SUNDIAL II - Dahlak Archipelago
Sundial II offers a deep dive into a small piece of maritime history. This 14.9-meter yacht, sunk in 1977 after grounding near Jabal Zubair Island, now rests at 40 meters. We often find schooling fusiliers darting around the mast, and it’s a good spot for spotting the occasional reef shark patrolling the perimeter. It’s a site for advanced divers, purely for its depth, but the intact structure means you can still make out the distinct lines of a pleasure craft, now thoroughly encrusted and home to a resident population of curious damselfish.
- Location
- Dahlak Archipelago, Eritrea, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 15.029167, 42.187500
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 40m
Best Time to Dive in Dahlak Archipelago
The warmest water temperatures in Dahlak Archipelago occur in January, averaging 27.7°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.7°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.7°C (air: 26.2°C)
- February: 27.7°C (air: 26.3°C)
- March: 27.7°C (air: 28.0°C)
- April: 27.7°C (air: 30.1°C)
- May: 27.7°C (air: 31.9°C)
- June: 27.7°C (air: 33.4°C)
- July: 27.7°C (air: 34.6°C)
- August: 27.7°C (air: 33.9°C)
- September: 27.7°C (air: 33.5°C)
- October: 27.7°C (air: 32.1°C)
- November: 27.7°C (air: 29.5°C)
- December: 27.7°C (air: 27.5°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Dahlak Archipelago
- ADUA - 3m (wreck)
- ALBERONI - 9m (wreck)
- ALBERTO TREVES - 0m (wreck)
- ANTONIO C - 17m (wreck)
- ANTONIOS H - 15m (wreck)
- ARMANTAN - 0m (wreck)
- BERTRAM RICKMERS - 17m (wreck)
- BOLESLAW KRZYWOUSTY - 2m (wreck)
- BRENTA - 13m (wreck)
- CAPTAIN PANAGOS DP - 5m (wreck)
- COLOMBO - 13m (wreck)
- CREFELD - 19m (wreck)
- Dahlak Kebir Reef - 5-30m (reef)
- Difnein Channel - 10-35m (drift)
- DIRE DEWA (DIRA DAWA) - 11m (wreck)
Marine Life in Dahlak Archipelago
Home to 83 recorded species including 59 reef fish, 6 seagrass & algae, 4 whales & dolphins, 4 sharks & rays, 3 sea snails & nudibranchs, 2 other.
Notable Species
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- White Dolphin (Sousa chinensis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Long-spined sea urchin (Diadema setosum) - Sea Urchins
- Remora (Echeneis naucrates) - Reef Fish
- Blue Green Chromis (Chromis viridis) - Reef Fish
- Arabian Angelfish (Pomacanthus asfur) - Reef Fish
- Grouper (Epinephelus areolatus) - Reef Fish
- Marbled Spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Thalassoma lunare) - Reef Fish
- Long-beaked Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) - Whales & Dolphins
- Ternate Chromis (Chromis ternatensis) - Reef Fish
- Crescent Grunter (Terapon jarbua) - Reef Fish
- Sand-dusted Cone (Conus arenatus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Silver-cheeked Toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) - Reef Fish
- Bryde's Whale (Balaenoptera edeni) - Whales & Dolphins
- Edgeblack Grouper (Epinephelus summana) - Reef Fish
- Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) - Reef Fish
- Smooth-fin Blenny (Ecsenius frontalis) - Reef Fish
- honeycomb stingray (Himantura uarnak) - Sharks & Rays
- Bridled Goby (Gnatholepis cauerensis) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for SUNDIAL II
Based on average water temperature of 27.7°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- 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