NO 268 - Dubai & Abu Dhabi
The NO 268 is one of our picks for serious wreck divers in the UAE. Dropping to 51 metres, this isn't one for the faint of heart or the freshly certified. She's a structure vessel, down since 1976, and the years underwater have given her a proper patina. We love the way the light filters down, even at this depth, catching the outlines of the machinery. You can trace her lines, imagining the crew going about their duties. It’s a deep dive, so bring your advanced certs and good air management, but the reward is a genuinely atmospheric exploration. The structure itself is a haven for the resident fish, and we’ve seen some decent-sized groupers holed up in the deeper sections. It’s a quiet dive, often just you and your buddy, which really amplifies the feeling of discovery. Our favourite time to dive it is late morning, when the sun is high, pushing through the water column.
- Location
- Dubai & Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 25.850000, 53.050000
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 51m
Best Time to Dive in Dubai & Abu Dhabi
The warmest water temperatures in Dubai & Abu Dhabi occur in January, averaging 23.3°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 23.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 23.3°C (air: 19.5°C)
- February: 23.3°C (air: 20.6°C)
- March: 23.3°C (air: 23.4°C)
- April: 23.3°C (air: 26.5°C)
- May: 23.3°C (air: 30.3°C)
- June: 23.3°C (air: 33.5°C)
- July: 23.3°C (air: 35.4°C)
- August: 23.3°C (air: 35.1°C)
- September: 23.3°C (air: 32.9°C)
- October: 23.3°C (air: 29.8°C)
- November: 23.3°C (air: 26.2°C)
- December: 23.3°C (air: 22.1°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Dubai & Abu Dhabi
- A4-SI - 20m (wreck)
- A6.BBJ - 10m (wreck)
- ABDUL RAZAK - 25m (wreck)
- Abu dhabi Breakwater - 5-20m (reef)
- ALAMINA - 7m (wreck)
- ALEXION HOPE - 17m (wreck)
- AL JAZYA 1 - 8m (wreck)
- ANNA XYLA - 25m (wreck)
- ARIADNE - 17m (wreck)
- BARGE 201 - 43m (wreck)
- Beech Bank (reef)
- BH-19 - 21m (wreck)
- CHERRY DUKE (STERN PART) - 20m (wreck)
- CITY OF GRAZ - 25m (wreck)
- CLAUDINE - 38m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to NO 268
- Al Boom Diving
- Al Mahara Diving Center - ["PADI"]
- Bermuda Diving - PADI
- Deep Dive Dubai - ["PADI"]
- DiveCampus Diving Club - ["PADI"]
- Divers Down Dubai - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Dubai & Abu Dhabi
Home to 25 recorded species including 7 reef fish, 5 hard corals, 4 other, 3 seagrass & algae, 2 crabs & lobsters, 2 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Shore crab (Metopograpsus messor) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Brain coral (Platygyra daedalea) - Hard Corals
- Pacific blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
- Stony coral (Porites solida) - Hard Corals
- Lesser star coral (Cyphastrea microphthalma) - Hard Corals
- halodule (Halodule uninervis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea)
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Man-of-war Fish (Nomeus gronovii) - Reef Fish
- Silver Bream (Rhabdosargus sarba) - Reef Fish
- Lesser valley coral (Platygyra lamellina) - Hard Corals
- Crescent Grunter (Terapon jarbua) - Reef Fish
- Star Blaasop (Arothron stellatus) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Feathered Cone (Conus pennaceus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
Recommended Packing List for NO 268
Based on average water temperature of 23.3°C.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 23°C water
- 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