HM MGB 657 - Istria Peninsula
We love the HM MGB 657 wreck for its simplicity and historical punch. It’s sitting upright in just 12 meters, making it incredibly accessible, even for newer divers or those who just want a long, relaxed bottom time. You can trace its entire 33.5-meter length, picturing the crew on patrol back in '44 before that mine hit. The MGB 657 is now a home for moray eels tucked into the superstructure and schools of damselfish flitting around the old gun mounts. We always enjoy spotting octopus camouflaged against the hull plating; sometimes they're right out in the open, pretending to be part of the wreck itself. Because it's so shallow, light penetration is excellent, illuminating the details of the gunboat and creating a shimmering effect on the metal. It’s not about grand scale here; it's about the tangible history and the way marine life has reclaimed it. Our favourite time to dive it is early morning before the boat traffic picks up, when the visibility often feels a little crisper.
- Location
- Istria Peninsula, Croatia, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 44.167330, 12.633166
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 12m
Best Time to Dive in Istria Peninsula
The warmest water temperatures in Istria Peninsula occur in August, averaging 26.1°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 11.8°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 13.5°C
- February: 11.9°C
- March: 11.8°C
- April: 13.4°C
- May: 17.0°C
- June: 22.4°C
- July: 25.6°C
- August: 26.1°C
- September: 23.6°C
- October: 20.3°C
- November: 17.8°C
- December: 15.8°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Istria Peninsula
- 100 Steps
- 1. Niederbayerischer Tauchsportclub Plattling e.V.
- 3 Zinnen - 18m
- A CAPELLINI - 11m (wreck)
- Accademia Blu Diving Center
- Allgäuer Taucherhof
- Allmannshausen: Naturschutzgebiet
- Allmannshausen: Seeburg
- Allmannshausen: Wasserwacht
- Allmannshauser Steilwand
- Almsee (reef)
- Alpenblick
- Alte Badanstalt
- Alte Brücke-Flurlingersteg
- Alte Julierbrücke
Nearest Dive Centres to HM MGB 657
- 100 x 100 Diving - PADI, TECREC, DAN, EFR
- ACQUASUB VICENZA TEAM asd
- Albarella Diving Center SSDRL
- Apnea Slovenija
- Aquaemotion SSD SRL
- Aquanautic Elba - SSI
Marine Life in Istria Peninsula
Home to 48 recorded species including 28 reef fish, 7 sharks & rays, 3 other, 2 crabs & lobsters, 2 octopus & squid, 1 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- Corb (Sciaena umbra) - Reef Fish
- Cape Shark (Squalus acanthias) - Sharks & Rays
- conger (Conger conger) - Reef Fish
- Common lobster (Homarus gammarus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Common Eagle Ray (Myliobatis aquila) - Sharks & Rays
- poor cod (Trisopterus minutus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Stingray (Pteroplatytrygon violacea) - Sharks & Rays
- Common smoothhound (Mustelus mustelus) - Sharks & Rays
- Painted Comber (Serranus scriba) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Coris julis) - Reef Fish
- Blackspotted Smoothhound (Mustelus punctulatus) - Sharks & Rays
- Damsel fish (Chromis chromis) - Reef Fish
- Leidy's Comb Jelly (Mnemiopsis leidyi)
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Slender Seagrass (Cymodocea nodosa) - Seagrass & Algae
- hake (Merluccius merluccius) - Reef Fish
- Mullet (Mullus barbatus) - Reef Fish
- european squid (Loligo vulgaris) - Octopus & Squid
- common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) - Octopus & Squid
Recommended Packing List for HM MGB 657
Based on average water temperature of 18.3°C, currents 2 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 18°C water
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories