wreck

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ISLA DEL HIERRO

Isla del Hierro isn’t your typical Al Hoceima dive. We love this site for its clear sense of history, a real connection to the wreck’s former life as the *Duchess of Holland*, a roll-on roll-off ferry built in '73. She went down off Malaga in '92, and now sits in a modest 10 metres of water. It’s perfect for a long, relaxed dive, letting you really soak it all in. You can actually picture the cars driving onto her decks, now long gone, replaced by schools of damselfish that dart through the structure. Our favourite part is exploring the shallow, accessible holds. The sunlight filters down, illuminating clouds of juvenile barracuda that often hang lazily above the deeper sections of the deck. We’d suggest going in the morning; the light is best then, and the currents tend to be calmer. It’s a site that rewards a slow pace, letting you appreciate the contrast between its industrial past and its current role as a thriving artificial reef. If you’re into wreck diving without the depth, this one’s a treat.