
Kvarner · Croatia · Wreck
Peltastis wreck
Greek cargo ship lost in 1968, sponge-covered in 12 to 32 m off Krk
Area photo: Nem80 · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Peltastis is a Greek cargo ship wrecked in heavy weather in January 1968, lying a hundred metres off the north-east coast of Krk between Šilo and the bay of Klimno in 12 to 32 m. The sponge-covered hull holds schools of sea bream, damselfish and wrasse plus scorpionfish, and the depth range keeps the whole wreck within recreational limits.
Also known as Peltastis (Wreck).
Where it is and how deep
45.1602° N, 14.6457° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The wreck lies between Šilo and the bay of Klimno on the north-eastern coast of Krk, only a hundred metres out from the shore. It runs from 12 m at the shallow end down to 32 m, so the whole ship sits inside a recreational profile and the plan is simple: reach the shallow end first, then work down the hull and back.
Start at the shallow end and work down the ship. The hull is covered in sponges and the fish are what you notice first: schools of sea bream, damselfish and wrasse move over the structure, and scorpionfish sit still on the growth, so check before you put a hand down. The deep end at 32 m is the turnaround, and the natural profile is to do the deep part first and drift back up along the hull.
Finish at the 12 m end, which gives you a shallow section of wreck to spend the last of your no-decompression time on before ascending to the boat. Because the wreck is close to shore and spans a modest range, it works as a first wreck for an Advanced Open Water diver as well as a repeat dive for anyone based on Krk.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Peltastis
- Type
- Greek cargo ship
- Sunk
- 1968
- Cause
- Wrecked in heavy weather in January 1968
- Lies
- A hundred metres off Krk's north-east coast between Šilo and Klimno, in 12 to 32 m
Marine life and season
- Reef fish swarms
| 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
- Scorpionfish rest on the sponge-covered hull; look before touching or settling on the wreck.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Peltastis wreck?+
The wreck lies in 12 to 32 m, a hundred metres off the north-east coast of Krk between Šilo and the bay of Klimno.
When did the Peltastis sink?+
The Peltastis, a Greek cargo ship, was wrecked in heavy weather in January 1968 off the north-east coast of Krk.
Sources
- Peltastis (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
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Wreck
Near-vertical stone-cargo wreck, propeller at 75 m, trimix only
Wall
Near-vertical wall to 40 m on Krk's east side, dived one way
Wall
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Wall
Colourful wall on Grgur dived down the anchor line, known for current
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