Diving the Zenobia Wreck

Diving the Zenobia Wreck is easily one of the most popular diving experiences and arguably one of the best diving experiences in all of Cyprus. The Zenobia was a huge Swedish ferry that sank about 2.4 kilometers off the coast of Larnaca, Cyprus, and it lies at the bottom of Larnaca Bay. ​

The ferry had a malfunctioning computerized ballast system, which caused it to lean to its left side. It gradually kept leaning more and more to the left until it eventually capsized and sank off the coast of Larnaca on June 7, 1980.

The good news is there were no deaths or any serious injuries. Everyone who was on it managed to get off before it sank. Now today, people take a dive boat, which is about a 15–20 minute ride to where the ship is. Once you get there, divers get off the boat and into the water.

Once you get in the water, the wreck ranges from about 16 to 42 meters deep. The more shallow parts might take just a few minutes to get down there, but the deeper parts take longer. Once you are down there, you realize how big the Zenobia is. It is 172 meters long, so there is no way you will be able to explore the whole thing during one dive.

Some things that divers point out are how the boat is sitting on its left side. It feels a lot different than exploring a boat that’s standing straight up. The Zenobia was also carrying over 100 trucks when the ship sank, and many of them can still be seen inside the ship, along with the captain’s car still being there. Divers can also explore other parts of the ship, such as the cafeteria and control room.

Now, if you’re wondering what experience level is needed to do this dive, overall the Zenobia wreck is best for more experienced divers, especially if you are planning to go to the furthest depths. Since it’s not all the same depth, there are more shallow parts where less experienced divers can enjoy the wreck, but just be sure that if you are going to the deeper parts or entering parts of the wreck, it requires additional training and experience.

Depending on the depth you go and your experience level, most dives last around 30–60 minutes. The water is clear, which makes the view of the boat and everything under the water even better. While you’re down there, you won’t only see the ship but also a lot of marine life, such as schools of fish, barracuda, moray eels, octopus, and sometimes stingrays.

Many divers, due to how unique the experience is, how clear the water is, and the marine life, bring underwater cameras on the dive. I definitely recommend doing that if you go because you will definitely get some unique and really cool memorable pictures.

Overall, diving the Zenobia is an experience you will not forget. From seeing the trucks still underwater to exploring the huge ship and seeing all the marine life around it, there is a lot to see. Whether you are an experienced diver or a less experienced certified diver looking to explore the shallower parts, the Zenobia is definitely a dive worth checking out while in Cyprus.

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