I’ll start with the caveat that this final segment on some of Cyprus’ best dive sites is not exhaustive. There are some parts of the island I’ve not had the dived yet, some which could make the list! The first post covered some of the best wrecks around the Larnaca area. For this post, I’ll be looking further afield, towards Limassol and beyond.
Constandis
As part of a project in 2014 to provide artificial reefs, the Constandis was sunk off the coast of Limassol. She was a Russian Soviet fishing trawler built back in 1989. Originally named Zolotets, she was re-registered as a Cypriot vessel in 1997 and operated in the eastern-Mediterranean waters.
She sits upright on the seabed at a depth of around 24m and provides a lovely dive. There are some penetration points for the more adventurous diver, however plenty can be seen from the outside.
When we dived the Constandis, visibility wasn’t fantastic. From the bottom of the shot we could hardly make out the wreck. Fortunately we had managed to get hold of site pictures beforehand. These loosely illustrated that the wreck was to the South East of the shot. We headed off on that bearing and before we knew it, the shadow began to appear in the murky blue.
To be sunk as an artificial reef would suggest the desire to attract marine life. On our dive we were certainly not disappointed as plenty of large and inquisitive grouper were all over the site. We were in some ways pestered by the grouper, but it was fantastic to see these up close! Check out this short video from my dive on the Constandis and Lady Thetis.
Vera K
Once a Lebanese freighter, Vera K met her fate in 1972 when she ran aground just outside Paphos harbour. She was destroyed in 1974 after posing a hazard to other shipping and now rests in four large, separate sections. She sits in 11m of water, making her completely accessible to any qualified diver!
The site itself provides an interesting dive for anyone. However, the non-existent penetration may prove ‘dull’ for the more adrenaline hungry diver. The bridge is still relatively intact and nearby is a natural archway which is a gorgeous sight to see! There are also a series of narrow tunnels nearby to add some further excitement to your dive. As always in Cyprus, a plethora of marine life adds to any dive on the site!
White Star
Another relatively recent wreck, White Star was a Russian fishing vessel sunk in early 2007. She was originally called Ivana Ivanova and was part of the Russian fishing fleet located in the Black Sea. It was on her way to Limassol for scrappage that she sunk, not too far from Vera K!
Depth on the site varies between 14 and 18m, depending on where on the vessel you explore. She is still fairly intact and sits upright on the sea bed, meaning a full swim around and exploration can be conducted. The loading bays on the wreck are home to numerous grouper and bream, who are often quite inquisitive on a dive.
Lady Thetis
Built in Hamburg back in 1953, Lady Thetis was a Cypriot passenger ship. She was sunk in 2014 with Constandis to serve as a recreational dive site. She sits in 18m of water, making it a great site for all levels of qualified diver.
There are a number of easy swimthroughs, allowing penetration to even the most anxious of wreck divers! You can look down into the hull from the inside, but there is an abundance of lionfish so take care!
On the top deck, you can still see the tables where passengers would have most likely enjoyed their voyage. Whilst there was less marine life on here than the Constandis, over time this will surely increase further.
In case you missed it, here’s a video from my dive on the Lady Thetis and Constandis.
Kyrenia
Located a short transit off the coast of Asia Napa, the Kyrenia was an old Greek naval vessel. She was sunk in March 2015 to create an artificial reef, with the aim of attracting more marine life to the area. She sits in 23m of water upon luscious white sands!
Despite only being underwater for 5 years, the Kyrenia has already become home to moray eels and grouper. On a recent dive, we spotted a stonefish camouflaged in the hull! We certainly kept our distance from him, but it was interesting to see something unique.
Being only a short vessel in length means that not much time is spent on site. It doesn’t take long to swim around and have a look through the ‘windows’ and into the hold, however it’s a unique site and something different for your logbook!
Cyprus is a fantastic destination for holidaymakers, especially those who love a bit of diving! These lists are certainly not exhaustive and any of the dive tour operators on the island will be able to provide their own recommendations. Nonetheless, these are some of the best, agreed upon by anyone who’s dived them!
If diving wrecks isn’t really your thing, then there are some great shore dives all along the coast of Cyprus! There truly is something for everyone.