TSAMANTE - Crete
Okay, Tsamante. Let’s be honest, you won’t be dropping to any serious depths here, as the data shows, it's really a snorkel or free-dive spot. But for what it is, we think it's brilliant. This isn't some perfectly preserved ghost ship. This is a yacht, sunk back in '78, driven onto the rocks near Heraklion. What we love about it is how accessible it is, and how the sea has truly claimed it. You’re looking at a wreck in barely a metre of water, the bow often poking right out, especially on a calm day. It’s been smashed and sculpted by decades of surge. We’ve seen incredible light rays filtering through the broken hull, illuminating clouds of juvenile damselfish darting between twisted metal. Look closely and you’ll find nudibranchs inching across algae-covered plating, and small octopus tucked into crevices. It’s a fantastic spot for photographers wanting to capture that interplay of light and decay, or for newer free-divers building confidence around a genuine wreck. Just watch your footing on the rocks getting in, especially if there’s a swell. It’s not a challenging dive, but it’s a genuinely atmospheric one.
- Location
- Crete, Greece, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 35.346670, 25.158333
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 1m
Marine Protected Area: EKVOLI GEROPOTAMOU MESARAS
Best Time to Dive in Crete
The warmest water temperatures in Crete occur in August, averaging 25.1°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 16.4°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 17.3°C
- February: 16.4°C
- March: 16.4°C
- April: 17.0°C
- May: 19.2°C
- June: 22.3°C
- July: 24.1°C
- August: 25.1°C
- September: 24.6°C
- October: 22.9°C
- November: 20.9°C
- December: 18.9°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Crete
- 5B-CCF - 18m (wreck)
- ABED AL SALEM - 5m (wreck)
- ADAMAS - 2m (wreck)
- ADRIAS - 25m (wreck)
- Aegean Divers
- Afalatosi
- Agios Pavlos Cliff and Caves (cave)
- Agios Pavlos Gold Mine
- Agios Pavlos Wall (wall)
- Akrotiri reef (reef)
- Alonaki
- Ammoudi Reef (reef)
- Ammoudi Reef Wreck (wreck)
- Ammoudi Wall (wall)
- Arado 196 A (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to TSAMANTE
Marine Life in Crete
Home to 11 recorded species including 5 reef fish, 1 other, 1 sea urchins, 1 worms, 1 seagrass & algae, 1 clams & mussels.
Notable Species
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Marbled Spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus) - Reef Fish
- Red lionfish (Pterois miles) - Reef Fish
- Long-spined sea urchin (Diadema setosum) - Sea Urchins
- Silver-cheeked Toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) - Reef Fish
- Studded Pufferfish (Torquigener flavimaculosus) - Reef Fish
- Bearded Fireworm (Hermodice carunculata) - Worms
- Species code: Hs (Halophila stipulacea) - Seagrass & Algae
- Elliptical File-Shell (Limatula subauriculata) - Clams & Mussels
- Redcoat (Sargocentron rubrum) - Reef Fish
- gribble (Limnoria lignorum) - Crabs & Lobsters
Recommended Packing List for TSAMANTE
Based on average water temperature of 20.4°C, currents 5 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