MV Ovalau II wreck dive - Kadavu & Great Astrolabe Reef

The MV Ovalau II is our favourite kind of wreck – one with a story and just enough depth to feel like a proper adventure without demanding technical wizardry. She’s an old inter-island ferry, sunk deliberately in 2003, and at 60 metres long, she offers a decent amount of exploration. We love dropping down onto her, seeing the sunlight dappling through the open deck areas. You’ll find her resting upright on the sandy bottom at 24 metres, perfect for intermediate divers. The wheelhouse is still largely intact, and you can swim through the main deck, imagining her days ferrying cargo and people. Over the years, the wreck has become a proper artificial reef, with schools of fusiliers often swirling around the superstructure so thick they almost obscure your view. Keep an eye out for lionfish tucked into shadowy corners and moray eels peeking from portholes. We’ve even spotted a few reef sharks cruising by on deeper passes. The currents here are generally mild, making for a relaxed dive, but we always suggest checking conditions with your dive operator; sometimes a gentle push makes the drift past the bow truly graceful.

Location

Kadavu & Great Astrolabe Reef, Fiji, Central & South Pacific

Coordinates

-17.258200, 178.202600

Type

wreck

Maximum Depth

24m

Difficulty

Intermediate

Marine Protected Area: Vanua Rakiraki, Ra