The Ultimate Wreck Diver's Bucket List: From WWI Battleships to Caribbean Artificial Reefs

For some divers, the thrill of the ocean isn’t just about coral reefs—it’s about history. Whether you are looking for intentionally sunk artificial reefs teeming with marine life or sunken time capsules from the World Wars, these three destinations offer some of the greatest wreck diving locations on Earth.

1. SS Thistlegorm (Red Sea, Egypt)

Arguably the most famous wreck dive in the world, the SS Thistlegorm is a British armed merchant navy ship that was sunk by German bombers in 1941.

• The Experience: The wreck sits upright on the seabed at 30 meters. Because it is in open water, there can be strong currents, so divers use mooring lines to descend directly onto the wreck.
• What You’ll See: The cargo holds are a literal WWII time capsule, packed with Bedford trucks, Norton 16H and BSA motorcycles, Bren Gun carriers, and aircraft parts.
• Logistics: Most divers visit via a Liveaboard departing from Hurghada or Sharm El-Sheikh. You will need an Advanced Open Water certification due to the 30m depth.

2. USS Spiegel Grove (Florida Keys, USA)

If you want massive scale, the USS Spiegel Grove is a colossal 510-foot retired Navy dock landing ship.

• The Experience: Located off the coast of Key Largo, Florida, this ship was intentionally sunk as an artificial reef in 2002. Interestingly, a hurricane in 2005 flipped the colossal wreck onto its starboard side, making it much easier to dive.
• What You’ll See: The massive structure is teeming with Goliath Groupers, Barracudas, Horse-eye Jacks, and massive schools of silversides.
• Logistics: The top of the wreck is at about 18m, and the bottom rests at 40m. Due to the depth and strong currents, this is strictly for Advanced Open Water divers. Penetration requires specific Wreck Diver or Cave Diver certifications.

Insider Pro Tip: Never enter an overhead environment (inside a wreck) without proper training and redundancy. If a wreck is silty, a single fin kick can reduce visibility to absolute zero in seconds. Wreck penetration requires reels, line-laying techniques, and multiple independent light sources.

3. Scapa Flow (Orkney Islands, Scotland)

For serious, technical-leaning wreck divers, Scapa Flow offers the chance to dive the scuttled WWI German High Seas Fleet in the cold, dark waters of Scotland.

• The Experience: Following the end of WWI in 1919, the interned fleet was scuttled here by its own commander. This is challenging diving: the water is cold (usually 8°C to 12°C), visibility can be challenging, and the wrecks sit deep between 30m and 45m.
• What You’ll See: Several massive battleships and light cruisers remain intact, including the SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm, SMS Markgraf, SMS Cöln, and SMS Dresden.
• Logistics: You must be a certified drysuit diver, and having a Deep Diver or Technical diving certification is highly recommended. Dive operators run daily hardboat charters out of Stromness.

Sources & Further Reading

• Divers Alert Network (DAN): https://dan.org
• PADI: https://www.padi.com