HMS Perseus - Zakynthos & Ionian Islands
We love the HMS Perseus wreck for its sheer history and how well it tells a story underwater. Dropped during World War II, this British submarine lies at around 50 metres, making it a dive best suited for experienced technical divers. We’ve been lucky enough to dive it a few times, and each time, the sheer scale of the wreck is impressive. You can still make out the conning tower, the torpedo tubes, and the propeller, all encrusted with sponges and hydroids. Swimming along the hull, you often spot scorpionfish tucked into crevices and moray eels peeking out from behind a bulkhead. Inside, if you're qualified and the conditions are right, the engine room is accessible, a haunting space that feels frozen in time. Our favourite part has to be the stern, where the prop is still largely intact, a real photographic opportunity. Be aware, currents can be strong here, so pick a calm day. It’s an immersive dive, a sombre reminder of the past, but now very much a living reef.
- Location
- Zakynthos & Ionian Islands, Greece, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 38.021862, 20.763130
- Type
- wreck
Marine Protected Area: THALASSIA ZONI APO ARGOSTOLI EOS ORMO MOUNTA
Nearby Dive Sites in Zakynthos & Ionian Islands
- AGHIOS ANDREAS - 5m (wreck)
- Agni Reef (reef)
- AIKATERINI - 3m (wreck)
- Alexanders Cave (cave)
- ALUX (PROBABLY) - 2m (wreck)
- Anker
- Antipaxoi Beach
- Arch of the temple - 10-25m (cave)
- Aris Place
- AYIA ZONI - 1m (wreck)
- Barracuda Reef (reef)
- Big Moray reef (reef)
- Blue Pot
- Bournias
- Butterfly Cave (cave)
Nearest Dive Centres to HMS Perseus
Marine Life in Zakynthos & Ionian Islands
Home to 24 recorded species including 12 reef fish, 4 whales & dolphins, 2 crabs & lobsters, 2 clams & mussels, 2 seagrass & algae, 1 other.
Notable Species
- Marbled Spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus) - Reef Fish
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Wrasse (Coris julis) - Reef Fish
- Red lionfish (Pterois miles) - Reef Fish
- Painted Comber (Serranus scriba) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense) - Reef Fish
- Ornate Wrasse (Thalassoma pavo) - Reef Fish
- Dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) - Reef Fish
- Garrupa (Serranus cabrilla) - Reef Fish
- Silver-cheeked Toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Salema (Sarpa salpa) - Reef Fish
- Native oyster (Ostrea edulis) - Clams & Mussels
- Mediterranean tapeweed (Posidonia oceanica) - Seagrass & Algae
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) - Reef Fish
- Norway Lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Species code: Hs (Halophila stipulacea) - Seagrass & Algae
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins