wreck

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KAPTAN YUSUF KALKAVAN

Kaptan Yusuf Kalkavan sits right near the Eilat Port entrance, which usually means a bit of boat traffic, but it also puts you on a wreck with some real history. This bulk carrier, nearly 160 meters long, ran aground back in '81, and now she’s a colossal artificial reef. We love exploring the sheer scale of the ship; it’s not often you get to dive something so big, so close to shore. The bow section, particularly the anchor chains and hawse pipes, is our favorite spot. You’ll often find schools of bigeye trevally circling there, their silver scales flashing in the sunlight filtering down. Further along the deck, the holds offer fantastic swim-throughs, dark and cavernous, where you might spot a large grouper lurking in the shadows. We’d suggest going early in the morning to beat the rush from the dive boats, as it can get busy. The visibility can vary depending on what’s stirred up from the port, but even on an average day, the sheer size of Kalkavan makes for an impressive dive. It’s a site that suits divers who appreciate a substantial wreck and don't mind a bit of current near the entrance.