VESUVIO - Dahlak Archipelago
Diving the Vesuvio in Eritrea always feels like stepping back in time. This isn’t a deep dive, peaking at 13 meters, which means plenty of bottom time to really soak it all in. We love the accessible nature of this site, making it perfect for newer wreck divers or those who just want a relaxed exploration. The Vesuvio, an Italian cargo ship sunk during WWII, now lies mostly intact on a sandy seabed. You can swim through the holds, which are surprisingly open and light-filled, often finding schools of glassfish shimmering in the shafts of sunlight. The superstructure is particularly fun, with soft corals growing on every surface and a fair few lionfish lurking in the shadows. We’ve spotted robust cuttlefish here more than once, completely unbothered by divers, and parrotfish graze lazily on the wreck itself. It’s a photographer’s dream, especially on a bright day when the visibility stretches to 20 meters. Our favourite part is lingering over the stern, watching anthias dance above the deck, a real sense of history melding with vibrant life.
- Location
- Dahlak Archipelago, Eritrea, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 15.592500, 39.461113
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 13m
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 VESUVIO
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