Antalya

Kaş

Turkey

Mainly a sandy bottom with some rocks and sea grass; not a lot of great interest but good for training.

Kalkan

Firnaz Bay

Mid Reef is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Turkey, Mediterranean, Kalkan which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.

Mid Reef

The dive site consists of a reef approximately 3 nautical miles south of cape Ince Burun, surrounded by deep water. The ridge of the reef rises up to 3-5 m. On the one side it slopes down to a plateau at 20-30 m, on the other side is a wall that changes into a steep slope somewhere between 30 and 40 m. Pieces of wreckage, mostly pipes and plating, are strewn all over the reef. In some places there are also amphoras. On the plateau lie the remains of a small, steam-powered ship. There is not much left of its structure, only the bottom with keel and ribs and some lumps of coal strewn over it. The best preserved part ist he stern where remains of the steering mechanism can be seen. There are also parts of at least one boiler. 

The much more interesting wreck (or part of it) lies on the other side of the reef. On the top of the reef is a deep crack running diagonally over it. It was obviously torn during a wreckage, some pieces of metal are still wedged into it. Follow the direction of the crack and use your compass to keep it. Don't go down to the ground but keep a depth of around 30 to 35 m. If you watch the ground carefully, you can see a trail of wreckage leading to the wreck itself, for example a big part of the hull plating complete with railings. Because of the usually excellent visibility (sometimes more than 40 m), the main part of the wreck can be seen from some distance. The highest point is at 43 m where the ship is broken, at the corner of the deck and the port side. It's the bow part of a big cargo ship, at least 40-50 m long, lying on the starboard side with the bow down at a depth of more than 80 m. The decks are standing vertically, with some machinery (winches) still fixed to it and several open cargo hatches. Rows of portholes are running along the hull. There is a lot of small fish and the wreck has a beautiful cover of sponges and soft corals. To penetrate the wreck safely you need trimix, but because of the great visibility you can see the whole of it from the highest point. If you return to the reef, watch out for amphoras  on the reef wall. The densely overgrwon reef itself is very beautiful. Amongst the animals that can be seen are hermit crabs, octopuses, lots of small fish, small and big scorpionfish, morays, schools of barracudas and mackerels and sometimes turtles. The reef is not only the best dive in the area, but one of the best in Turkey. 

There is some confusion surrounding the identity of the wreckage. A bell with the inscription 'Duchess of York - Hull 1893' was found close to the bow piece, indicating that the stern part on the plateau and the deep-lying bow part belong to one ship. However, the documents concerning the Duchess of York show that the shallow wreckage is probably all that remains from her. She was a two-masted sailing ship with an auxiliary steam machine, a length of 101 feet and 51 tons. She was built at Hull (England) in 1893, sold to a Spanish owner in 1902, renamed "Carmen" and sold again in 1919. After this date she disappears from Lloyd's lists. It is clear that the deep wreckage comes from another ship because both parts together would give a hull with at least 250 feet and 1.000 tons, much bigger than the Duchess of York was. Maybe the bell was thrown over the ridge of the reef by a boiler explosion. The devastated state of the wreck indicates a end of that kind. There is also a local tradition about a ship blowing up on the reef and some bodies being washed ashore sometime at the beginning of the 20th century. However, the eyewitness remembered that this happened during the First World War when the battle of Gallipoli was fought - this was in 1915 and some years before the Duchess disappeared, There are not many clues to the identity of the other wreck - whose stern probably lies in greater depth - except construction details like the wooden deck or the riveted hull that indicate a high age (probably early 20th century) and the information that a Turkish ship called Sakarya was lost on the reef sometime around 1957 while carrying a cargo of coal and chrome ore. Maybe it's the bow part of the Sakarya - or of another, unknown ship.

By boat from Kas or Kalkan with one of the local diving centers.

Duchess of York

A very nice dive site. Rich in fish life. After 40m depth sand starts.

4.5 miles southwest of Kas harbour

Gurmenli Rocks

A small airplane is sunk here, on 18m depth.
Octopus occasionally seen inside the plane.



Hidayet Bay

An easy to dive reef in a depth range of 12-40 meters. Lot of ancient amphoras and cans. Sometimes sea-turtles.




Neptun Riff

WWII Italian torpedo bomber.  Very deep dive but well worth it.

Also worth a dive if you don't go that deep. Very nice reef. Usually a lot of fish (large groupers, barracudas, moray eels), especially during early morning dives. 
Recommended depth to go round the reef: 25-35m. 

Use local dive shops in Kas for access

Flying Fish Reef is also known as Airplane.

Flying Fish Reef

Rock formations at the banks, sandy bottom with seaweed in the bay. Reef at the end of the bay with some rock formations. 
Nice place for quiet afternoon dives. You can experience everything here: from boring to a lot of animals. 
Pretty good place for night dives. Amphora remains - some of them quite photogenic - of possible roman origin can be found especially on the deeper part of the reef. 

Close to the reef lie the remains of a wooden sailing ship from the ottoman period that are around 200-300 years old. It probably ripped its hull open on the reef and sank after drifting into the bay. The wreck is around 12-15 m long and consists of the lower part of the hull, partly buried by a mound of ballast stones. The framing and outer and inner planking can be observed. There are two big, good preserved amphoras,  bricks (probably from the galley/kitchen place) and broken amphoras strewn between the ribs. The wreck lies at a depth of around 22 m. It can be found by going to this depth on the reef and following the depth line to the right into the bay. The wreck is nothing spectacular but nice to see if you have an interest in underwater archaeology. There are not many opportunities to see the considerable well preserved remains of a 17th/18th century sailing ship without special permissions.

By boat with one of the local diving centers (e.g. Kas Diving). 

Fener Kulesi is also known as Lighthouse.

Fener Kulesi

The DC3 was cleaned and sunk in a sheltered spot a 10 min boat trip from Kas. You can swim inside it if you want. I saw a big grouper under the wing. You swim on to the fish farm and back to the boat.

by boat from Kas

DC3 is also known as DC3 plane.

You reach a trench in the rocks at about 4 meters and drop down to about 20m along beautifully covered walls. Moving south you reach the wreck of a cotton freighter at about 25 meters that extends to about 35 to 40 meters. 
An alternative is to go left (south east) along a big and also beautifully covered wall and then cross over to the west at about 30m, also reaching the wreck.
Normally no current below 6-7 meters. Sometimes strong current on the surface. 

By boat with one of the local dive centers.

Canyon

Reef extending the north side of the island. Some stone anchors, amphorae. Normally no current on the western side of the reef. Changing on the eastern side. With current on the eastern side good chance to see a lot of fish (barracudas, mackerel and sometimes tuna hunting). 
Caretta caretta are spotted at this place frequently.

By boat from Kas with one of the local diving centers.

Firnaz Bay

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Firnaz Bay