Sozopol & St. Ivan Island · Bulgaria · Wreck
Pioneer
A fishing boat scuttled beside St. Ivan Island, now coated in mussels
The Pioneer is an old fishing boat sunk on purpose beside St. Ivan Island off Sozopol, both as an attraction for divers and to make an artificial reef. It sits within reach of Open Water divers, and years on the bottom have turned it into a home for small reef fish, a short boat ride from Sozopol port.
Also known as Pioner, Shipwreck Pioner, Wreck Pioneer.
Where it is and how deep
42.4363° N, 27.6927° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The 30 m hull rests on the bottom at 18 m close to St. Ivan Island. After so many years underwater the wreck is overgrown with mussels, and many wrasses, gobies and blennies live on it, while schools of migratory fish pass over the boat.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Pioneer
- Type
- Fishing boat
- Length
- 30 m (98 ft)
- Cause
- Sunk on purpose as a dive attraction and artificial reef
- Lies
- At 18 m close to St. Ivan Island, off Sozopol
Marine life and season
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Sozopol & St. Ivan Island: June and July pair water that feels quite warm with the last of the seahorses; the sea stays quite warm into September and feels very cold from December to April.
Dive videos
"Pioneer" - Wreck Diving, Bulgaria · NWDC on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Can Open Water divers dive the Pioneer wreck at Sozopol?+
Yes. The fishing boat lies at 18 m, within Open Water limits, and is reached by a short boat ride from Sozopol port.
Sources
- Diving spots – Sub Diving Sozopol — Sub Diving
- Dive sites near Sozopol, Bulgaria — Sozopol Diving Center
- Shipwreck Pioner — DivePlanner Pro
More dive sites in Sozopol & St. Ivan Island
Wreck
A 1964 fishing vessel sunk off Sozopol as an artificial reef
Reef
A living reef that fishing nets cannot work
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Wreck
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Cave & cavern
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