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Scuba Diving in the United Arab Emirates
Reader Reviews:
Dive Site: Inchcape 1
Location: Al Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates
Description: Wreck dive
Depth: 35 metres (115 feet)
Visibility: 10 metres (30 feet)
Rating: ****
This boat was sunk in 2001 by Inchcape Shipping. There was an incredibly strong current on the surface when we moored at this site, and as there was another boat in front of us we were almost exhausted getting to the buoy so that we could climb down the shotline to the wreck. The climb down seemed a long way because the wreck is at 35m.
This means you only get 20 minutes of bottom time. When you get there, the wreck is very interesting. The most interesting feature was the massive spotted moray on the deck; its head was as big as a persons. Our instructor patted it on the head, but I would not have!
At one end of the wreck was a huge shoal of snappers which were being chased by yellow jacks. There were also pufferfish and barracuda.
The water was about 26 degrees in April
Anna Wright, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
This dive site is the worst dive site in the UAE. Stupidos from Al Boom Diving sank this small tug very deep and on the strong current area.
Andrew
Andrew, you must have been at this site at a bad time. It's the best dive site I've been to in the UAE, no current, good visibility (10-15m), plenty of marine life, I lost my buddy in a school of fish circling the wreck like a huge cloud. The spotted Moray now has a buddy which is just as large. I will dive there again even in a current.
Ricus, PADI Advanced Diver
The moray is called Fred and he now has a companian. I thinks it's a great dive.
Ben, PADI Dive Master
Did a stunning dive in September, got some good pics of Fred. Vis was good and the sealife colourful. Would do it again just to pat Fred!
Peter Durban, SA Advanced NAUI
We dived with The Palms dive centre and this dive was truely awesome, we will dive again
Julie Thompson, OWD
I've been there once, it was a great dive... I met fred... I was also with Palm Dive Center but they were in the 7 Days a week before we went for that dive.
Happy, OWD
Inscape 1 was definately sunk purposefully by Inchscape Shipping Company as a dive site. The hull rests at 30m and the deck at about 27m. It's a small barge, so 20 min of bottom time is enough to do a full circle of the wreck. Fred the moray is still there, he is now about 3m in length and friendly. Al Boom Diving is the closest dive centre and their friendly staff make diving fun.
Samantha Joffe
Inchcape 1 is one of the best sites that the east coast has to offer. There is no shortage of marine life. I have been diving on this wreck for a few years and still love it! Look out for some seahorses have moved on to the stern of the wreck and made it home.
Ryan Todd, PADI Master Instructor | 15/11/2008
Site always packed with interesting aquatic life: barracuda, rays, eels, lion, stone and scorpionfish, seahorses, jacks and 1,000's of snappers/fusiliers etc. Visibility usually only just OK. On a v. v. good day 15 - 20m.
Brendan | 09/03/2009
We are Adrian and Siobhan Wragg. We were the PADI Instructors in charge of Al-Boom Diving at the time Inchcape 1 was sunk. We oversaw the sinking and think we picked the perfect spot. The location was chosen deliberately as an advanced dive guaranteed to attract ample wildlife and develop your diving skills. It was colonized within 24 hrs of being sunk and we watched it develop into probably the most enjoyable dive in East Coat UAE.
Adrian and Siobhan Wragg | 7/11/2009
I’ve dived this wreck twice now (both with Al Boom), I must say the second time was better. We had bad weather this weekend the viz was about 5m, we saw loads of sea life including three Massive puffer fish, hundreds of snappers and moray eel to name a few. The was no current to speak of just a two to three foot swell on the surface but diveable. I’d do this wreck again and again, plus its only 10 minutes out of the harbour.
Ian Holmes AOW (deep diver) | 6/2/2010
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