Kwarcit Wreck - Sal
The Kwarcit isn't just a wreck; it's a properly atmospheric dive. You drop down onto this Russian trawler, sunk deliberately back in '92, and it immediately feels different from some of the other wrecks around Sal. It sits upright, mostly intact, which means there's a real sense of structure to explore. We love finning along the deck, imagining what life was like on board, then heading into the hold. It’s dark in there, properly dark, with only the occasional shaft of light slicing through, and that's where you often find the bigger groupers lurking, all grumpy and territorial. There's always a lot of schooling fish here, especially around the mast and superstructure – often big jacks circling. The currents can pick up, so it's not a lazy drift, but that just adds to the adventure. We’d suggest going with a guide who knows the wreck well; there are a few swim-throughs worth checking out, but you need to know where you're going. It's a fantastic site for photographers looking for something a bit dramatic, and for anyone who appreciates a wreck with a story, even if it's a made-up one in your head.
- Location
- Sal, Cape Verde, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- 16.581234, -22.920116
- Type
- wreck
Marine Protected Area: Reserva Natural Ponta de Sinó
Nearby Dive Sites in Sal
Nearest Dive Centres to Kwarcit Wreck
Marine Life in Sal
Home to 29 recorded species including 17 reef fish, 9 whales & dolphins, 1 other, 1 hard corals, 1 sea cucumbers.
Notable Species
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- Baleares Conger (Ariosoma balearicum) - Reef Fish
- Sharpnose Pufferfish (Canthigaster rostrata) - Reef Fish
- Bigscale (Scopelogadus mizolepis) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Spotted Lanternfish (Myctophum nitidulum) - Reef Fish
- Lanternfish (Hygophum benoiti) - Reef Fish
- Bigtooth Cardinalfish (Paroncheilus affinis) - Reef Fish
- Devonshire cup coral (Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) smithii) - Hard Corals
- Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus) - Reef Fish
- Blackfish (Globicephala macrorhynchus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Snipe Eel (Nemichthys scolopaceus) - Reef Fish
- Bridled Dolphin (Stenella attenuata) - Whales & Dolphins
- Lesser Bream (Brama dussumieri) - Reef Fish
- Moonfish (Mola mola) - Reef Fish
- Bogue (Boops boops) - Reef Fish
- harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) - Whales & Dolphins