that provides an intricate structure of food for the other assemblages of fish.

She lies in just 27 meters of water, perfect for those of you who would like to advance your dive training with a wreck specialty, in preparation for your graduating dive on the Zenobia!  Length = 37 meters  Max. Depth: 27 meters  Entry Type: Giant Stride/Backwards Roll  Experiencelevel: Advanced

Lib e r t y Wr e c k Loc a t ion Ma p

 Points of interest: Port Holes/ Hatches

NEMESSIS III Protaras

The Nemesis III rests now in front of Golden Coast Harbor in Protaras at a depth of 23 meters/75 feet. The fishing boat length is 25 meters/82 feet.

The Nemesis III is the newest wreck in Protaras. Sank in 2014, she sits in 23 meters of water, close to the Liberty Wreck. This means she will also be enclosed in the marine conservation area when it comes into force.

There is the opportunity for some easy penetration on this new wreck and we look forward to seeing what new life she can attract over the coming years.

About 15 boats carrying sightseers positioned themselves as close as possible to the site off Protaras, and cheers went up when the boat slipped under the water.

During its long life at sea, the trawler, which was built in France in 1956, had operated in the eastern part of the Mediterranean and in Libyan waters.

As the plugs were pulled from the hull of the vessel, Minister of the Environment Nicos Kouyialis said the new reef would help in the protection of marine biodiversity, recovery of marine ecosystems and promotion of diving tourism in the resort.

He added that all national and international standards and regulations for safety, cleaning, transfer of the boat were taken into account.

Be one of the first scuba divers on this fabulous new addition.

Zenobia Wreck - TheLegend

The Zenobia or ‘Zen’ (Lloyds registration number 7806087) was a roll-on roll-off ferry built in Malmo Sweden in 1979 to operate in the eastern Mediterranean. It weighed 10,000 tons, was 172 meters long and 28 meters wide. Its maximum speed was 21.5 knots and was registered to carry 140 passengers.

The Zenobia set off from Malmo on 4th May 1980 headed for Crete where she moored for 2 days, before departing for Greece. On route to Athens the captain noticed problems with the steering and the ship began leaning to the portside. On inspection of the ship it was revealed that the listing was caused by water being pumped into the ballast tanks. In Piraeus, Greece the water was pumped out and the problem believed to be solved. The ship then headed for Larnaca, Cyprus, where she arrived on 3rd June to find the problem had recurred. In Larnaca it was found that the computerized pump system was still pumping water into the side ballast tanks and the listing was getting worse.

The Zenobia was towed out of Larnaca harbor as a precaution and was left at anchor about 1500 to 2000 meters offshore. The majority of the crew had left the ship leaving the captain, engineers and maintenance crew to try and find a solution. On the 5th June the captain dismissed the last of the crew as the ship was now listing at 45 degrees and it seemed there was no possible solution. On the 7th June, in the early hours of the morning, the ship began to sink. It took 2 days to sink to its final resting place at 42 meters. The exact cause has never been proven and no formal investigation into the sinking has ever been published. The ship sank with a cargo estimated at £200m, which included cars and over 100 articulated Lorries, full of goods. It also included trucks loaded with livestock, the bones of which can be seen in one of the wagons on the main deck. Since sinking, the Zenobia has been relatively untouched with no salvage work being allowed.

The Zenobia is about 600 feet long. It went down in 1980. Top of the wreck is at about 80 feet and bottom at about 140.

Cyprus has one of the best dive sites and top ten in the world - the wreck of the Zenobia. Cypriot dive centers must still celebrate the day that the Zenobia, under tow and listing with a design fault in its buoyancy tanks, was allowed to sink (after all the passengers and crew had been safely evacuated) in 42m just 1/2 mile outside Larnaca harbor.

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Dive Stop Location: Protaras – Paralimni – Cyprus Tel: 00357/ 99-630864 Web: www.survivalbuddies.com E-mail: info@survivalbuddies.com