The Ottoman Trader

Wreckies are a funny breed - sometimes what you expect to blow them away is met with an indifferent grunt - sometimes you take a chance and wow them! This 17th century coastal trader falls into the later category. It certainly wowed me.

Up until now our oldest find in the Northern Red Sea was a small 'puffer' in 6 metres on Sha'ab Ali's west side - the 'nail wreck' (dated by Durham University as 1850). Any really old wrecks are usually smothered in coral, beneath sand or the wood has simply rotted away - so to see the hull of a 400 year old ship IS something special.

The cargo has been identified as Turkish from around the 17th century, and it is thought the vessel was on a south bound journey, having stopped at this ancient seaport on the Egyptian Red Sea coast to re-provision.

Constructed: 17th century (probably Turkish)
Wrecked: not known
Length of ship: not known
Wreck location: Near Safaga Island, Egypt.
Depth range of wreck: 30m to 40m

View wreck location using Google Earth.
(Requires Google Earth: Get it here).

Diving the Wreck

Lying in sand in 40 mtrs at the base of a reef, the entire outline of this old ship can be seen as you decend-the 2 grey area’s clear into her holds ,full of pottery ranging from Ali Baba style Amphora to small hand held jugs. The peripheral is a field of huge wine vessels some  with pointed bases, others with flat bases, half buried in the sand. There are no less than seven huge anchors, suggesting this was an enormous vessel. The ribs of the ship stand proud of the sea bed by a couple of mtrs, and although partly covered in sand, it is easy to work out the fore and aft sections of the vessel. The blandness of the scene is broken by vivid red sponges, sea squirts and soft corals clinging on to the curved ribs.

The sloping sand bank allows for parts of her keel be revealed, thick timbers running longitudinally through the  site, but also indicates that more  of the wreck remains undisturbed beneath the sand.

This is strictly a 'look, don’t touch' dive, but never the less the scene is an amazing window into the past. What must she have looked like? Where had she been? Where was she going? How did she sink? What treasures still lie beneath the sand? We can only  look on and wonder.

Additional Images

Click on an image to view full-size version. Click next/prev, or right/left keys, to cycle through all images.

Want to dive this wreck?

Aquatours can arrange it - That's what we do!
• Search for all live-aboards which visit the Ottoman Trader wreck.