Reefwander

Çeşme & Ildır · Turkey · Wreck

TCSG 68

A coast guard ship at 30 m with a photo exhibition inside

TCSG 68 is a former Turkish coast guard ship sunk off Çeşme in 2017 as an artificial reef project. It lies near Eşek Island at 30 m and carries an exhibition of photographs of sponge divers inside its hull, shot by Mustafa Kapkın, one of Turkey's first underwater photographers.

Also known as Sahil Güvenlik 68, SG68, TCSG 68 Sahil Güvenlik Gemisi.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of TCSG 68: typical dive to 30 m (to 100 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit30 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

No published position for this site — the map shows Çeşme & Ildır and its other sites; operators know the mooring.

The dive

The ship was sunk in 2017 as an artificial reef project and lies near Eşek Island at a depth of 30 m. Inside the hull, an exhibition of photographs of sponge divers by Mustafa Kapkın, one of Turkey's first underwater photographers, gives divers and art lovers a reason to look inside.

The wreck

Vessel
TCSG 68
Type
Coast guard ship
Sunk
2017
Cause
Scuttled as an artificial reef for diving tourism
Lies
Near Eşek Island, at a depth of 30 m off Çeşme

TCSG 68 was laid down at the Istanbul Taşkızak Shipyard in 1982 and launched in 1983. It entered service with the Turkish Coast Guard Command in 1984 and took part in important operations during the Kardak Rocks crisis. The ship was decommissioned in 2016 and, a year later, was sunk off Çeşme for diving tourism.

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for TCSG 68
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Off-seasonOff-seasonGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodPrimePrimePrimeGood

Season follows Çeşme & Ildır: Diving stops in January and February; September is among the best months, and the stingrays mate in October and November.

Dive videos

Çeşme açıklarında 30 metre derinlikte yatan sahil güvenlik botumuza dalış yaptık. · Dalış Kanalım on YouTube

Sources

  1. Çeşme'nin pırıl pırıl sularındaki canlı yaşamını keşfetme zamanı — Haber7

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