Santorini, Cyclades, Greece

Taxiarchis Wreck

The Taxiarchis is a Greek freighter that ran aground and sank off the south coast of Santorini, eventually breaking in two and settling on a sandy bottom at around 22 metres. The two halves of the wreck lie roughly 50 metres apart with the bow section partly upright and the stern on its side, creating two distinct sub-dives within a single boat trip. The wreck has been on the bottom long enough for an encrusting community of sponges, hydroids and small soft corals to colonise the metal structure, and the open holds and tilted superstructure shelter dusky grouper, Mediterranean moray, common octopus, scorpionfish and occasional schools of damselfish and salema. Octopus often nest in the cargo doors and the slipped containers create swim-throughs accessible without true wreck-penetration training. Currents are usually weak in the lee of Santorini, although the meltemi wind from the north can introduce some surge. Visibility regularly exceeds 25 metres in summer and autumn.