Ursus (Wreck) - Vis & Biševo
The Ursus, or ‘tractor boat’ as we affectionately call her, is a serious dive for experienced wreck heads. Resting upright at 53 metres, this old tug lies remarkably intact, almost as if she just dropped anchor yesterday. The sheer scale hits you as you descend; her bow points north, and the superstructure rises majestically from the seabed. We love a good penetration, and the engine room here is a dark, silty delight, with gauges still visible, hinting at the ship’s final moments. What really sells the Ursus for us is the atmosphere. It’s a deep, dark dive, but the visibility around Vis is usually good, so you get these long sight lines into the gloom. Schools of barracuda often circle the mast, their silver scales catching the distant light. Look for conger eels peering from portholes, and the occasional lobster tucked into a crevice. It’s a dive that demands respect, meticulous planning, and a deep appreciation for maritime history. Definitely one of our favourite deep wrecks in the Adriatic.
- Location
- Vis & Biševo, Croatia, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 43.072400, 16.264500
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 53m
- Difficulty
- Expert
Marine Protected Area: JI strana o. Visa
Nearby Dive Sites in Vis & Biševo
- Airplane - 20m (wreck)
- Amfore
- Amphora Wall - 26m (wall)
- Anchor Wall - 26m (wall)
- Anfore
- Anfore - Komiza
- Anfore - Mliki rat
- B-17G (wreck)
- B-24 Tulsamerican (wreck)
- B-24 (Wreck) - 40m (wreck)
- Baba Reef - 20m (reef)
- Bisevo Blue Cave (cave)
- Bisevo Wall - 15-40m (wall)
- Blue Cave Bisevo (cave)
- Blue Lagoon (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Ursus (Wreck)
- Anma Diving center - Scuba School International, PADI
- Deep Blue Diving
- Issa dive center - SDI, TDI
- Issa Diving Center
- Istvan d.o.o.
- MARLINTREMITI ASD
Marine Life in Vis & Biševo
Home to 144 recorded species including 97 reef fish, 16 sharks & rays, 6 octopus & squid, 5 other, 5 seagrass & algae, 3 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- hake (Merluccius merluccius) - Reef Fish
- pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) - Reef Fish
- anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) - Reef Fish
- Painted Comber (Serranus scriba) - Reef Fish
- Bogue (Boops boops) - Reef Fish
- Norway Lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Capelin (Trisopterus capelanus) - Reef Fish
- Mullet (Mullus barbatus) - Reef Fish
- blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) - Reef Fish
- Split (Scomber scombrus) - Reef Fish
- common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) - Octopus & Squid
- dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
- Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) - Octopus & Squid
- lesser argentine (Argentina sphyraena) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Coris julis) - Reef Fish
- Thornback skate (Raja clavata) - Sharks & Rays
- dory (Zeus faber) - Reef Fish
- megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis) - Reef Fish
- Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) - Reef Fish
- Spotted Dragonet (Callionymus maculatus) - Reef Fish