Cedar Pride

The Cedar Pride is a freighter of about 74 m that was cleaned of oil and sunk on purpose off Aqaba, Jordan, in November 1985, at the wish of the king, who is a diver himself. It lies between Rainbow Reef and the Japanese Gardens.

What you'll see

The ship rests on its port side, and two large cargo holds are open to divers, with an air pocket in the rear hold. About 35 years of growth cover it, including soft corals on the crow's nest and hard corals on the upper starboard hull. The crow's nest, mushroom ventilation shafts and main mast stand out. Lionfish, scorpionfish, morays, snapper schools, barracuda and the occasional turtle are reported.

How it's dived

The wreck can be reached from the shore or by boat. The upper starboard side sits at about 10 m, and the wreck spans roughly 12 m to the high 20s, with the deepest parts reaching about 26 to 28 m. One source rates the site beginner to advanced and recommends advanced certification to get the most from it. The starboard side is described as a good night dive.

Hazards and rules

Enclosed spaces and tight squeezes inside the wreck are reserved for advanced divers certified for overhead environments. Visibility is reported at 10 to 30 m.

Sources

• DIVE Magazine: An introduction to the wreck dives of Aqaba
• Jordan Travel: Cedar Pride Shipwreck, Aqaba