
Kvarner · Croatia · Wreck
Nanos, wreck
Near-vertical stone-cargo wreck, propeller at 75 m, trimix only
Area photo: Nem80 · CC BY-SA 3.0
A stone-carrying cargo ship that sank on 31 May 1977 and now stands almost vertical, bow on the seabed and propeller at 75 m, with the wreck spanning 70 to 93 m. It is a trimix-only technical dive run by boat from Rab, and the growth on the steel is the attraction more than the fish, which are sparse at this depth.
Also known as Nanos wreck.
Where it is and how deep
44.8826° N, 14.5722° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
Nanos is a trimix dive and nothing else: the operator states the wreck is only for trimix divers and gives the depth as between 70 and 93 m. Everything about the day is shaped by that, from gas planning and the decompression schedule to a boat crew set up for technical diving. Kron Diving at Kampor on Rab lists the site and runs it by boat.
The ship is not lying flat. She stands in an almost vertical position with her bow on the bottom and the propeller at 75 m, so the shallowest part of the wreck is the stern end and the hull drops away from there towards 93 m. Descend to the propeller, work along the hull as far as your plan allows, and turn on time rather than on interest.
Do not expect the fish life of a shallow wreck. Because of the depth, the typical wreck fish are absent; the steel is instead covered in growth, and wrasse and bream are what you are likely to meet. The operator counts Nanos among its best wrecks, and the reason is the structure and the attitude she lies in rather than the animals.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Nanos
- Type
- Cargo ship carrying stone
- Sunk
- 1977
- Cause
- Not published; she sank on 31 May 1977
- Lies
- Almost vertical, bow on the bottom and propeller at 75 m, in 70 to 93 m
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
Season follows Kvarner: Peak season is May to September and conditions hold into October; from winter into early spring the bora churns the water and brings current, with the sea at 12–14 °C.
Know before you go
- Depth: 70 to 93 m, trimix only. Plan gas and decompression for the deep end of the wreck and keep to the schedule.
- Working depth changes fast on a near-vertical hull: from the propeller at 75 m the wreck drops towards 93 m, so watch depth constantly.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Nanos wreck?+
The wreck lies between 70 and 93 m, with the propeller at 75 m. The operator states it is for trimix divers only.
Sources
- Nanos, wreck — Scubago — Scubago
More dive sites in Kvarner
Reef
Two reefs: yellow gorgonians to 25 m, endemic sponges to 35 m
Wreck
Upright, intact wreck with anti-aircraft guns at bow and stern, 42 to 51 m
Wall
Overgrown wall from 20 to 40 m, scorpionfish and frequent octopus
Reef
Two parallel sponge-covered rock ridges from 8 to 28 m, five minutes from Rab
Wreck
Greek cargo ship lost in 1968, sponge-covered in 12 to 32 m off Krk
Wall
Near-vertical wall to 40 m on Krk's east side, dived one way
Wall
Fields of blue gorgonians from 30 m on a wall dropping to 45 m
Wall
Colourful wall on Grgur dived down the anchor line, known for current
Similar dives elsewhere
A 1943 merchant ship on the bottom at 90 m
A shot-down jet fighter scattered over 50 by 50 m at 19 m
A 95 m WWII escort cut in two by a torpedo, mast top at 25 m, bow at 50 m
The Ghost Ship: an intact 20 m motor-sailboat on sand at 38 m



