Mombasa, Nyali & Bamburi · Kenya · Wreck
MV Dania
A former livestock carrier sitting upright on the sand, ringed by barracuda
The MV Dania is a 75 m cargo ship scuttled off Bamburi in 2002 so that divers could explore it. She sits upright on sand at 30 m, her upper structure rising to 12 m, and barracuda and groupers circle the hull. Its depth and complexity make it a dive for advanced divers.
Also known as M.V. Dania, Dania wreck.
Where it is and how deep
4.0177° S, 39.7743° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
Boats tie in to the mooring buoy above the wreck. The highest parts of the ship come up to 12 m (39 ft) at low tide, and the hull runs down to a sandy seabed at 30 m (98 ft), where the 75 m vessel rests upright. Barracuda and groupers gather around the structure, which the depth and complexity of the dive reserve for advanced divers.
The wreck
- Vessel
- MV Dania
- Type
- Cargo ship and livestock carrier
- Length
- 75 m (246 ft)
- Built
- 1965
- Sunk
- 2002
- Cause
- Scuttled for divers by Buccaneer Diving with the agreement of Kenya Wildlife Service
- Lies
- Upright on a sandy seabed at 30 m, with the highest parts at 12 m at low tide
The Dania was built in Norway in 1965 and spent most of her working life as a livestock carrier. By 2001 she was disused after the collapse of live cattle transport in the region and was bound for demolition in India. The diving club Buccaneer Diving bought her instead, had her prepared, decontaminated and cleaned, and scuttled her off Bamburi on 27 October 2002 with the agreement of Kenya Wildlife Service.
Marine life and season
- Barracuda
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Mombasa, Nyali & Bamburi: November to March brings the calmest seas and the best visibility; the southeast monsoon from May to October adds wind and current.
Dive videos
MV Dania Wreck Dive Site · BuccaneerDiving on YouTube
Sources
- MV Dania — Wikipedia
- Scuba diving in Kenya — DAN
- Diving in Kenya — scubatravel.co.uk
- Diving in Mombasa — SSI
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