ALMERIAN
Protected Area
Fondali di Torre Salsa
Why dive here
With 60+ marine species recorded in the area - including dolphins, sea turtles and sperm whales - ALMERIAN offers some of Ustica's richest wreck diving. Water sits around 15°C.
The Almerian wreck off Ustica is less about big thrills and more about quiet exploration. It’s a shallow dive, maxing out at 16 meters, which we love for its accessibility and generous bottom time. What was once a British steamship, sunk by a torpedo in October 1918, is now a series of broken sections spread across a sandy seabed. You won't find an intact hull here, but that's part of its charm. We particularly enjoy tracing the debris field, imagining the moments of its sinking. The real draw, for us, is the way the Mediterranean has reclaimed it. Schools of damselfish shimmer over the metal plates, and every crack and crevice seems to host moray eels or nimble slipper lobsters. Keep an eye out for octopus, too; they often camouflage themselves so perfectly you only spot them when they decide to glide away. The scattered sections mean there’s always something new to investigate, making it a surprisingly engaging dive for all levels, even if you’re just getting comfortable with wreck sites. It's a gentle introduction to history underwater.
Typical ALMERIAN Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Always perform a 3-minute safety stop at 5m before surfacing.
ALMERIAN Wreck History
Year Sunk
1918
Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
torpedo
Tonnage
3,030 GRT
The SS Almerian was a British cargo steamship caught in the crosshairs of World War I's relentless U-boat campaign. On October 19, 1918, just three weeks before the armistice that would end the war, the Almerian was steaming through the Mediterranean Sea. Its journey was cut short off the coast of the remote volcanic island of Ustica, Italy, when it was torpedoed by the German submarine UB-105. The attack was swift and fatal, sending the 3,030-ton vessel to the bottom of the sea.
Today, the Almerian rests at an accessible depth of 16 meters, making it a popular and fascinating dive for visitors to Ustica's renowned marine protected area. The wreck is broken but still recognizable, with its bow and stern sections offering plenty to explore. Divers can swim around the ship's boilers and cargo holds, now encrusted with marine life and patrolled by large schools of damselfish and barracuda. The Almerian serves as a poignant underwater memorial to the final, desperate days of the Great War and the countless merchant mariners who were lost.
Reviews for ALMERIAN
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for ALMERIAN
ALMERIAN Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for ALMERIAN, sourced from NOAA buoy data - nearest station: Open-Meteo grid (38.72, 13.18) (0km away)
August Averages
Sea Temperature
15.49°C
60°F
Air Temperature
27°C
81°F
Wind Speed
5.68 m/s
11.0 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1013.3 hPa
Based on 5 years of monitoring data · Data sources: NOAA NDBC
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