Sozopol & St. Ivan Island · Bulgaria · Wreck
Rodina
A 1941 mine casualty, one of Bulgaria's best-known wrecks
The Rodina is a Bulgarian cargo ship that went down in 1941 after striking a mine, and it is one of the best-known wreck dives in Bulgaria. It lies deep opposite Cape Kolokita, south of Sozopol, and the dive is reserved for experienced divers only.
Also known as Rodina Wreck, SS Rodina.
Where it is and how deep
42.3649° N, 27.7899° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The Rodina rests at 40 m opposite Cape Kolokita, south of Sozopol. The cargo ship is 109.9 m long and displaces 6510 t, and the depth of the whole wreck restricts the dive to experienced divers.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Rodina
- Type
- Cargo ship
- Length
- 109.9 m (361 ft)
- Built
- 1922
- Sunk
- 1941
- Cause
- Struck a mine in the Black Sea
- Lies
- At 40 m opposite Cape Kolokita, south of Sozopol
The Rodina was built in 1922 at the Vulcan shipyard in Hamburg and later sailed as a Bulgarian cargo ship. On 19 September 1941 she struck a mine in the Black Sea while travelling from Istanbul to Varna and sank. She is now one of the most famous wreck dives in Bulgaria.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
Shipwreck Rodina · crazydiverbg on YouTube
Questions divers ask
What experience does the Rodina wreck need?+
The wreck lies at 40 m, so the dive is for experienced divers only, with training for that depth.
Sources
- Diving spots – Sub Diving Sozopol — Sub Diving
- Rodina Wreck — ScubaGo
- SS Rodina — Wikipedia
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