Santorini & the Caldera · Greece · Wreck
Santa Maria Wreck
A whole passenger ship sitting upright on sand beside the hot springs
The Santa Maria is a 34 m steel passenger ship off the coast of Nea Kameni, one of the central volcanic islets of the caldera. It is the most famous wreck dive on Santorini, and its shallow resting depth puts it within reach of certified divers new to wrecks, under guidance.
Also known as Santa Maria, Nea Kameni (Santa Maria wreck).
Where it is and how deep
36.4048° N, 25.3980° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The wreck lies in Taxiarchis Bay on Nea Kameni, next to the hot springs, one of three wrecks on the islet; a tugboat wreck lies nearby. The steel hull rests upright on a sandy bottom at about 18 m (59 ft).
The wreck
- Vessel
- Santa Maria
- Type
- Steel passenger ship
- Length
- 34 m (112 ft)
- Cause
- Not published; sources date the sinking to WWII or to 1975
- Lies
- Upright on a sandy bottom at about 18 m in Taxiarchis Bay, Nea Kameni
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
Season follows Santorini & the Caldera: Diving runs all year. April to November is the main season, with the calmest seas in summer; winter water averages about 16°C.
Sources
- Scuba Diving in Santorini and the Deep Blue Caldera — Greece Index
- Santorini Scuba Diving — Greeka
- Scuba Diving Destinations in Greece — Go Halkidiki
- OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap
More dive sites in Santorini & the Caldera
Reef
Rock carpeted in shellfish and invertebrates near the caldera rim
Sponge-covered volcanic walls around an empty islet on the caldera rim
Cave & cavern
Caverns and chasms cut into lava on the island's south coast
Similar dives elsewhere
Wreck
Airbus A300
Kuşadası · Turkey
A full-size airliner with a 44 m wingspan on the gulf floor
A shot-down jet fighter scattered over 50 by 50 m at 19 m
A sailing ship's remains at only about 16 m off Koločep
A sugar carrier lost in 1985, lying in 12-16 m