Francesca di Rimini (Wreck) - Kornati Islands
The Francesca di Rimini is a proper time capsule, a casualty of WWII that’s been sitting upright on the seabed since 1944. Dropping down, you hit the bow first, which is largely intact. It’s got this eerie, historical weight to it, especially when the light hits the hull just right through the clear Croatian water. We love nosing around the superstructure, picturing life aboard before it met its end. Down at 41m, it's definitely one for the Advanced Open Water crowd and those comfortable with deeper dives. The stern's a bit more broken up, but that’s where we often find the larger scorpionfish tucked into the crevices, blending perfectly with the encrusting sponges. Visibility here is usually excellent, letting you take in the whole ship as you descend, which is a real advantage for photography. Our favourite tip? Go early in the morning. The Kornati is popular, and having the Francesca to yourself for a while really elevates the experience. It’s a compelling piece of history, patiently waiting for those who make the effort.
- Location
- Kornati Islands, Croatia, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 43.727600, 15.669400
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 41m
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Marine Protected Area: Kakanski kanal
Best Time to Dive in Kornati Islands
The warmest water temperatures in Kornati Islands occur in August, averaging 25.6°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 14.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 15.3°C
- February: 14.3°C
- March: 14.1°C
- April: 14.7°C
- May: 17.6°C
- June: 21.8°C
- July: 24.7°C
- August: 25.6°C
- September: 24.0°C
- October: 21.4°C
- November: 19.5°C
- December: 17.1°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Kornati Islands
- Alains cliff - 15-40m (wall)
- Amfiteatre dive - 25m
- Anchor dive
- "AQUANAUT" - 15-40m (cave)
- Aquanaut Diving Centar Murter - 5-30m (wall)
- Arta Vala
- AVALA - 10m (wreck)
- Babuljasi
- Balun
- Big Blue Diving - 20-40m (wall)
- Blue Lagoon - 14m (reef)
- Božava Diving - 10-30m (reef)
- Brbišćica - 10-25m (cave)
- Brbiscica Cave - 10-30m (cave)
- BRIGITTA MONTANARI - 30m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Francesca di Rimini (Wreck)
- Albamaris - SSI
- Ancora
- Anma Diving center - SSI, PADI
- Aqualis Diving Center Hvar - PADI, SSI
- "AQUANAUT"
- Aquanaut Diving Centar Murter
Marine Life in Kornati Islands
Home to 91 recorded species including 64 reef fish, 10 sharks & rays, 6 octopus & squid, 3 crabs & lobsters, 3 other, 3 hard corals.
Notable Species
- hake (Merluccius merluccius) - Reef Fish
- pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) - Reef Fish
- anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) - Reef Fish
- Capelin (Trisopterus capelanus) - Reef Fish
- Painted Comber (Serranus scriba) - Reef Fish
- blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) - Reef Fish
- Bogue (Boops boops) - Reef Fish
- Norway Lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- lesser argentine (Argentina sphyraena) - Reef Fish
- Mullet (Mullus barbatus) - Reef Fish
- dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
- Thornback skate (Raja clavata) - Sharks & Rays
- megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis) - Reef Fish
- Split (Scomber scombrus) - Reef Fish
- Gurnard (Trigla lyra) - Reef Fish
- dory (Zeus faber) - Reef Fish
- common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) - Octopus & Squid
- Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) - Octopus & Squid
- Frie's Goby (Lesueurigobius friesii) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Coris julis) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Francesca di Rimini (Wreck)
Based on average water temperature of 19.2°C, currents 3 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 19°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