LUCANO, DELORO MICHIGAN & ORUBA - Halkidiki
Halkidiki isn't just about beaches; there’s a surprising wreck trifecta near Thessaloniki. We’re talking about the Lucano, Deloro Michigan, and Oruba, three wrecks scuttled in the 1920s to create a breakwater for a new harbour. At a mere three metres, this is less a deep exploration and more an atmospheric snorkel or super-shallow dive. You’ll find the remains of the Lucano, a passenger ship, lying on its side, plates rusted and peeling. The Deloro Michigan, a steamer, is next, identifiable by its more robust hull sections. Finally, the Oruba, another steamer, sits closest to shore. We love seeing how the sun plays through the shallow water, illuminating the wrecks with an almost golden light. It’s an easy dive, perfect for beginners or photographers keen on playing with natural light and historical context. Look for schools of juvenile fish darting through the skeletal remains, and vibrant green algae clinging to the metal. It’s an unusual site, certainly not a deep blue experience, but we find the history palpable, almost haunting, in the clear shallows. Try it at dawn for the best light and fewest people.
- Location
- Halkidiki, Greece, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 40.150000, 25.970556
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 3m
Marine Protected Area: FENGARI SAMOTHRAKIS, ANATOLIKES AKTES, VRACHONISSIDA ZOURAFA KAI THALASSIA ZONI
Best Time to Dive in Halkidiki
The warmest water temperatures in Halkidiki occur in August, averaging 26.6°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 14.0°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 14.7°C
- February: 14.5°C
- March: 14.0°C
- April: 14.6°C
- May: 18.4°C
- June: 23.4°C
- July: 26.3°C
- August: 26.6°C
- September: 24.4°C
- October: 21.2°C
- November: 18.6°C
- December: 16.3°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Halkidiki
- AGIOS NIKOLAOS - 55m (wreck)
- Akti Kalogrias
- ALEKOS - 55m (wreck)
- ANTHOULA - 11m (wreck)
- Armenistis bay - 5-20m (reef)
- Avlaki
- CAPTAIN NIKOS (PROBABLY) - 20m (wreck)
- Dias island - 10-25m (reef)
- Dolphin Diving Center
- ERIKA - 9m (wreck)
- EVDOKIA - 50m (wreck)
- FAIRY TALE - 24m (wreck)
- FETICH BOULEN - 10m (wreck)
- Fidonisi
- Finger reef (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to LUCANO, DELORO MICHIGAN & ORUBA
- AQUALAND - SSI, PADI, CMAS
- ARGOS DALIS MERKEZI
- AZURE DIVING CENTER - SSI
- BLUE DIVING CENTER
- CAT DIVING CENTER
- Dive Club Kassandra - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Halkidiki
Home to 22 recorded species including 5 reef fish, 5 hard corals, 4 other, 3 crabs & lobsters, 2 soft corals, 2 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- Wrasse (Coris julis) - Reef Fish
- Pink Sea Fan (Eunicella verrucosa) - Soft Corals
- Sunset cup coral (Leptopsammia pruvoti) - Hard Corals
- Bushy Coral (Cladocora caespitosa) - Hard Corals
- Leidy's Comb Jelly (Mnemiopsis leidyi)
- Painted Comber (Serranus scriba) - Reef Fish
- Garrupa (Serranus cabrilla) - Reef Fish
- Devonshire cup coral (Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) smithii) - Hard Corals
- Common brittlestar (Ophiothrix fragilis)
- Neptune's lace (Reteporella grimaldii)
- Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Star Coral (Madracis pharensis) - Hard Corals
- Red coral (Corallium rubrum) - Soft Corals
- Salema (Sarpa salpa) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Sand hopper (Talitrus saltator) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- Norway Lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Beadlet anemone (Actinia equina) - Hard Corals
- Mediterranean feather star (Antedon mediterranea)
Recommended Packing List for LUCANO, DELORO MICHIGAN & ORUBA
Based on average water temperature of 19.4°C, currents 6 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 19°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