wreck

Log This Dive

REPUBLICA

The **REPUBLICA** wreck, down at 25 metres, is our favourite kind of dive: a historical accident turned thriving artificial reef. She was a pilot boat, sunk deliberately back in 1996 to become part of the Algarve’s underwater park. And what a transformation. We love dropping onto her deck, the dark shape materialising from the blue. There’s a wonderful sense of her original purpose still, even with the years of growth. You can glide along the wheelhouse, seeing the structure of the bridge, imagining the crew. The internal spaces are small, but we’ve poked our heads into what would have been the engine room, or peered through doorways where now conger eels snooze. It’s not just the wreck itself that’s good; the marine life here is phenomenal. Schools of sea bream shimmer over the hull, and often we’ll find huge stingrays resting on the sandy bottom nearby. Look for nudibranchs on the encrusted metal and octopus tucked into crevices. The **REPUBLICA** is a solid choice for advanced open water divers who appreciate a good wreck story and aren't afraid of a bit of depth. Bring a good torch.