PHILIPPOS D - Halkidiki
The Philippos D is less a dive and more a fascinating snorkel, but don’t let that put you off. This grounded motor vessel, beached in 1982 after developing leaks, offers a rare chance to get up close and personal with a substantial wreck without needing to even get your hair wet. We love drifting over the enormous hull, which sits just shy of the surface, its vastness making you feel tiny even from above. The ship's skeletal remains are a playground for light. Sunlight filters through the gaps in the deck, illuminating schools of small silvery fish darting in and out of the rusted metal. You’ll see sea bream nosing around the collapsed sections and iridescent damselfish guarding their territories. Our favourite detail is the way the metal has warped, creating these strange, organic shapes that are now completely encrusted with algae and the odd anemone. It’s an easy, rewarding stop, perfect for a surface interval or for anyone who appreciates the eerie beauty of a shipwreck colonised by the sea. Just watch for boat traffic if you’re venturing out a bit.
- Location
- Halkidiki, Greece, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 40.611220, 22.882110
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 2m
Marine Protected Area: Delta Axiou (Chalastras)
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 PHILIPPOS D
- 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 PHILIPPOS D
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