COUNTY OF CARMARTHEN - Santiago

The County of Carmarthen, what a glorious mess she is. This old steamship, sunk way back in 1922, isn’t about dramatic depths – she’s practically a snorkel site at a maximum of two metres. But don’t let that fool you. We love this wreck precisely *because* she’s so shallow and so thoroughly broken up. It's like an archaeological dig in real-time. You’re not penetrating cabins here, you’re swimming over, through, and around the skeletal remains of a substantial vessel. The sheer size of her, 105 metres long, means you could spend an hour just meandering through the twisted metal plates and enormous beams. Sunlight penetrates everywhere, illuminating schools of tiny baitfish that shimmer like liquid silver between the corroded ribs. Look closely and you’ll find plenty of cleaner shrimp busying themselves, and often a moray eel peeking out from under a particularly hefty piece of steel. Our favourite spot is near the stern, where the engine block is clearly visible, now completely overgrown with soft corals. It’s a photographer’s dream, particularly on a calm morning when the surface is like glass. Ideal for anyone who loves history and doesn’t need deep water to feel immersed.

Location

Santiago, Cape Verde, Indian Ocean & East Africa

Coordinates

15.334333, -23.160667

Type

wreck

Maximum Depth

2m

Marine Protected Area: Parque Natural Norte da Ilha do Maio