Pagnol - Eilat
Pagnol is one of our favourite wreck dives in Eilat, a proper historical wreck rather than an artificial reef. She’s a motor vessel that went down in the 1960s, a bit broken up now, but that just adds to the character. We love how much of her remains to explore: the bow section is still largely intact, and you can swim through various parts of the superstructure. The best part, though, is how much life has colonised the wreck. We’ve seen schools of lionfish nestled among the twisted metal, octopuses peeking out from crevices, and the occasional moray eel slithering through the darker sections. It’s a relatively shallow dive at 23m, so you get decent bottom time to really soak it all in. We’d suggest going in the late morning, after the initial rush from the dive centres, for a more peaceful experience. Just be mindful of the occasional stronger current that can sweep through, especially near the deeper sections. Pagnol is perfect for wreck enthusiasts who appreciate history and the way the sea reclaims its own.
- Location
- Eilat, Israel, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 29.963333, 32.585556
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 23m
Nearby Dive Sites in Eilat
- Abū Daraj Reef (reef)
- Al Qaţafah (reef)
- AL TAIF - 16m (wreck)
- AMERICANA - 16m (wreck)
- An Numūsīyah (reef)
- ASAKURA MARU NO 12 - 15m (wreck)
- As Sab‘ Ḩaţābāt (reef)
- Ataqa Reef (reef)
- Caves (cave)
- Ceasaria Maritima Old City
- Coral Beach Nature Reserve - 3-20m (reef)
- Dolphin Reef (reef)
- EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN - 3m (wreck)
- EL HADEY - 15m (wreck)
- EL IMAM MALEK - 1m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Pagnol
- AVIDAG
- Divers & Co - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Eilat
Home to 147 recorded species including 100 reef fish, 16 hard corals, 8 sea snails & nudibranchs, 5 whales & dolphins, 4 clams & mussels, 3 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- Marbled Spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus) - Reef Fish
- Lesser valley coral (Platygyra lamellina) - Hard Corals
- Fluorescence grass coral (Galaxea fascicularis) - Hard Corals
- Red lionfish (Pterois miles) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora eurystoma) - Hard Corals
- Grey Dolphin (Grampus griseus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Rock Cod (Epinephelus fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
- Snakefish (Trachinocephalus myops) - Reef Fish
- Starflower coral (Astreopora myriophthalma) - Hard Corals
- Red Squirrelfish (Sargocentron diadema) - Reef Fish
- Blacktail Butterflyfish (Chaetodon austriacus) - Reef Fish
- Klunzinger's wrasse (Thalassoma rueppellii) - Reef Fish
- Arabian Pinfish (Diplodus noct) - Reef Fish
- Rainbowfish (Stethojulis albovittata) - Reef Fish
- Banded Blue Sprat (Spratelloides gracilis) - Reef Fish
- Starry cup coral (Acanthastrea echinata) - Hard Corals
- Long-spined sea urchin (Diadema setosum) - Sea Urchins
- Cauliflower coral (Pocillopora verrucosa) - Hard Corals
- Yellow scroll coral (Turbinaria reniformis) - Hard Corals