HELENA - Alonissos Marine Park
The Helena wreck, just off Alonissos, is a surprisingly intimate dive. We love that it’s right there at two metres, making it accessible for almost anyone, snorkelers included. This isn't a massive, imposing wreck, but a smaller yacht, the kind you can really get a sense of. We’ve finned over it countless times, always spotting something new. The bow is often draped in fishing nets, home to little scorpionfish and often a shy octopus tucked into a shadowy corner. Further back, the deck offers fantastic photographic opportunities; sunlight filters through the shallow water, illuminating the growth of green algae and the small clouds of juvenile damselfish that dart in and out of the skeletal remains of the cabin. It’s a great spot for an extended safety stop, or even your whole dive if you take your time and explore every nook. Look out for nudibranchs creeping along the railings – they’re easy to miss if you’re not paying attention. We'd suggest going in the morning before any wind picks up, when the surface is calmest and the light is best for peering into the wreck's interior.
- Location
- Alonissos Marine Park, Greece, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 37.665500, 24.402666
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 2m
Marine Protected Area: PARAKTIA KAI THALASSIA ZONI MAKRONISOU
Best Time to Dive in Alonissos Marine Park
The warmest water temperatures in Alonissos Marine Park occur in August, averaging 27.2°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 13.9°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 14.5°C
- February: 13.9°C
- March: 14.2°C
- April: 15.4°C
- May: 18.7°C
- June: 23.5°C
- July: 26.5°C
- August: 27.2°C
- September: 25.3°C
- October: 22.8°C
- November: 19.9°C
- December: 16.9°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Alonissos Marine Park
- AES GIORGIS - 5m (wreck)
- Aghios Petros
- AGIA MATRONA - 40m (wreck)
- AGIOS IOANNIS - 3m (wreck)
- AGIOS NICOLAOS - 25m (wreck)
- Agios Romanos
- ALEXANDROS Z - 54m (wreck)
- ALEX G - 9m (wreck)
- Alonissos National Marine Park
- AMALIA - 6m (wreck)
- ANDREAS - 25m (wreck)
- ANDROS - 36m (wreck)
- Andros Wreck (wreck)
- Apollonia II wreck (wreck)
- APOLLONIA VI - 20m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to HELENA
Marine Life in Alonissos Marine Park
Home to 16 recorded species including 3 whales & dolphins, 3 reef fish, 2 other, 2 hard corals, 2 crabs & lobsters, 1 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- Leidy's Comb Jelly (Mnemiopsis leidyi)
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Marbled Spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus) - Reef Fish
- Silver-cheeked Toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) - Reef Fish
- Devonshire cup coral (Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) smithii) - Hard Corals
- Species code: Hs (Halophila stipulacea) - Seagrass & Algae
- Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Norway Lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Red coral (Corallium rubrum) - Soft Corals
- Bottleneck Sea Cucumber (Holothuria (Thymiosycia) impatiens) - Sea Cucumbers
- Sand mason (Lanice conchilega) - Worms
- Bushy Coral (Cladocora caespitosa) - Hard Corals
- Wrasse (Coris julis) - Reef Fish
- Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) - Crabs & Lobsters
Recommended Packing List for HELENA
Based on average water temperature of 19.9°C, currents 3 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 20°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