Dunraven

The Dunraven is a popular wreck dive centered on the overturned SS Dunraven lying in two main sections at the southern edge of Sha’ab Mahmoud (Beacon Rock). The site is boat-accessed, typically on a mooring buoy about a one-hour ride beyond the Ras Mohammed reef system, and is known for its large, coral-encrusted hull and swim-through opportunities. Dives normally follow the wreck from the shallower bow (around 15-18 m) to the stern on the sand (about 29-30 m). Entry is by descending from the boat via the mooring; visibility is typically good (often 15-30 m) and water temperatures are in the mid-20s °C. Currents and occasionally choppy surface conditions are common, so dives are often planned as drift dives using the mooring line. The maximum depth (to about 30 m) and the wreck's overhead/penetration areas make this an intermediate-to-advanced dive, and standard wreck-penetration precautions and proper training are required. Many dives finish by ascending the reef slope into shallows around 5-10 m. The SS Dunraven struck the reef on April 22, 1876, and sank in roughly 30 m of water; the wreck lies upside-down in two main sections with the bow in shallower water and the stern deeper on the sand. A breached section of hull at about 28-29 m allows entry into the overturned stern for a swim-through of the boiler and engine areas where boilers, pistons and other machinery remain visible.