wreck

Log This Dive

HELENE CLIPPER

The Helene Clipper wreck sits deep off Tabarka, a proper technical dive at 60 metres. We love it because it’s a big beast, an old motor vessel that went down in a gale in '75. Dropping onto the deck, you really feel the scale, the way it lists hard to starboard, almost resting on its side. It’s dark down there, the Mediterranean deep blue, and your lights pick out huge schools of barracuda, shimmering like chrome, weaving through the rigging. For us, the real magic happens exploring the superstructure. The bow is particularly striking, still pointing defiantly into the current. You can push into the cargo holds, if you’re comfortable with overhead environments, finding remnants of its last voyage now encrusted with sponges. Groupers have made it their home, some of them massive, lurking in the shadows. We’d suggest saving this dive for calm days; the deep can be unforgiving with surface chop. It’s a dive for those comfortable with depth, with a bit of experience under their belt, but it rewards you with a tangible piece of history reclaimed by the sea.