Wreck of ORP Kujawiak - Comino
The HMS Russell site in Comino is one of those Mediterranean wrecks we keep coming back to. While a lot of the Malta wrecks are more intact, the Russell offers something different – a more broken-up, spread-out feel that lets you really explore the debris field. We love how the historical context of a pre-dreadnought battleship collides with the natural process of an artificial reef. You'll spend your dive picking through scattered plates and beams, imagining the sheer scale of the ship while keeping an eye out for the resident painted combers and black gobies that dart between the metal. Visibility here is usually excellent, often 20 metres or more, which really helps when you're trying to piece together the wreck's outline from the scattered pieces. We've often found ourselves hovering over sections, watching lesser argentine glide past. It’s a dive that rewards slow, deliberate exploration rather than deep penetration. If you’re a fan of history and seeing how the sea reclaims things, the Russell offers a genuinely compelling narrative underwater. Keep an eye out for loggerhead turtles too; we’ve had a few memorable encounters here, especially on quieter weekday mornings.
- Location
- Comino, Malta, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 35.883335, 14.583333
- Type
- wreck
Marine Protected Area: Irdumijiet Ta\' Madwar Il-Kosta mill-Ponta tal-Miġnuna sal-Bajja ta\' San Tumas f\' Wied il-Għajn
Best Time to Dive in Comino
The warmest water temperatures in Comino occur in August, averaging 28.1°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 15.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 16.4°C
- February: 15.5°C
- March: 15.3°C
- April: 16.2°C
- May: 18.7°C
- June: 22.9°C
- July: 26.9°C
- August: 28.1°C
- September: 27.3°C
- October: 24.9°C
- November: 22.2°C
- December: 19.3°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Comino
- ABINGDON - 14m (wreck)
- Alex's Cave Dive Site (cave)
- Anadrian - 60m (wreck)
- Anchor Reef Dive Site (reef)
- ANTONIO E FRANCESCO - 55m (wreck)
- BARGE 1 - 60m (wreck)
- Bengħisa Patch (reef)
- Bengħisa Reef (reef)
- BLACK PEARL - 2m (wreck)
- BLENHEIM BOMBER - 28m (wreck)
- Blue Lagoon Tunnel Dive Site (cave)
- Blue Waters Dive Cove - 5-20m (reef)
- BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTER - 35m (wreck)
- CAROLINA - 11m (wreck)
- Ċirkewwa Arch Dive Site (cave)
Nearest Dive Centres to Wreck of ORP Kujawiak
- ABC Diving - PADI
- Aquamarina
- Aquatica Scuba Diving
- Atlantis Diving Centre - PADI, BSAC, VDST, TDI
- Blue Waters Dive Cove - ["PADI"]
- Bubbles Dive Shop
Marine Life in Comino
Home to 24 recorded species including 12 reef fish, 4 sharks & rays, 2 whales & dolphins, 2 seagrass & algae, 2 hard corals, 1 other.
Notable Species
- Painted Comber (Serranus scriba) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Coris julis) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense) - Reef Fish
- Ornate Wrasse (Thalassoma pavo) - Reef Fish
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Salema (Sarpa salpa) - Reef Fish
- Garrupa (Serranus cabrilla) - Reef Fish
- Dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- Mediterranean tapeweed (Posidonia oceanica) - Seagrass & Algae
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Damsel fish (Chromis chromis) - Reef Fish
- sting ray (Dasyatis pastinaca) - Sharks & Rays
- killer alga (Caulerpa taxifolia) - Seagrass & Algae
- Marbled Spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus) - Reef Fish
- dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
- Moonfish (Mola mola) - Reef Fish
- Scarlet Coral (Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) europaea) - Hard Corals
- Red coral (Corallium rubrum) - Soft Corals
- Bushy Coral (Cladocora caespitosa) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for Wreck of ORP Kujawiak
Based on average water temperature of 21.1°C, currents 2 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 21°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