ANNE SOPHIE
Protected Area
Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina
Why dive here
With 116+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, blue whales, dolphins, dwarf minke whales and ocean sunfish (mola mola) - ANNE SOPHIE offers some of Algarve & Berlengas's richest wreck diving. Water sits around 17°C.
The Anne Sophie wreck is deep. Let's get that out of the way first: 52 metres deep. But for those with the right training, this old yacht is a brilliant dive and our pick for a standout wreck in the Algarve. She went down in 1974 after springing a leak in a storm, sinking north of Cape St Vincent while being towed to shore. Now, she rests upright, and what we love about her is how intact she remains. You'll descend onto the deck, usually met by schools of sardines glinting in the shafts of light that still penetrate this far down. The wheelhouse is surprisingly open; you can poke your head in, imagining the chaos of her final moments. Our favourite detail is the mast, still standing, rising like a skeletal finger towards the surface, encrusted with jewel anemones and home to inquisitive conger eels. Keep an eye on your bottom time here; it’s easy to get lost in the details. The resident moray eels are often peeking from under plating, and sometimes you'll even spot a scorpionfish camouflaged on the hull. This dive really suits technical divers looking for a piece of history and a vibrant, albeit deep, artificial reef.
Typical ANNE SOPHIE Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Maximum depth 52m exceeds recreational limits (40m). Technical diving certification and equipment required.
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.
ANNE SOPHIE Wreck History
Year Sunk
1974
Vessel Type
yacht
Cause
storm
The Anne Sophie was a yacht on a long passage from the sunny Mediterranean to Lymington, UK, in the summer of 1974. Her journey came to an abrupt and dramatic end when she was caught in a fierce storm off the coast of Portugal. On July 16th, the vessel sprang a serious leak, and the crew was forced to head for the nearest shore. A rescue was mounted, and the stricken yacht was taken under tow, with the harbour tantalizingly close.
Tragically, the sea's grip was too strong. Before she could reach the safety of the port, the Anne Sophie succumbed to her damage and sank north of Cape St. Vincent. Thankfully, her crew was saved. Today, she lies at a depth of 52 metres, placing her firmly in the realm of technical diving. This is a challenging dive for experienced, deep-certified divers, who will find the remains of a vessel that fought hard but ultimately lost its battle against the Atlantic.
Nearest Dive Centres to ANNE SOPHIE
Dive shops near ANNE SOPHIE
PuraVida Divehouse
Blue Ocean Divers
Lagos Divers
WeDive Lagos
WeDive
TRIBEMAR SCUBA DIVING
Reviews for ANNE SOPHIE
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for ANNE SOPHIE
ANNE SOPHIE Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for ANNE SOPHIE, sourced from NOAA buoy data - nearest station: Open-Meteo grid (38.25, -9.07) (0km away)
August Averages
Sea Temperature
16.71°C
62°F
Air Temperature
18.97°C
66°F
Wind Speed
9.58 m/s
18.6 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1016.1 hPa
Based on 5 years of monitoring data · Data sources: NOAA NDBC
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