Abu Nuhas: The Ship Graveyard and Its Seven Wrecks

There's a reef in the northern Red Sea that ships have been crashing into for over a century. Abu Nuhas sits right in a shipping lane, its shallow coral lurking just where vessels least expect it — and over the years it has claimed enough of them to earn its grim nickname: the "ship graveyard." For wreck divers, that history is a gift. Few places on earth let you dive so many wrecks, so accessible, in one beautiful stretch of reef.

The short answer: Abu Nuhas is the Red Sea's top wreck-diving reef, home to several famous shipwrecks — including the Giannis D, the Carnatic, the Chrisoula K, and the Kimon M — at diveable depths along its northern face. It's a wreck-lover's playground.

Why so many ships sank here

Abu Nuhas lies near a major shipping route, with a reef that rises abruptly to shallow water on its northern side — exactly where it can catch an unwary hull. Over more than a century, ship after ship has run aground here and slipped down the reef slope, leaving a remarkable concentration of wrecks within easy reach of each other. That accident of geography makes it one of the most rewarding multi-wreck sites anywhere.

The famous wrecks

Four wrecks are the classics, lying along the northern reef:

• Giannis D — Perhaps the most photogenic, a cargo ship broken into sections, its stern and engine room dramatic and full of fish. A favourite for its atmosphere and swim-throughs.
• Carnatic — The oldest and most elegant, an 1869 British steamship with a graceful skeletal hull now smothered in soft coral (it has its own story worth a dedicated dive).
• Chrisoula K — Known as the "tile wreck" for its cargo of floor tiles, a large and explorable hull.
• Kimon M — The "lentil wreck," named for its cargo, lying deeper on the reef.

Local lore counts more vessels scattered around the reef, hence the "seven wrecks" reputation, with some lesser-known or broken remains adding to the graveyard.

What the diving is like

Most of Abu Nuhas's famous wrecks lie at moderate, accessible depths along the reef slope, which is part of the appeal — you can enjoy real wreck diving without extreme depth. The wrecks are heavily encrusted with coral and teeming with fish, blending history and reef life. There's scope for swim-throughs and exploration, with the shallower sections suitable for less experienced wreck divers and the deeper ones for the more advanced. Conditions are generally manageable, though currents can occur.

How to dive it well

Choose an operator who knows the wrecks and plans the dives sensibly — you typically dive one or two wrecks per visit rather than racing between them. Stay within your training for any penetration; the shallower, open sections are forgiving, but enclosed spaces need wreck training and care. Watch your depth and air, keep good buoyancy to avoid stirring silt and damaging coral, and bring a torch for the darker recesses. As always with wrecks, don't remove artefacts.

Practical tips

Abu Nuhas is usually dived from liveaboards on northern routes and from some day boats in the area. Decide which wrecks you most want to see and plan accordingly, since you can't do them all in one dive. Nitrox can extend your time at these depths if you're qualified. Bring a camera — the Giannis D and Carnatic are especially photogenic — and respect the wrecks as both reefs and historic remains.

Abu Nuhas turns a century of maritime misfortune into one of diving's great pleasures: wreck after wreck, coral-covered and full of life, in clear, accessible water. For anyone who loves the romance of sunken ships, it's the Red Sea at its most fascinating.

Wreck diving on the brain? Find Abu Nuhas trips and northern liveaboards on packnplan, and plan a dive holiday around the Red Sea's most famous ship graveyard.