SS Umbria, Wreck - Port Sudan & Sanganeb
The Umbria is a proper wreck dive, one that stays with you long after the deco stops are done. We love that it’s still packed with its wartime cargo – Fiat cars, bottles of wine, stacks of explosives. Dropping onto the deck, you can peer into the holds and imagine the frantic scuttling as the crew sank her to avoid capture back in ‘40. The sheer size of her is impressive, sitting upright and mostly intact on the seabed. Inside, the light shafts through open doorways, illuminating clouds of glassfish and the occasional shadowy grouper. Exploring the engine room is our favourite part; it feels like stepping back in time, with gauges and levers still in place. While the corals aren't as prolific as on some natural reefs, the wreck itself is a massive artificial structure, drawing in black-tipped silver-biddies and fringelip mullets. Keep an eye out for humpbacked and giant spider conchs on the sand nearby. It’s a dive that rewards repeat visits, offering new details with every exploration.
- Location
- Port Sudan & Sanganeb, Sudan, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 19.636713, 37.290638
- Type
- wreck
Marine Protected Area: Sanganeb Atoll
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 SS Umbria, Wreck
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