Sochi & Lazarevskoye · Russia · Wreck
Rockliffe
A torpedoed cargo ship sitting upright on its keel off Vardane
The Rockliffe is an English cargo ship lying off Vardane, near Lazarevskoye, and the best of the dive sites visited from there. The hull sits upright on a seabed at about 10 m, so the dive is shallow enough for novices while the stern, propeller, boilers and machinery give experienced divers plenty to explore.
Also known as Роклифф, Rocklif.
Where it is and how deep
43.7219° N, 39.5488° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Divers drop from the boat onto the wreck, often starting at the stern, which in good weather and 10 m visibility can be seen from the surface. The ship rests on an even keel on a bottom at 9 to 10 m; its sides were torn open by the torpedo, but the stern, the propeller, part of the bow, the boilers and the machinery survive.
Mussel beds cover the stern, while rapa whelks and seaweed coat the rest of the hull and draw in fish. Large crabs hide in the sheltered corners of the wreck, and shoals of fish stay with divers along the 100 to 110 m length of the ship.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Rockliffe
- Type
- Cargo ship
- Length
- 100 m (328 ft)
- Cause
- Torpedoed; a direct hit destroyed its sides
- Lies
- Upright on its keel on a seabed at about 10 m off Vardane, Lazarevskoye
Marine life and season
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Good |
Season follows Sochi & Lazarevskoye: Diving runs all year, broken only by strong storms; shore water is clearest in late autumn and early spring.
Sources
- Дайвинг в Лазаревском — Pirat Elizar dive club
- Дайвинг в Сочи — Sochi dive operator
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