wreck

Log This Dive

MAQDEEM

The Maqdeem is a proper wreck dive, a tug that went down after hitting a wellhead jacket way back in '92. At just 10 metres, it's a perfect playground for extending your bottom time, and frankly, we've spent hours poking around its various nooks. You can still make out the superstructure, the deck cranes, even a bit of the bridge, all draped in a thick carpet of barnacles and soft corals. What we really love about the Maqdeem is how quickly the marine life has claimed it. We often find schooling snapper darting in and out of the holds, and the odd moray eel peeking from behind a twisted piece of metal. It feels like a living reef, not just a hunk of steel. For photographers, the ambient light is fantastic, painting the wreck in shifting blues and greens as the day progresses. Go early in the morning; the visibility tends to be at its best before the boat traffic picks up, and the light streaming through the gaps in the hull is something special. It’s a site that proves Dubai diving isn’t just about the glitz.