Menorca · Spain · Wreck · Artificial reef
Ocean Diver
A 23 m barge at 27 m, sunk as an artificial reef off Son Bou
Area photo: Alejandro Muñoz Cabrisas · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Ocean Diver is a 23-metre Dutch river barge sunk to make an artificial reef, lying 1,250 metres off Son Bou beach between sand and posidonia at 25 to 28 metres. It is a small, readable wreck that has grown over well, with groupers, moray eels, large scorpionfish and nudibranchs on the plating, dived as an Advanced-level trip.
Where it is and how deep
39.9003° N, 4.0528° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The run out is about 40 minutes by boat to a position 1,250 metres off Son Bou beach. The barge stands between sand and posidonia with the profile working between 25 and 28 metres, and summer visibility of 20 to 30 metres means the hull usually appears well before you reach it on the descent. Current here is generally mild and occasionally moderate, so the descent line is not normally a fight.
At 23 metres long and 5 wide the wreck is small enough to circle several times within the bottom time the depth allows. Sunk deliberately to create an artificial reef, it has done the job — the plating carries colourful flabellina and cratena nudibranchs, groupers sit in the shadow of the hull, moray eels are in the openings, and large scorpionfish hold still on the metal.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Ocean Diver
- Type
- Dutch river barge
- Length
- 23 m (75 ft)
- Cause
- Sunk deliberately to create an artificial reef, according to Bluewater Menorca
- Lies
- Between sand and posidonia at 27 to 28 m, 1,250 m off Son Bou beach
Nothing has been published about the barge's working life or her original identity: the operators who dive her record only that she is a Dutch river barge, 23 metres long and 5 wide. Bluewater Menorca says she was sunk to create an artificial reef, and that is what she has become — a habitat carrying groupers, moray eels, scorpionfish and nudibranchs on a stretch of sand and posidonia that offers very little else in the way of hard structure.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Nudibranchs
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
Season follows Menorca: Menorca's tourist season runs May to October; June to September holds the warmest water, near 25–27°C in August, while February and March fall to about 12–14°C.
Dive videos
Ocean Diver Wreck - Menorca · ProScuba on YouTube
Menorca sub: il relitto dell'Ocean Divers · adventuresub on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Ocean Diver wreck?+
Bluewater Menorca gives the dive as 25 to 28 metres; Scubago puts the wreck in 27 metres of water, 1,250 metres off Son Bou beach. The minimum certification quoted for it is Advanced or 2-star.
Sources
- Ocean Diver — Scubago
- Ocean Diver Ship Wreck — Bluewater Menorca
In The Logbook
- Ships sunk on purpose, and where to dive themWrecks · 14 min read
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