SS Dunraven Wreck

The SS Dunraven is one of the Red Sea's oldest and most atmospheric wrecks — a 79-meter British steam-and-sail cargo ship that struck Sha'ab Mahmoud reef in April 1876 en route from Bombay to Newcastle, loaded with cotton, timber, and spices. She settled upside down on the reef at 18-30 meters, where she has rested for nearly 150 years, transformed into one of the most photogenic coral-encrusted wrecks on the planet. The Dunraven is a rare Victorian-era wreck dive — her construction predates the Thistlegorm by 65 years, her hull is a fusion of iron plating and timber, and her inverted position has preserved the interior spaces almost untouched. Divers enter through the open stern and exit from the bow, navigating the large inverted cargo holds where natural light streams through the hull openings, creating dramatic shafts of blue-green illumination. The engine room, boiler, and propeller shaft are all visible along the route. Marine life has completely claimed the wreck. Glassfish swarm the interior in clouds so dense they obscure the walls, resident giant moray eels patrol the engine room, and scorpionfish and lionfish inhabit every crevice. The wreck's coral encrustation is extraordinary — soft corals, stony corals, sponges, and sea fans have transformed the steel into a living reef. Schools of batfish hover above the keel, and Napoleon wrasse, barracuda, and occasional reef sharks appear along the nearby wall. Depths range from 18 meters at the upturned keel to 30 meters at the seabed, making this a great alternative to the deeper Thistlegorm for Advanced Open Water divers. The site is reached by day boat from Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada, or as part of northern Red Sea liveaboard itineraries. Best conditions run March through November, and the wreck is particularly magical in the morning when the sun penetrates the upturned hull at its most dramatic angle.