CLEVELAND - Morrocoy & Chichiriviche
Cleveland isn’t just a sunken boat; it’s a time capsule with a story. This dredger rolled over and sank back in 1979 while still working, and that capsized position makes it really unique to explore. We love that it’s lying on its side, the hull a massive wall on one flank, opening up a different perspective on how wrecks usually settle. Dropping down, the sheer scale hits you. The propellor is huge, and you can still make out the workings of the dredging equipment, now heavily encrusted. Schools of snapper and grunts hang around the superstructure, darting in and out of the darker spaces. Look closely for moray eels tucked into crevices; they’re almost always there. It’s a proper penetration dive for those with the right training, but even just exploring the exterior offers plenty. The way the light filters through the remaining deck plates is fantastic, painting shafts of blue on the sand below. We’d suggest going in the morning; the visibility tends to be clearer, and the sun angle really brings out the wreck’s details.
- Location
- Morrocoy & Chichiriviche, Venezuela, South America
- Coordinates
- 10.533333, -68.016670
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 30m
Marine Protected Area: Morrocoy
Nearby Dive Sites in Morrocoy & Chichiriviche
- Bajo de Canaveral
- Bajo de Chuao
- Caraballeda - Cayo Sal
- Carabelleda - Caribe Soy
- CAYO MEDIO (reef)
- CAYO NORTE (reef)
- Cayo Pescadores (drift)
- Cayo Sombrero - 3-15m (reef)
- Cayo Sombrero
- Cayo Sur
- Chichiriviche
- Gran Roque
- Isla Larga Puerto Cabello - 5-20m (reef)
- JANS - 10m (wreck)
- Jurelito (wall)
Nearest Dive Centres to CLEVELAND
- Epsilon Dive Center
- Pilardive - ["PADI"]
- REFUGIO DE BUZOS
- Scubatec Dive Center C.A. - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Morrocoy & Chichiriviche
Home to 272 recorded species including 208 reef fish, 26 hard corals, 6 seagrass & algae, 6 crabs & lobsters, 5 whales & dolphins, 4 sea urchins.
Notable Species
- Common lionfish (Pterois volitans) - Reef Fish
- turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum) - Seagrass & Algae
- Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca) - Seagrass & Algae
- Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) - Whales & Dolphins
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
- Supreme Limu (Asparagopsis taxiformis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Lesser Starlet Coral (Siderastrea radians) - Hard Corals
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus) - Reef Fish
- Bluestriped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Green Sea Urchin (Lytechinus variegatus) - Sea Urchins
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Grey Snapper (Lutjanus griseus) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals