Barbados · Barbados · Wreck
SS Stavronikita
The mast top lies just 5 m (15 ft) below the surface
The SS Stavronikita is a 111 m (365 ft) Greek freighter scuttled off the west coast of Barbados in 1978, and the most popular wreck in the island's waters. Its mast rises to within 5 m (15 ft) of the surface while the propeller rests at 43 m (140 ft), so the dive suits trained divers.
Also known as Stavronikita, The Stav, Stav.
Where it is and how deep
13.1800° N, 59.6420° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The wreck spans a long profile: the top of the mast sits at 5 m (15 ft), the bow at 21 m (70 ft) and the propeller deeper still at 43 m (140 ft). She sits upright with her deck at about 28 to 30 m, so most of the hull lies past Open Water limits. Turtles often visit, barracuda and amberjack patrol the hull, and smaller jacks swirl around the foremast in a thick baitball.
The wreck
- Vessel
- SS Stavronikita
- Type
- Greek freighter
- Length
- 111 m (364 ft)
- Built
- 1956
- Sunk
- 1978
- Cause
- Scuttled by a U.S. Navy demolition crew, who blew holes in the hull with seven charges
- Lies
- Bow at 21 m (70 ft) and propeller at 43 m (140 ft), with the mast top at 5 m (15 ft)
The Stavronikita was built in Denmark in 1956 as a freighter, originally christened The Ohio, and later sailed as a 111 m (365 ft) Greek cargo ship. On 21 November 1978 a U.S. Navy demolition crew set seven charges along the ship, blowing holes in the hull and sending her to the seabed off Barbados, where she has become the island's best-known wreck dive.
Marine life and season
- Sea turtles
- Barracuda
- Trevally & jacks
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Barbados: Boats run all year with no peak month; June to December is the wet season, and August to November hurricane swell can stop the diving.
Know before you go
- The bridge superstructure has collapsed in winter storms, and it is no longer safe to penetrate that part of the wreck.
Dive videos
SS, Stavronikita , Wreck Dive , Barbados · Quantumdiver Ltd , Colin Rotheram on YouTube
Sources
- Barbados' Top Dive Sites — Dive West Side Scuba
- Dive Sites - Barbados Blue Watersports — Barbados Blue Watersports
- Barbados Diving Guide: SS Stavronikita & Carlisle Bay Wreck Trail — Divernet
- SS Stavronikita (OpenStreetMap) — OpenStreetMap contributors
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The former flagship of the Barbados coast guard
Similar dives elsewhere
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Top of the wreck at 15 m, bow on the sand at 44 m