SAGANAGA - Newfoundland
Diving the Saganaga is a serious trip back in time, a substantial piece of World War II history resting in Conception Bay. This steamship, torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1942, sits upright at 30 metres. The sheer scale of the 124-metre vessel is what hits you first; it’s a big wreck, with plenty to explore for those comfortable with deeper, colder water diving. We’ve seen everything from lumpfish tucked into crevices to sculpins perched on the decaying metalwork, and the ambient light filtering through the bay often gives the whole site an atmospheric, almost ghostly feel. It’s a dive for wreck enthusiasts who appreciate history and don't mind the chilly Atlantic.
- Location
- Newfoundland, Canada, North America
- Coordinates
- 47.584167, -52.970000
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 30m
Marine Protected Area: Witless Bay Ecological Reserve
Best Time to Dive in Newfoundland
The warmest water temperatures in Newfoundland occur in August, averaging 15.9°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 0.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 2.3°C
- February: 1.1°C
- March: 0.3°C
- April: 1.3°C
- May: 3.9°C
- June: 7.3°C
- July: 12.4°C
- August: 15.9°C
- September: 14.6°C
- October: 11.9°C
- November: 8.0°C
- December: 4.6°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Newfoundland
- Black Reef (reef)
- Black Rocks (reef)
- BLUEBACK - 30m (wreck)
- Catamaran Reef (reef)
- CLAMOR - 2m (wreck)
- East Reefs
- East Reefs - 5-20m (reef)
- FAIR ISLAND TRADER (POSSIBLY) - 5m (wreck)
- FOAM V - 0m (wreck)
- FREDERICK L BLAIR - 0m (wreck)
- Halfway Reef (reef)
- HMS CALYPSO - 0m (wreck)
- HMS DRAKE - 0m (wreck)
- LORD STRATHCONA - 40m (wreck)
- Lord Strathcona Wreck - 10-30m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to SAGANAGA
- Ocean Quest Adventure Resort - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Newfoundland
Home to 72 recorded species including 35 reef fish, 13 whales & dolphins, 7 sharks & rays, 5 seagrass & algae, 3 sea snails & nudibranchs, 2 soft corals.
Notable Species
- Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) - Reef Fish
- long rough dab (Hippoglossoides platessoides) - Reef Fish
- Capelin (Mallotus villosus) - Reef Fish
- Common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) - Whales & Dolphins
- bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus) - Seagrass & Algae
- knotted wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum) - Seagrass & Algae
- Daubed Shanny (Leptoclinus maculatus) - Reef Fish
- Starry Ray (Amblyraja radiata) - Sharks & Rays
- Blackfish (Globicephala melas) - Whales & Dolphins
- bull rout (Myoxocephalus scorpius) - Reef Fish
- lumpsucker (Cyclopterus lumpus) - Reef Fish
- witch (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus) - Reef Fish
- Razorback (Balaenoptera physalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Protestant (Clupea harengus) - Reef Fish
- moustache sculpin (Triglops murrayi) - Reef Fish
- snake blenny (Lumpenus lampretaeformis) - Reef Fish
- Redfish (Sebastes mentella) - Reef Fish
- irish moss, carragheen (Chondrus crispus) - Seagrass & Algae
- American eel (Anguilla rostrata) - Reef Fish
- red soft coral (Gersemia rubiformis) - Soft Corals
Recommended Packing List for SAGANAGA
Based on average water temperature of 7.0°C, currents 2 cm/s.
- Drysuit - water at 7°C demands a drysuit with thermal undergarments
- Hood & Gloves (7mm+) - critical to prevent heat loss
- 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