The Cedar Pride wreck is one of Jordan’s most popular and celebrated dives. A former Lebanese freighter, the ship sustained extensive damage during a fire in 1982. Following a request from King Abdullah, the ill-fated vessel was deliberately sunk approximately 150 m offshore as an artificial reef for divers.

Lying on its port side at a maximum depth of 26 m across two reefs, the wreckage has been colonized by numerous hard and soft corals. Marked by a surface buoy, the Cedar Pride can be dived from boat or shore.

The uppermost starboard side is at 10m, and so provides a great site for both novice and experienced divers alike. The wreck is largely intact and 78m in length with the most interesting diving on the seaward side, where you can see the deck and superstructure. The outstanding feature is the crow’s nest, which is covered with a profusion of colorful soft corals and stands out against the clear blue water. As you continue further towards the hull, you pass mushroom ventilation shafts and the main mast. Here in the deeper water, the soft corals are more dispersed but are replaced by hard corals and schools of fish, including the odd barracuda. As you swim back along the uppermost starboard side, you can find plenty of hard corals and small animals that have made their home on the hull, including anemones, table corals, pipefish and clusters of Acropora. This makes for an excellent night dive. The deck is smothered with lots of critters, including urchins, shrimps, Spanish Dancers and soft coral crabs. For the experienced wreck diver and photographer there are many penetration opportunities within the light zone.