Kvarner — Cres, Krk & Lošinj, the area around Peltastis wreck

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

Depth profile of Peltastis wreck: typical dive 12–32 m (40–105 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit12 m32 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

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
Month-by-month season rating for Peltastis wreck
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Off-seasonOff-seasonFairFairGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodFairOff-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

  1. Peltastis (Wreck) — Scubago — Scubago

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