Cedar Pride

Wreck Reef

Launched in 1964 at the S.A. Juliana Constructora in Gijon, Spain as the "Mone Dos" this 74 metre long general cargo vessel of 1,161 tons served the Naviera Anzar Shipping Company of Bilboa, until 1969 when she became the "Puerto De Pasajes" , with a further name change in 1978 to the "San Bruno". She was then purchased by the Lebanese Cedar Pride shipping company, taking on the company name~ her 4th and last.
 
In July of 1982 she arrived at the Jordanian port of Aqaba, and on the 2nd August while at anchor and in ballast a fire spread rapidly through her engine room and accommodation area's. Two of the crew lost their lives.
The damage from the ensuing blaze left the ship as a total constructive loss, although her hull was still intact and she was still afloat. For the next three years she remained a floating hulk, no one accepting the responsibility for her mooring and harbour fees.
 
The King of Jordan himself, a keen diver, took an interest in the vessel and a plan was hatched to sink the ship, in the hope it would become a part of the reef, and a habitat for the rich marine life living in this quiet little backwater of the Red Sea.
 
With the waters around Jordan plummeting away in depths beyond the sports divers reach, there were no natural wrecks for divers to explore. The Cedar Pride was to change that.
 
The ship itself was prepared by the port, pumping off oil, removing any hazards and so on, they did a very good job indeed, so divers would not have any problems in the future.
 
Next a suitable site had to be found, now this posed a bit of a problem, as their was no text book available on how to sink a ship in the Red Sea or any other sea, on a coral reef causing as little damage to the reef as possible, with the ship in one piece and in the upright position, horizontal to the shore, with a dive ceiling of 20 to 30 meters from the resting area.
 
The wreck of the Cedar Pride was scuttled for divers on November 16th 1985, and she lies on her port side with the bow to the North. The marine life is good and photo possibilities endless. Best area is the main mast at about 12m.
The bottom of the stern is at 16m and the bow at 21m. There is a swim though under the wreck at 26m. Penetration is possible with the correct procedures. 

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