The Zenobia
How can you catch a diver’s attention? Tell them that you have one of the top 10 local wrecks in your backyard. It took nothing more for me to fly to Cyprus to check it out. by Nathalie Lasselin
Off the beaten track, Cyprus, in the eastern part of the Mediterranean is a wonderful and peaceful island with a bit of Greek, Ottoman, French and Venetian history. One of those places where you could stay forever. I arrived in Larnaca, one of the 2 international airports in Cyprus. Being on an island so rich in history, architecture, archaeology, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to see so many interesting sites.
Nicosia, the last divided capital in the world, reminds you of the occupation of North Cyprus. Although you need to cross a ‘’border’’ with a passport at a specific gate, visitors are free to roam about equally on both sides of the city as the Cypriot's warm welcome is a trademark. Visiting the island in early spring is ideal to enjoy the boat charters if you can cope with the cooler temperature. With a water temperature of 18°C, I couldn’t complain and was ready for my 2 dive charter leaving from Larnaca. But what’s the story with the wreck?
A 560 foot long wreck called the Zenobia, lies in 130 feet of water. Although it can pose a challenge for the technical diver to penetrate, there are aspects that are easy enough for the advanced diver on vacation. The Zenobia left Malmö, in Sweden, on 4th May 1980, on her maiden voyage to Syria. She was loaded with 108 articulated lorries (trucks with two trailers behind a single cab). The Zenobia was equipped with state of the art technology. It reminds me some stories… A high technology automated system installed on the ship launched the year before.
>A lifeboat from Zenobia (Nathalie Lasselin)
En route to Athens, the Captain noticed problems with the steering and Zenobia began listing to the port side. Checks revealed that the listing was caused by too much water being pumped into the ballast tanks. After 4 days in Piraeus, the water was pumped out of the ballast tanks and the problem was believed to have been solved. Continuing to Syria, the next stop for Zenobia was Larnaca, Cyprus, where she arrived on June 3rd 1980. The problem with the ballast had recurred. In Larnaca, engineers discovered that the high tech computerized pump system for the ballast was still pumping water into the side ballast tanks so the listing was becoming progressively worse.
On the 4th of June, the Zenobia was towed out of Larnaca as a precaution for other ships. She was left at anchor 2000 meters offshore to await a possible solution to the problem. All the crew was removed from the ship by the lifeboat. On June 5th, at 5pm, the Captain dismissed the maintenance crew. This proved to be a costly decision as the following night at 2:30 AM; the ship sank taking her cargo with her. Never salvaged, the Zenobia lies on her port side, on the sandy bottom of Larnaca Bay. Position: 34, 53.5 N, 33, 39.1 E According to the locals, the insurance money for the Zenobia was never collected by her owners and no formal investigation into the sinking has ever been published.
Descending alongside one of the 2 lines anchored on the wreck, you can see the silhouette of the wreck even from the surface. Around 75 feet deep, a life boat welcomes you. We spent the first dive looking for the lorries. Outside of the wreck, you can see 20 of them, most remain inside the upper and lower lorry decks. What is cool about this site is that you can dive it either on air with regular open circuit gear or with extensive rebreather equipment. Great visibility and nice water temperature add to the pleasure for both types of dives.
Visiting the exterior of the wreck, you can swim between the lorries and check the cargo since nothing was salvaged. It is actually illegal to pick up artefacts. While inside the wreck, you’ll find the main cafeteria. As you enter, your senses are a bit crooked since the ship lies on her side. The Redish floor carpet has become unglued and has slid down against some poles. The coffee machines and such are still intact as you navigate towards the kitchen.
Technical Info
Lloyd's registration number: 7806087
Built: 1979 by Kockums, Malmö Sweden.
Length overall: 172,02 meter (560 feet).
Beam: 23.04 meter (75 feet).
Draught: 13.01 meter (43 feet).
Gross tonnage: 12,000 tones.
Maximum speed 21.5 knots.
>Zenobia's propeller (Nathalie Lasselin)
In summertime, amberjack, tuna, and barracuda cruise around the wreck. Throughout the year dusky and golden groupers hang out here, safe from spear-fishermen. There are also large shoals of bream, little rainbow wrasse, scorpion fish and nudibranch.
However, if you want to see more marine life, then it is time to go to North Cyprus. We joined our guide, Tefik, from Nautilus in Kyrenia (www.nautilusdivingcyp.com). We have been to the Zephyros site where you can see a really old anchor, which dates back 1800. Along the walls, take your time to encounter many species of nudibranch and every year, new ones arrive from the Red Sea. You can dive with really friendly groupers and turtles and also octopus. However, if you pay attention you will see old canon balls and amphora. Many of the artifacts have been put in the Kyrenia museum.
A 2000 year old ship was found there in 1965 by a local sponge diver. The site was then surveyed and the wreck recovered by a team of underwater archaeologists from the University of Pennsylvania. It is claimed to be the oldest shipwreck to have ever been recovered. There is still so much to discover in Cyprus and Tefik knows about it. Every year, he makes underwater discoveries.
Between the dives, there is a lot to see and visit in Cyprus. For instance, Aphrodite’s Temple, The Tombs of the Kings, The House of Dionysus (mosaic), Lefkara and its famous dentelle. Even Venus, the equivalent of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, comes from here. As for food, you have got to try the delicious ‘’mezze’’ you’ll be happy to discover this delicacy.
Right: Ruins of Cypress (Nathalie Lasselin)
Since Tefik takes a lot of photos and video, it is a real pleasure to dive with him. There is plenty of time to enjoy what you are looking at and Tefik is very happy to show you marine life. Every piece of equipment is either brand new or extremely well maintained. Tefik can take you to any site in the North, and he is working in partnership with the South as well.
Don’t be afraid to rent a car. Even if you drive on the left side, the road signs are very easy and obvious. The highway is in perfect condition, and it is pretty simple to find your way with the given maps by the rental company. And the good news is -- no toll highway! You can also take the minor roads which are not that bad either, but it will take more time to go to places of interest. So you have to plan your day. Currency in South Cyprus is € (Euro) and New Turkish Pound (YTL) in North Cyprus. Zone time is GMT+2. Usually, the US dollar is accepted everywhere on the island. Don’t forget to bring your adaptor and a voltage transformer, indeed, electricity is 240 volts and 60Hz.
Thanks to Nautilus diving.