wreck of the Cedar Pride

The wreck of the Cedar Pride is Aqaba's most celebrated dive — a former Lebanese freighter scuttled in 1985 that has evolved into a world-class artificial reef. Lying on her port side at 10-26 meters, the ship presents a breathtaking spectacle of nature reclaiming human engineering. Soft coral colonization is extraordinary: dendronephthya clusters in royal purple, flame orange, and crimson red create one of the most colorful wreck dives anywhere. The mast extends horizontally into the blue water, often surrounded by barracuda schools. Inside the hull, glassfish fill compartments with silvery clouds, while groupers guard engine room doorways. Sea turtles rest on the upward-facing starboard hull, and moray eels emerge from countless openings. The Cedar Pride's combination of shallow accessibility, dense marine colonization, and photographic potential makes it a Red Sea diving essential that draws divers from around the world.