ARIADNE
Protected Area
محمية جبل على الطبيعية
Why dive here
ARIADNE is a wreck dive where divers can encounter dolphins, sea turtles and whale sharks. Water sits around 23°C.
The Ariadne, previously known by a handful of other names, is a seriously big tanker, sunk back in '87. At 263 metres long, this isn't a wreck you’ll see in a single dive, even at its shallowest points. We love how the sheer scale of it hits you as you descend; the hull stretches out into the gloom, often with barracuda hovering just off the superstructure. Given its size, we suggest focusing on different sections each time you visit. The stern is always a favourite of ours, with the giant propeller blades still largely intact and often circled by schools of trevally. Penetration isn't really an option here, but you can get some great swims over and through the open deck spaces. The wreck provides a home for plenty of reef fish now – we’ve seen everything from snapper to angelfish picking their way through the rusted metalwork. Visibility can be a bit variable, so pick your day, but when it’s good, the light reflecting off the sandy bottom makes for some moody wide-angle shots. It’s a site that really rewards repeat visits, letting you piece together its story bit by bit.
Typical ARIADNE Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Always perform a 3-minute safety stop at 5m before surfacing.
ARIADNE Wreck History
Year Sunk
1987
Vessel Type
tanker
Cause
unknown
Tonnage
48,938 GRT
The ship known to divers as the Ariadne had a long and well-travelled career under a succession of different names. She was built in 1968 at the renowned Nippon Kokan shipyard in Yokohama, Japan, as the Jarena, a massive oil tanker designed to carry crude oil across the globe. Throughout her nearly 20-year service life, she changed hands and flags multiple times, being renamed Afran Dawn (1977), Atena M (1982), Hena (1983), and Octonia Glory (1984), before finally receiving the name Ariadne.
The final chapter of the Ariadne's story is less clear than her commercial history. On December 15, 1987, the tanker sank off the coast of the UAE. While the exact cause of her sinking is not widely documented, she came to rest on the sandy seabed, where she began her transformation from an industrial vessel into a thriving artificial reef.
Today, the Ariadne is a fantastic wreck dive, conveniently located at a maximum depth of 17 meters. Her immense hull is broken into large, explorable sections, offering swim-throughs and points of interest for divers. The warm, nutrient-rich waters of the Arabian Gulf have encouraged prolific marine growth, and the wreck is now covered in corals and home to huge schools of snapper and barracuda, as well as moray eels, rays, and the occasional turtle. Its accessible depth and abundant marine life make the Ariadne a premier dive site in the region, suitable for divers of all levels.
Nearest Dive Centres to ARIADNE
Dive shops near ARIADNE
Nemo Diving Center
Extreme Dubai
DiveCampus Diving Club
Dive Tribe Dubai
Okay Dive
Divers Down Dubai
Reviews for ARIADNE
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for ARIADNE
ARIADNE Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for ARIADNE, sourced from NOAA buoy data - nearest station: Open-Meteo grid (25.19, 55.22) (0km away)
August Averages
Sea Temperature
23.29°C
74°F
Air Temperature
35.15°C
95°F
Wind Speed
6.81 m/s
13.2 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
998.5 hPa
Based on 5 years of monitoring data · Data sources: NOAA NDBC
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