wreck

Log This Dive

MV Mars (Wreck)

The MV Mars isn’t the kind of wreck that makes headlines, but for new wreck divers, or those who just love a good story, we think it’s pretty special. Resting upright at a gentle 16 meters, this cargo ship went down in the 80s, overloaded with construction materials. You can still see the rebar and cement bags scattered around the seabed, a ghostly cargo frozen in time. What we love about the Mars is how accessible it is. You can practically fin the entire length in one breath. Penetration isn’t really on the cards here, but the open cargo holds are easy to peek into, and sunlight streams through the various openings, illuminating the schools of glassfish that shimmer inside. Look closely, and you’ll spot crocodilefish camouflaged on the deck, and we've regularly seen moray eels peering out from beneath collapsed sections. The bow is our favourite spot; it’s largely intact and often hosts a resident school of batfish. It’s a shallow, calm dive, ideal for getting comfortable finning around something man-made and discovering the marine life that now calls it home.