The sunken ship of Zenobia. Diving in cyprus, diving on the ferry zenobia. Protaras village and Ayia Napa city

An attraction that stands out from the row of centuries-old churches and fortresses is the Zenobia ship, which is popular for visiting.

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An attraction that stands out from the row of centuries-old churches and fortresses is the Zenobia ship, which is popular for visiting. This sunken object is of interest to divers from all over the world. A 170-meter cargo ship lies near the coast of Larnaca at a depth of more than 40 m. The Zenobia found its last refuge in 1980, halfway between Syria and Greece.

Today, the wreck is called the "Mediterranean Titanic". The view of the ship is really impressive. Daring divers have the opportunity to inspect it in its entirety, including the engine room, corridors and holds. Since the Zenobia sank with her cargo (numerous trucks), they also became an object of inspection.

In Cyprus, dive companies offer different options for visiting Zenobia. But those who have not yet decided to swim to a serious depth can inspect the vessel on the surface with a mask and snorkel - excellent visibility on clear days allows you to do this without any problems.

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On Saturday, December 15, a group of divers will attach Christmas decorations to the Swedish ferry Zenobia that sank in 1980 off the coast of Larnaca. Accessories and toys are made of non-toxic insoluble materials. After Christmas, they will be removed from the vessel at a depth of 42 meters. The action is scheduled to start at 10 am. Divers intend to celebrate its end.

THE FIRST FLIGHT OF A SWEDISH FERRY

Recall that the causes of the crash of the Zenobia are still the subject of controversy. Built in 1979 in Malmö, the ferry with a displacement of 12 thousand tons went on its first voyage (from Sweden to Syria) on May 4, 1980. On board the Zenobia were 108 trucks, as well as equipment and food intended for sale in the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Zenobia made it safely through Gibraltar, made a call at the port of Heraklion on Crete, and then proceeded to the Greek port of Piraeus to fix problems in the water ballast system. After repairs in Piraeus, the ship headed for the Syrian port of Latakia, but it soon became clear that the damage had not been repaired and the Zenobia went to the nearest port, Larnaca.

The ferry's computer balancing system malfunctioned and the Zenobia listed heavily to port. The team of mechanics leveled the roll to 5 degrees, after which the captain gave the order to abandon the ship. Before that, at the request of the Cypriot authorities, the captain took the Zenobia two miles from the coast. For three days, the ship sank into the Mediterranean Sea and on June 7, 1980, finally went under water.

HAVE YOU RIDED A RUSSIAN SUBMARINE?

In the zero years, it was possible to descend to the Zenobia - into the greenish-blue chaos of crumpled metal, past the huge blades of the stern propellers, frozen forever - it was possible on the Russian submarine Sadko, built in 1997 in St. Petersburg at the Rubin design bureau .

From the abyss, the outlines of a 172-meter monster gradually appeared. The sunken ship is overgrown with cotton-like green algae, from which a scattering of frames, ladders and cars protrude in the emerald twilight. 108 trucks lie on their side in piles, hanging from the deck on chains, scattered along the bottom.

Trucks and refrigerators look like children's toys, randomly scattered by a capricious owner, and the bow of the Zenobia resembles an alien spaceship. On the deck - relative order, unless, of course, pay attention to the fact that the ship lies on the port side.

ONE OF THE WORLD'S BEST UNDERWATER ATTRACTIONS

There is no point in raising the Zenobia. Lying at the bottom, it brings much more profit. For 38 years now, both in winter and summer, hundreds of diving enthusiasts have been diving to the ferry, many of whom fly to Cyprus only for the Zenobia. The sunken ferry, the passages and corridors of which are intertwined into an incredible labyrinth, is an ideal training ground for improving the skills of scuba divers.

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Cyprus in particular, its south coast is known for the presence of a large number of wrecks, both prehistoric and relatively modern. It is enough to choose and buy a tour to Cyprus in order to make sure that the assertion about the first place of the Swedish ferry Zenobia among the dive sites of Cyprus is true (the ferry is also among the top ten world wrecks).

Being the main underwater attraction of Cyprus - Zenobia can also claim the title of one of the world's least gloomy wrecks - shipwreck without casualties , the team was evacuated in time.

The size of the ship is striking, the Zenobia ocean ferry is not just a huge ship, it will take about six dives just to inspect it superficially. Many divers take the advanced open water diver course on this ship. The ship lying at accessible recreational depths in the harbor of Larnaca, one and a half kilometers from the coast, seems to be designed for this.

The starboard side of the ferry is 16-18 meters from the surface, and the bottom under the left side is already 42 meters.

Mediterranean Titanic - the comparative name of Zenobia is quite often repeated by divers, both ships sank on the first voyage, although, unlike the Titanic, there were no casualties on board the Zenobia.

The Swedish ferry Zenobia departed in June 1980. on its first flight from Greece to Syria at that time was equipped with the latest science and technology. The main cargo on board carried by the ferry is about a hundred 40 ton trucks. Some time after leaving the area of ​​the Greek islands, the ferry began to list on its left side, problems arose due to a malfunction of the on-board computer responsible for the distribution of water in the ballast compartments. The problem was fixed and did not arise before arriving at Larnaca harbor.

In the port of Larnaca already at the quay wall, the list to the left resumed, moreover, multi-ton trucks secured with chains, having shifted, only exacerbated the problem. Attempts to somehow change the situation did not lead to success, and even the automation system began to fill part of the holds with water, and soon, when the list reached 45 degrees, it was decided to evacuate the crew and tow the ferry away from the coast to a deeper place so that Zenobia would not block the entrance and did not paralyze the work of the port of Larnaca.

Zenobia did not sink immediately , the observers took pictures for a long time against the background of the sinking giant. The ferry went to the bottom (42 m) on the left side, the distance from the starboard side to the surface is 16-18 meters, the propellers are 27-36 m.

There are many white spots in this story, according to the official version, the ferry sank as a result of a malfunction of the balance distribution computer, but there were also versions of sabotage in order to obtain insurance for the owners of the ferry, and there was also a version of involvement in the death of the Middle Eastern security services. At least the official version with a computer crash looks pretty convincing.

Availability , a large number of various rooms and compartments, internal transitions encourage divers to dive into this underwater object again and again, each time discovering something new. Cargo transported by ferry, including 108 trucks, remained on the ship at the time of the disaster. The deck of the ferry is almost perpendicular to the bottom, but many trucks still remain chained to it with all their cargo, the rest are hanging on chains or scattered on the seabed.

Surface inspection and the bottom around the ferry where a variety of cargo is scattered can take more than one dive given the size of the ship, although some are immediately interested in the internal compartments. Captain's bridge, radio room, restaurant hall, cargo decks, various corridors and passages, the ship has a large number of rooms for various purposes.

And of course, here you can meet a large number of marine life, as over time Zenobia turns into a huge man-made reef.

Do not forget that the labyrinths of the internal compartments of the ship require careful planning of dives. You also need to be careful near "chained" trucks, prolonged exposure to salt water weakens fasteners and chains. For a more detailed survey of the ship at medium depths, it is better to use nitrox, thereby increasing the no-decompression bottom time.

The best time to dive on the Zenobia ferry is from May to October , but if you have dry suits, the ferry is available almost all year round. Visibility in the ferry area is approximately 35 meters.

General information, characteristics of the Swedish Ferry Zenobia:

The RORO class ferry - Roll-on/roll-of - means that the main cargo is cars - trailers or wagons - are not loaded by cranes, but are rolled up on their own.

Lloyd registration number 7806087

Built in 1979 by Kockums, Sweden

Total length: 172.02 meters

Width: 23.04

Draft: 13.01m

Displacement: 12000 tons

Engine power: 18760l/s

Max speed: 21.5 knots

P.S. Many vacationers, for health reasons or other reasons, cannot dive. For them, in Larnaca, a 50-minute excursion to the Swedish ferry Zenobia is organized on the Sadko boat (tourist submarine with portholes).

The island of Cyprus is located in the Mediterranean Sea. Clear water, specific bottom topography, species diversity of fish and marine animals, sunken and flooded ships and statues specially for divers. In Cyprus, there are dive sites available for beginners and sites where only experienced recreational and professional divers dive.
The diving season in Cyprus lasts from May to November, best time for active diving - from July to September. In winter, the water temperature is 16 degrees, in summer it warms up to 29.
Diving center RuDIVE offers diving tours to Cyprus, which include dives on popular diving sites.

Popular diving spots in Cyprus

Diving in Cyprus is offered from a boat and from the shore. The peculiarity of diving in Cyprus is that the dive sites are located close to each other and are accessible from any place where active travelers stop to rest. Therefore, choose the places where to dive, based on the level of diving training.

• Cape Greco - six dive sites. Caves, wrecks, sea animals popular in Cyprus;
• Protaras, Ayia Napa - six to seven dive sites. Underwater grottoes, caves, marine fauna;
• Larnaca - seven sites. Wreckage, including ferry "Zenobia";
• Limassol - ten points for diving. Caves, grottoes, fish, marine animals and two or three wrecks;
• Paphos - eight places for diving with a traditional set for Cyprus: underwater caves, reef walls, tunnels, wrecks;
• Latchi - twelve dive sites are offered, one of which is likely to meet with sea turtles;
• Polis - six dive sites. Vertical walls, sunken objects, reefs with marine life.

The “visiting card” of diving in Cyprus is the Zenobia wreck.

Cape Greco

A popular diving spot in Cyprus, thanks to good visibility and underwater caves, where diving beginners, experienced amateur divers, and professionals dive.

• Canyon at Cape Greco. Diving starts from the shore, passes along the underwater rocky walls, then the divers swim to the sandy bottom. There are octopuses, moray eels, rays. The dive is available for experienced divers, depth 17-30 meters.
• Rack "Liberty". A ship specially sunk for divers lies on a sandy bottom. Due to the depth of 27 m, diving on the wreck is available to recreational divers with a minimum level of AOWD. Delivery to the diving site by boat.
• Konnos bey. Dive site offering diving for beginners and experienced divers. Depth 40 meters, diving is available from the shore or from a boat. Underwater boulders, reef walls, clearings covered with sea grass. There are groupers, starfish, moray eels, young barracudas, and other fish species. Experienced and technical divers can descend to a depth of 40 m on a steep slope.
• Caves. The most popular diving spot in Cyprus. A labyrinth of underwater caves pierced by rays of light penetrating through cracks, numerous entrances and exits. The maximum depth is 12 meters, entry into the water from the shore, so the caves are accessible to beginners. Soldier fish, chromis, flutes, groupers, and nudibranch mollusks live in them. In June-July, tuna come here. During night diving in the caves you can meet octopus.

Protaras village and Ayia Napa city

Protaras and Ayia Napa are close, so there is no strict separation between them, and diving sites are suitable for those who like swimming in tunnels and caves.

• Green bay. Green Bay is located between Ayia Napa and Protaras and diving is available from the shore. The place is suitable for children's diving, for beginners, for a test dive for experienced divers - check-dive. The maximum depth is 11 m. While swimming, you can see flocks of baited fish, sometimes turtles swim up. Underwater "antique" statues remind of ancient history Cyprus and have become a popular destination for divers to take underwater photographs.
• Fishing vessel "Nemesis III" on Protaras. The "young" wreck is flooded specifically for diving, the depth is 24 m. It is available to advanced level divers, the dive is available from the boat.
• The sunken boat "Kerinia". In Ayia Napa, at a depth of 20 meters, there is a wreck - a police boat, sunk in 2015 off the coast to create an artificial reef. Available for beginner divers.

Larnaca city

• The sunken ferry Zenobia. The Swedish ferry is one of the ten most popular wrecks. First of all, for the sake of diving on the Zenobia, divers go to Cyprus. Sunk on June 7, 1980 near Larnaca Bay. Along with the ferry, cargo went to the bottom - trucks, army equipment, Lego toys and more. "Zenobia" lies at a depth of 17-42 meters. The ferry is in good condition, it has become an artificial reef, it was inhabited by marine life. Amateur divers inspect it from the outside, deep-sea professionals swim inside. In the second hold there is a car "Zhiguli" "kopek". Penetrations into the second hold and the engine room - decompression.
• The sunken ship "Alexandria". A small wooden fishing boat sank a few years ago, lying at a depth of 25-30 meters. One dive is enough for its active inspection. Tunas, barracudas, and other types of fish come here. The dive is available from a boat, the recommended level of diving training is Advanced Open Water Diver + Enriched Air Diver.
• Other dive sites Other diving spots have been noted in the Larnaca area. For beginners who have just started scuba diving or divers who have little diving experience, dive sites are available: octopus reef, the British Jetty armored personnel carrier, Sheep Dip, a place rich in marine life. Cape Pyla reefs at Cape Pyla, accessible from the shore, can be offered to beginner recreational divers to experienced divers. For professional and technical divers, we recommend the Cricket cruiser that sank at 33 meters of depth and a dive to the Mushrooms rock underwater rock-mushroom at 50 meters, inhabited by marine life.

Limassol city

A place for active lovers of diving on sunken objects. The wrecks lie at different depths, so some are accessible to beginners, for example, the British "Cooper" at 9 meters of depth, Three Star at 7 meters. Others recommend only experienced divers, such as the vertically sunken yacht Diana. Right there, among the wrecks, dive sites inhabited by fish and animals: a complex of caverns and caves at 14 meters, an arch at 20 meters, etc.

Estimated prices for diving in Cyprus

• two dives in one day - from 87 euros;
• night dive - from 45 euros;
• five days of diving, two dives per day - from 380 euros.

orientation program

1 day
Departure from Moscow airport Sheremetyevo, flight SU-2070 a / c "Aeroflot", at 20:00, arrival in Larnaca at 23:50. Meeting at the airport with the host, transfer to the selected hotel.

2 day
In the morning, arrival at the dive center, collection of equipment, paperwork. Departure to Cape Greco: diving in the Green Bay area and in the grottoes.

Green Bay - comfortable spot for test dives (check dives), the maximum depth is 11 meters.

3-6 day
Diving on the Zenobia wreck.

The Swedish ferry is one of the top ten wrecks of interest to divers. The length of the ferry is 172 m, the width is 23.4 m. Due to technical malfunctions, the ferry sank on June 7, 1980 near Larnaca Bay during its first trip to Syria. In order not to interfere with navigation, it, which had not yet sunk, but was already filling with water, was towed 1.5 kilometers from the coast. Along with the ferry went to the bottom and its cargo - 108 trucks, electrical appliances, military equipment, Lego toys, food and more. Zenobia lies at a depth of 17-42 meters. The ferry is in excellent condition and is a fascinating sight both for those wishing to swim outside, and for technical divers making penetrations inside the captain's bridge, restaurant, upper loading deck, saloon, etc. At present, the ferry is an artificial reef inhabited a variety of marine life.

Day 7
Free day, you can get together for a sightseeing tour of the island.

Day 8
Transfer to the airport. check-in SU-2075 Larnaca - Moscow, departure at 19:20. Arrival to Moscow Sheremetyevo, at 23:05.

The route of the trip and the diving program are indicative, and can be changed by the organizers depending on weather conditions and in the interest of the safety of the participants in the journey.

Estimated cost of the tour

Accommodation at San Remo 2* hotel:

• ½ DBL - 1050 euros
• Single occupancy - 1215 euros

​Accommodation at Lardos 4* hotel:

• ½ DBL - 1335 euros
• Single occupancy - 1560 euros

​Accommodation at Golden Bay 5* hotel:

• ½ DBL - 1375 euros
• Single occupancy - 1675 euros

Included in cost:

• air flight Moscow - Larnaca - Moscow, a / c Aeroflot, economy class *;
• accommodation in a hotel of the selected category for 7 nights, breakfast, dinner;
• group transfer airport - hotel - airport.

*Package price may vary depending on availability and airline fares

The price does not include:

• diving program: 5 days of 2 recreational dives (rental of weights, cylinders, RuDIVE instructor services) - 480 euros. Organization of technical diving is possible;
• nitrox, trimix, equipment rental;
• tips;
• tour of the island;
• visa support - 40 euros;
• insurance policy "Medicine + diving", up to 20 days - 40 euros.

Cyprus is the heart of the Mediterranean, which beats in unison with your rhythm of life: here everyone will find something to their liking. For those who are on holiday and do not part with the bike, there are many steep bike paths. At the service of picnic lovers - specially equipped areas in the mountains. For those who prefer beach holiday, you will love the picturesque beaches of the island.

However, one of the most fascinating entertainments, for which many people go to Cyprus, is not on the island itself, but a few hundred meters from the coast of Larnaca. Experienced divers have probably already guessed that we are talking about the largest sunken ship in the Mediterranean, the Zenobia. Having learned about the opportunity to go under water and see the famous ship with my own eyes, I could not resist and immediately decided to try myself as a diver.

In fact, everything turned out to be not so simple: in order to become a diver, even for one day, it was necessary to take an Open Water Diver training course. The course itself consists of three stages. The first is an interesting and very important theoretical training, during which you will get acquainted with the basic terms, diver's equipment and the potential dangers that may occur underwater. From this course, I remember the phrase: "After diving, your world will never be the same." Hmm… What will change?

The second stage of the course was to practice in the water all the skills that we learned about during the lecture. For me, this stage was the most stressful! First, they picked up the equipment for me, put on the equipment and said that I had to go to the sea. Only 100 meters by land! But I couldn’t not only go to the sea, I couldn’t even stand up ... I additionally had 24 kilograms: a 17-kilogram air tank, four kilos of cargo, a vest, boots, fins, a mask, a regulator, and so Further. Thanks to my attentive and patient instructor who helped me carry my balloon to the sea. At the water, they put a balloon on me again, we went into the water to a depth of about two meters, inflated the vest ... and then they began to wear me like a float! I was so clumsy that my instructor had to remind me of the theory again and help me with everything. This was followed by a turn of dives to two meters to practice skills. Of course, I made a lot of mistakes: sudden movements, rapid ascent, improper breathing, and general sluggishness in the water also affected. At that moment, it seemed to me that I would drink the entire Mediterranean Sea! But my eyes burned, there was more than enough energy, so I worked hard on myself and eventually managed.

At the third stage, finally, independent diving began: first up to 12, and then up to 18 meters - this is the depth at which I perfected my diving movements. Under water, I saw beautiful fish, small bright reefs covered with corals, but it was difficult to enjoy these landscapes, as I was constantly in tension and tried to control all my actions. And not in vain! Before I could blink an eye, I became a certified diver with a maximum diving depth of up to 18 meters.

But then it turned out that one course for diving on the Zenobia is not enough, because the ship lies much deeper than 18 meters. I so wanted to see the Zenobia with my own eyes that I decided to "pump" my diving skills and take the Advanced Water Diver course, which provides the opportunity to dive up to 30 meters. It also consists of two stages, theory and practice, but after the first course, the new training seemed easier and more interesting to me.

Going to new level(literally and figuratively), I finally felt weightless under a huge layer of water. I learned to control the position of my body with just breathing. My body under water became light, flexible and flexible. And I got unreal pleasure and enjoyment from this lightness and from the surrounding beauty. Shoals of bright small fish swam next to us, and the variety of corals made our eyes dizzy. At first, I turned my head in all directions in an attempt to see everything and remember every moment.

And so I was allowed to dive with the group on the famous Zenobia. Her fate, like the fate of the Titanic, is very tragic. The huge ship with a length of 172 meters in 1980 left Syria for the port of Larnaca. There were about a hundred 40-ton trucks with various cargo on board and in the holds of the ship. But during the storm there was a strong displacement of cargo, the ship tilted to the port side and sank with all the equipment on board.

Quiet weather, calm sea, we go down the cable under the water. With each step of the dive, the outlines of the bow of the ship become clearer and clearer, but the entire ship cannot be covered with one glance. Its tail goes into the blue abyss. For 36 years, Zenobia has become covered with corals, overgrown with algae and has become a haven for the most beautiful inhabitants of the underwater world: flocks of sea swallows, silvery sea bream, snappers, mackerels, green sea parrots, turtles and moray eels.

But most of all I was struck by the trucks, which are chained to the deck and therefore located almost at right angles to the seabed. An indescribable sight: strange, dangerous and delightful at the same time. Then we examined the restaurant hall, which has preserved coffee machines of those times, bottles of beer and Coca-Cola, various dishes and even a carpet that once adorned the floor of the restaurant. Due to the size of the ship, the number of compartments, cabins and transitions between them, each new dive is not like the previous one - you can make an underwater trip to the Zenobia many, many times, you won’t get bored for sure.

Diving under water is leisure and a journey into the unknown. I am grateful to fate for the opportunity to see the underwater world, to feel it. I am grateful to the patient instructor Oleg and the friendly guys in Cyprus who supported me. Phrase "After diving, your world will never be the same" turned out to be true. I discovered new abilities in myself, expanded the boundaries of the familiar and visited the new Universe, where you are a guest exactly as much as there is enough air in the balloon.

All the emotions I experienced cannot be expressed in words. I returned to my normal life, to my hobbies, which are still interesting to me, but almost every day I think about diving. Beautiful and mysterious depths beckon me again and again. And if you are already a diver, then you will understand my feelings, and if not, then here is my advice: as soon as possible, learn to dive - go for it.