Exploring the Abu Nuhas Wrecks

What better way to celebrate the holidays than going on an unforgettable scuba diving excursion? Nemo Diving Center invites you to join our Wreck Week which begins on the 26th of December. Come and celebrate the New Year underwater at night. Our scuba diving holiday itinerary includes the amazing Abu Nuhas Wrecks. Get in touch with our dive shop Dubai to know the details of the trip.

Abu Nuhas is an excellent destination for wreck diving enthusiasts who love adventure. Sailing ships headed for The Suez Canal pass through Abu Nuhas. The Nuhas Reef has an almost triangular form and its plateau lies close to the surface. Captains have no trouble seeing it during the daytime but at night, the visibility becomes a huge challenge. The submerged Shaab Abu Nuhas Reef in the Shadwan Channel has claimed many vessels. This includes five cargo shipwrecks, four of which are accessible to recreational divers. The fifth one lies at around 90 meters which is too deep for regular divers. 

Abu Nuhas Wrecks

Giannis D

Giannis D is tagged as the “Wood Wreck” because it was carrying delicate Croatian wood. The 100-meter long ship collided with the Abu Nuhas reef and sank in April 1983. The entire crew survived the ordeal by abandoning the vessel just on time. The ship’s stern and bow are still intact. The former lies in the sand at around 24 meters while the bow is at a shallower depth, facing away from the reef. With the shallowest point at 4 meters from the surface, divers can end their dive by going up along the mast until their safety stop.

This wreck is noted for sightings of scorpionfish, teira and orbicular batfish, and huge numbers of glassfish. Jacks and groupers are often spotted in the area. The masts and railings, including the wires and cables of the ship, are enveloped with soft corals. You might also come across parrotfish, rabbitfish, angelfish, lionfish, and moray eels. Barracudas also venture into the wreck in search of prey. 

Carnatic

Carnatic, found next to Giannis D, is one of the oldest wrecks in the Red Sea. This 90-meter long British steamer sank in 1869. It was carrying passengers and cargo including gold and wine from Suez to Bombay. The ship collided with the Abu Nuhas reef at night and its top portion got wedged. The captain ordered everyone to remain on board even though the ship was taking on water. After two nights, the vessel snapped into two because of the pressure and sank, claiming the lives of 31 people. The gold was later salvaged by another British ship.

The two broken portions of the vessel settled on the bottom. The stern and bow remain intact and accessible to divers. The wreck is teeming with colorful marine life such as lionfish, glassfish, and nudibranchs. Groupers and jackfish patrol the area in search of food. 

Chrisoula K

In August 1981, the freighter Chrisoula K was on its way out of The Suez Canal and headed to Saudi Arabia. Measuring almost 100 meters in length, this Greek cargo ship was carrying loads of Italian floor tiles when it hit the reef at Abu Nuhas. After the impact, the bow protruded out of the water then the whole vessel went under. Fortunately, the sea mishap did not claim any lives. The shallower parts of the wreck are nestled at around 4 meters and deeper parts at depths of 28 meters. The stern remains intact. You can access the wreck from different points, ranging from easy to more challenging ones.

Kimon M

Kimon M is the largest and deepest among the four wrecks which sank in 1978. The vessel was transporting lentils from Turkey to India when it hit the Abu Nuhas reef at full speed. A passing ship received the distress calls and was able to rescue the crew. No one perished from the accident. 

Kimon M, tagged as the “Lentil Wreck” lies on its starboard side at a depth of slightly more than 30 meters. Most of its equipment have been removed making it ideal for swim-throughs. You are likely to encounter batfish and Napolean wrasse during your wreck dive. 

Join our Wreck Week

Want to explore this incredible wreck dive site? Get in touch with Nemo Diving Center to know more about our upcoming Wreck Week. Aside from Abu Nuhas Wrecks, we will also explore the Thistelgorm wreck, Ras Muhammad, and Tiran Islands.