Scuba Diving the Zenobia Wreck

The MS Zenobia is a Swedish-built roll-on roll-off ferry that sank in Larnaca Bay on 7 June 1980, on her maiden voyage, after a ballast fault flooded one side. She had set out from Sweden weeks earlier and went down off Larnaca with her cargo of articulated lorries, and the crew were taken off safely. She now lies on her port side just outside Larnaca harbour, with the hull spanning roughly 16 metres at the shallowest point down to about 42 metres on the seabed.

Divers rate her among the world's best wreck dives, and she is the reason many travellers choose Larnaca over the other resorts. The lorries are still chained in place on the cargo decks, and confident divers with the right training can penetrate parts of the wreck, including the bridge, the cafeteria and the accommodation areas. The two large propellers sit at different depths along the hull.

Who it suits

Open-water certified divers can enjoy the upper sections, while the deeper areas and any penetration call for advanced or technical qualifications. Centres run guided dives from the harbour, usually as a two-tank trip, and most can arrange refresher sessions for divers who have been out of the water for a while.

• The site sits a short boat ride off the Finikoudes Beach seafront in Larnaca town.
• Pair a dive trip with the winter flamingos on the Larnaca Salt Lake or the church of Saint Lazarus in the old town.
• Non-divers in your group can spend the day on Mackenzie Beach nearby.
• For a contrast, the Cape Greco sea caves lie further east along the coast.

Bring your certification card and logbook, plan for water that is cooler at depth, and book ahead in summer when the dive boats fill quickly.