White Star (Ivana Ivanova) - Paphos & Coral Bay
The White Star, or Ivana Ivanova as some of the local dive centres call her, is one of those wrecks that just hits right. It sits shallow, around 13 metres, meaning you get long bottom times and plenty of light filtering down. We love that it’s still very much a ship, not just a pile of rubble. You can make out the bow, the stern, and parts of the superstructure, offering proper swim-throughs and a sense of exploration. This Bulgarian cargo ship went down in 1966, carrying timber, and you can still find remnants of that cargo scattered around – we’ve often spotted old planks of wood resting on the seabed. Schools of damselfish often hover over the deck, and we’ve seen moray eels peeking out from various nooks and crannies. Keep an eye out for scorpionfish, too, masters of camouflage, usually tucked into a shadowy corner. It's a relaxed dive, perfect for photographers or anyone wanting to spend quality time poking around a well-preserved piece of history without deep-diving stress. For the best light, we’d suggest a mid-morning dive.
- Location
- Paphos & Coral Bay, Cyprus, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 34.732350, 32.414375
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 13m
Marine Protected Area: THALASSIA PERIOCHI MOULIA
Best Time to Dive in Paphos & Coral Bay
The warmest water temperatures in Paphos & Coral Bay occur in January, averaging 18.1°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 18.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 18.1°C (air: 13.4°C)
- February: 18.1°C (air: 13.2°C)
- March: 18.1°C (air: 14.6°C)
- April: 18.1°C (air: 18.4°C)
- May: 18.1°C (air: 21.9°C)
- June: 18.1°C (air: 25.4°C)
- July: 18.1°C (air: 28.8°C)
- August: 18.1°C (air: 28.3°C)
- September: 18.1°C (air: 26.5°C)
- October: 18.1°C (air: 23.0°C)
- November: 18.1°C (air: 18.7°C)
- December: 18.1°C (air: 15.2°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Paphos & Coral Bay
- ACCELO - 2m (wreck)
- ACHAIOS (POSSIBLY) - 3m (wreck)
- ACHILLEAS - 12m (wreck)
- ADHAM II - 6m (wreck)
- Agios Georgios Pegeia Beach - 12m
- Amphitheatre - 5-18m
- Amphitheatre (reef)
- Church Bay (reef)
- CyDive (reef)
- DIMITRIOS II - 3m (wreck)
- EDRO III - 0m (wreck)
- FARSAS II - 21m (wreck)
- GREAT HARMONY - 7m (wreck)
- GYPTIS - 6m (wreck)
- KIBRIS I - 14m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to White Star (Ivana Ivanova)
- ABC Dive Ltd - ["PADI"]
- Abyss Dive Centre - ["PADI"]
- Amphibious Diving Center
- Amphora Scuba Diving Center - ["PADI"]
- Coral Bay Divers - ["PADI"]
- CREST DIVE LTD - PADI, RYA
Marine Life in Paphos & Coral Bay
Home to 44 recorded species including 26 reef fish, 9 sharks & rays, 3 other, 2 whales & dolphins, 2 sea snails & nudibranchs, 1 soft corals.
Notable Species
- Thornback skate (Raja clavata) - Sharks & Rays
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- marbled electric ray (Torpedo marmorata) - Sharks & Rays
- Brown Skate (Raja miraletus) - Sharks & Rays
- One-finned Shark (Heptranchias perlo) - Sharks & Rays
- dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
- Savigny's Brittle Star (Ophiactis savignyi)
- Blackmouth catshark (Galeus melastomus) - Sharks & Rays
- Gulper shark (Centrophorus granulosus) - Sharks & Rays
- Marbled Spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus) - Reef Fish
- Velvet belly lantern shark (Etmopterus spinax) - Sharks & Rays
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Silver-cheeked Toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) - Reef Fish
- Garrupa (Serranus cabrilla) - Reef Fish
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- Redcoat (Sargocentron rubrum) - Reef Fish
- Three-tooth Cavoline (Cavolinia tridentata) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Jenny Lind (Seriola dumerili) - Reef Fish
- Pandora (Pagellus erythrinus) - Reef Fish
- red mullet (Mullus surmuletus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for White Star (Ivana Ivanova)
Based on average water temperature of 18.1°C.
- 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