PORTIA - Port Sudan & Sanganeb
Portia, in the murky, bustling waters of Port Sudan Harbour, might only be 5m deep but it's pure history. We love that it’s right there, a working harbour, which adds to the atmosphere. You’re not getting the pristine Red Sea clarity here; visibility often hovers around the 5-10m mark, but that just makes the wreck more dramatic, looming out of the gloom. This isn't a coral garden dive, it's a metal exploration. Portia sits upright, her bow still pointing towards the surface. As you fin along her deck, you’ll spot lionfish tucked into every nook and cranny, their poisonous spines fanning out. Schools of snapper often drift over the main cargo hold, just a silver curtain. It’s an easy dive, perfect for photographers who want to get up close and personal with the decaying metal and the surprisingly resilient marine life that has made it home. We always suggest going in the morning; the boat traffic is lighter, and the light penetration, even through the murk, is at its best.
- Location
- Port Sudan & Sanganeb, Sudan, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 18.926390, 37.713890
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 5m
Marine Protected Area: Suakin Archipelago
Best Time to Dive in Port Sudan & Sanganeb
The warmest water temperatures in Port Sudan & Sanganeb occur in August, averaging 32.0°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 25.4°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 26.1°C
- February: 25.4°C
- March: 25.5°C
- April: 26.7°C
- May: 29.0°C
- June: 30.1°C
- July: 31.0°C
- August: 32.0°C
- September: 31.7°C
- October: 30.9°C
- November: 29.5°C
- December: 28.1°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Port Sudan & Sanganeb
- Abington Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- ABSIT OMEN - 0m (wreck)
- Abu Seif - 10-30m (reef)
- AFGHANISTAN - 50m (wreck)
- Al Badri 1 - 10m (wreck)
- Angarosh
- ANTONIO 111 - 0m (wreck)
- Blue Belt
- BLUE BELT - 40m (wreck)
- Blue Belt Wreck - 26m (wreck)
- CAPTAIN SAALEM - 20m (wreck)
- CEDAR STAR - 0m (wreck)
- Cousteau's Conshelf (aka Precontinent II)
- Daharat Abida
- Dahrat Abid
Marine Life in Port Sudan & Sanganeb
Home to 55 recorded species including 41 reef fish, 14 hard corals.
Notable Species
- Orange-lined Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus) - Reef Fish
- Red Sea Clown Surgeon (Acanthurus sohal) - Reef Fish
- Halfspotted Hind (Cephalopholis hemistiktos) - Reef Fish
- Red-flushed Cod (Aethaloperca rogaa) - Reef Fish
- Angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus) - Reef Fish
- Candelamoa Parrotfish (Hipposcarus harid) - Reef Fish
- Threadfin (Chaetodon auriga) - Reef Fish
- Bristletoothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus strigosus) - Reef Fish
- Pufferfish (Arothron hispidus) - Reef Fish
- Banded maori wrasse (Cheilinus fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Common Mushroom Coral (Fungia fungites) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora pharaonis) - Hard Corals
- Blacktail Butterflyfish (Chaetodon austriacus) - Reef Fish
- Polkadot Cod (Plectropomus areolatus) - Reef Fish
- Hound Needlefish (Tylosurus crocodilus) - Reef Fish
- Golden Butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus) - Reef Fish
- Armed Squirrel-fish (Neoniphon sammara) - Reef Fish
- Humphead Unicornfish (Naso unicornis) - Reef Fish
- Lesser valley coral (Platygyra lamellina) - Hard Corals
- Picasso triggerfish (Rhinecanthus assasi) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for PORTIA
Based on average water temperature of 28.8°C, currents 9 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°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