DIVE LOG JUNE 2025 issue 412

cement pipes (probably deck cargo at the time) are now on the bottom alongside the wreck, providing the perfect hidey-hole for smaller fish. Common marine life species spotted around and in the wreck include numerous nudibranch species, moray eels, sting rays, batfish and lionfish. Ship details Built by Astilleros de Huelva, S.A, Huelva Spain and built in 1976. Sailing under the Maldivian flag. She is a diesel cargo ship of 1,273 tons. Length 77 meters, width 11.8 meters. With one diesel engine driving a single screw, Max speed 12 knots. Thermopylae Sierra The one wreck I had no intention of diving, I mean, with the masts sticking out of the water, how interesting could it be? How wrong I was. This day, the visibility was excellent, and bugger me, it turned out to be a fabulous no-deco dive. I spent over an hour fossicking for goodies. There is so much stuff lying around. It’s incredible, and to top it off, it has excellent penetration. Seriously, this is a fantastic dive with millions of photo opportunities. She sits in just 23 meters of water, with the main deck at about 12 meters, making her accessible to all divers. The ship is alive with marine species

including groupers, angelfish, butterflyfish, octopus, moray eels and lionfish. The Thermopylae Sierra is a huge cargo ship of 15,612 tons and 150 meters long (a dam long way to swim). She was detained in 2009 on a Sri Lanka court order after a dispute with the crew. She remained anchored at sea and sank during a monsoon storm in 2012. Fortunately, 370 tons of fuel oil had been removed just a month before the storm! Ship details Builder, Shin Nipponkai Heavy Industries - Toyama, Japan. Build 1985 as a bulk carrier: gross tonnage, 15,612 tons, length 155 meters, width 27.23 meters.

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DIVE LOG Australasia #412 - June 25

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