The world’s oceans are scattered with the carcasses of sunken ships, lying deep beneath the water and frozen in time.
The most famous shipwreck is probably the Titanic that sank on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic on its way to America.
It is of course only accessible to remote-controlled submarines and is therefore off limits to most of us.
However, there are plenty of shipwrecks that are accessible to scuba divers, providing great opportunities for underwater exploration.
The MS Zenobia is one such wreck and is one of the top ten dives in the world, as voted by divers each year.
Like the Titanic, the MS Zenobia was on her maiden voyage when disaster struck and she went down.
A roll-on/roll-off ferry, she was loaded with 100 trucks and on her way to Syria when she began to list.
Although the list was temporarily rectified, the same problem occurred again just off Larnaca in Cyprus.
When the heavy cargo slipped, the ship could not be saved and it was towed from Larnaca port and sank on June 7, 1980.
With a length of 172 metres and a width of 23 metres, the ship is the largest diveable wreck in the Mediterranean and is suited for divers of all levels.
It has become a haven for a range of fantastic marine life, which have made the wreck their home.
The outside of the wreck has much to see with the two massive props, roll-on/roll-off doors, the lorries on the outside, funnels, bridge, cafeteria, the bow area and the accommodation.
The visibility is usually very good (around 15 m) and the water temperatures are mild (in summer at 30 metre depth around 20C).
The Zenobia lies on the port side on a sandbar at a depth of 43 metres, but the starboard sidewall can be reached at a depth of around 18 metres.
The wreck has received glowing reviews from divers on Tripadvisor, with Avril R writing: “A must-do for divers who want to experience something a little more challenging above the seabed!
“I did 2 dives (nitrox) and these were merely an introduction to the possibilities that Zenobia offers.
“Absolutely fascinating and perfectly thrilling for a first wreck dive with just enough mind-bending visuals to keep you on your fins.”
