wreck

Log This Dive

5B-CCF

The 5B-CCF wreck in Crete isn't about big fish or colourful corals; it's about the sheer presence of a downed aircraft, lying surprisingly intact at 18 metres. We love how the light plays on the metal fuselage, giving it a ghostly, almost ethereal feel as you approach. It’s a Hawker Sea Hawk, an old British naval jet, and you can still make out the cockpit and the wings stretching out on the sandy bottom. Swimming around the plane, we often find schools of damselfish flitting in and out of the crevices, and the occasional moray eel peeking from beneath a wing. It feels like swimming through a moment frozen in time, the metallic structure now a canvas for the slow creep of marine growth. Our favourite detail has to be the way the engine intake is now home to dozens of tiny blennies. Visibility here is usually good, 20 metres or more on a calm day, which makes for excellent photography. We’d suggest heading out in the morning, before any wind picks up, for the best conditions. This wreck suits divers who appreciate history and the quiet beauty of something man-made being reclaimed by the sea.