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DONG WON NO 505

The Dong Won No 505 is a serious dive for serious wreck enthusiasts, no question. We love how completely she’s given herself over to the ocean. Sunk back in ’77 off Las Palmas, this 40-meter fishing vessel rests upright at 59 meters, so you’re looking at a tech dive, pure and simple. What makes her special, for us, isn’t just the depth, but the way she’s become an artificial reef. Descending through that deep blue, the wreck slowly materializes, a dark shape against the gloom. The stern is often the first thing you’ll make out, the prop still intact, though encrusted with sponges. Exploring the superstructure, you’ll find schools of barracuda circling, their silver scales glinting in your torch beam. Conger eels peer from every dark hole, and the deck, once a working platform, is now carpeted in vibrant anemones and soft corals. We’d suggest focusing on the wheelhouse and the bridge area; that’s where the most interesting penetration is, but it demands excellent buoyancy control. It’s a quiet, contemplative dive, often with surprisingly good visibility for the depth. Not one for the faint-hearted, but deeply rewarding for experienced tech divers who appreciate a wreck that truly feels like a lost ship.