L'EMERILLON (POSSIBLY) - Tabarka
L'Emerillon, or what we believe is L'Emerillon, is an absolute beast of a wreck. This old merchant vessel, originally the Fort Machault, ran aground in 1949 and now lies broken on the Sorelles Rocks, deep at 55 metres. It’s a site for experienced technical divers, no question about it. Dropping down, you quickly realise the scale of this thing – 134 metres long, it's spread across the seabed, giving you plenty to explore. We love the way the wreck has become part of the reef. The metal hull is encrusted with sponges and corals, a real tapestry of growth after all these decades underwater. You’ll find groupers lurking in the shadows of the twisted metal, and barracuda often hang motionless in the blue. Our favourite part is navigating the scattered debris field; you get a real sense of the ship’s final moments. It’s a dive that rewards slow exploration, picking out the details, imagining the ship in its prime. Visibility can vary, but on a good day, the sheer size of L'Emerillon emerging from the gloom is just something else. Plan your deco carefully, and you’ll have a phenomenal dive.
- Location
- Tabarka, Tunisia, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 37.401390, 8.611111
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 55m
Marine Protected Area: Archipel De La Galite
Best Time to Dive in Tabarka
The warmest water temperatures in Tabarka occur in January, averaging 16.7°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 16.7°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 16.7°C (air: 14.4°C)
- February: 16.7°C (air: 14.5°C)
- March: 16.7°C (air: 14.8°C)
- April: 16.7°C (air: 16.1°C)
- May: 16.7°C (air: 18.8°C)
- June: 16.7°C (air: 22.7°C)
- July: 16.7°C (air: 26.0°C)
- August: 16.7°C (air: 26.7°C)
- September: 16.7°C (air: 25.3°C)
- October: 16.7°C (air: 22.6°C)
- November: 16.7°C (air: 19.2°C)
- December: 16.7°C (air: 16.1°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Tabarka
- ANNA CATERINA - 60m (wreck)
- BENIVENTO - 0m (wreck)
- BESSY G. - 1m (wreck)
- BLOSSOM (STERN SECTION) - 8m (wreck)
- BRANDARIS - 3m (wreck)
- CARMELO MARULLO II - 50m (wreck)
- CHRISTIAN MICHELSEN - 16m (wreck)
- CONGELSA - 5m (wreck)
- Dive-X Active Sport - Cala Gadir
- Dive-X Active Sport - Cala Tramontana
- EMPIRE SONG (POSSIBLY) - 50m (wreck)
- HELENE CLIPPER - 60m (wreck)
- HERMES - 1m (wreck)
- HMS AVENGER - 60m (wreck)
- HMS Bedouin (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to L'EMERILLON (POSSIBLY)
Marine Life in Tabarka
Home to 162 recorded species including 104 reef fish, 20 sharks & rays, 7 octopus & squid, 6 other, 5 whales & dolphins, 4 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- hake (Merluccius merluccius) - Reef Fish
- Pollock (Trachurus trachurus) - Reef Fish
- Mullet (Mullus barbatus) - Reef Fish
- european squid (Loligo vulgaris) - Octopus & Squid
- Pandora (Pagellus erythrinus) - Reef Fish
- Bogue (Boops boops) - Reef Fish
- Annular Seabream (Diplodus annularis) - Reef Fish
- pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) - Reef Fish
- Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) - Octopus & Squid
- common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) - Octopus & Squid
- red mullet (Mullus surmuletus) - Reef Fish
- Split (Scomber scombrus) - Reef Fish
- Painted Comber (Serranus scriba) - Reef Fish
- Ribbonfish (Lepidopus caudatus) - Reef Fish
- Brown Comber (Serranus hepatus) - Reef Fish
- dory (Zeus faber) - Reef Fish
- Snapper (Sparus aurata) - Reef Fish
- Garrupa (Serranus cabrilla) - Reef Fish
- dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
Recommended Packing List for L'EMERILLON (POSSIBLY)
Based on average water temperature of 16.7°C.
- Wetsuit (5-7mm) - recommended for 17°C water
- Hood & Gloves (3-5mm) - helps retain warmth
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories