wreck

Log This Dive

VALIANT EFFORT

Okay, let's be honest. The Valiant Effort isn't going to blow your mind with technicolour coral. This is the Med, and it’s a relatively shallow wreck. But for a piece of history you can practically touch, we think it’s pretty cool. Lying in just five metres of water, this old Liberty Ship, originally the Rufus W. Peckham, ran aground in 1959. You can trace its massive outline, a dark shadow against the sandy seabed. What we really love here is the sheer scale, even at this depth. You can fin right over the broken decks, imagining the cargo it once carried. Sunlight dapples through the water, illuminating the bulkheads and the gaping holes in the hull. Look closely and you’ll find small groupers darting between the metal plates, and nudibranchs clinging to the rusty framework. It’s an easy dive, perfect for newer wreck divers or photographers wanting to play with ambient light. Our advice? Go early in the morning before any boat traffic stirs up the sand, and take your time appreciating the silent, solemn structure.