PADI Wreck Diver Specialty
Penetrate the Abu Nuhas wrecks · €380, four dives, lifetime card. The most-booked PADI specialty for divers heading north to the Thistlegorm.
PADI Wreck Diver is the certification that separates 'I can swim around a wreck' from 'I can run a planned penetration with a guideline'. Four dives across two days, all on the Abu Nuhas wrecks (Giannis D and Carnatic the primary platforms), working through wreck survey, mapping, hazard identification, navigation, and the use of penetration lines. The qualifying card for penetration of Giannis D, Carnatic, the Thistlegorm cargo holds, and most of the Brothers wrecks. Booked as a standalone specialty.
- Duration
- 2 days
- Dives included
- 4
- Minimum age
- 15+
- Price
- €380
What you'll do
Two days, four dives, all on Abu Nuhas reef. PADI Wreck eLearning at home (4-5 hours). On site: dive 1 maps the exterior of Giannis D · you produce a sketch on slate. Dive 2 surveys the upper structure with hazard tagging. Dive 3 introduces the penetration line and runs a swim-through of Giannis D's bridge corridor. Dive 4 runs a full planned penetration of the Carnatic with the line laid by you. Card issued same day as dive 4.
Prerequisites
- PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, or equivalent from any agency
- Minimum age 15
- Logged 20+ dives strongly recommended (this isn't a fresh-AOW course)
- Medical fitness · PADI self-declaration plus doctor's note for any flagged conditions
- Primary torch + backup torch · we'll lend if needed
- Nitrox 32 strongly recommended for the Abu Nuhas depth profile (€5/tank)
01 · Day 1
Dives 1-2 · Survey + map Giannis D
Dive 1 at the bridge of Giannis D (18-22 m) · we run an exterior survey, you sketch the upper structure on slate, identify entry/exit points, hazards (sharp metal, monofilament), and the natural light penetration depth. Dive 2 at the cargo holds (22-26 m) · hazard tagging exercise plus a tour of the engine room (exterior view through the bulkhead opening, no penetration yet).
02 · Day 2
Dives 3-4 · Penetration on Giannis D + Carnatic
Dive 3 at Giannis D bridge corridor (18-20 m) · we lay the penetration line at the entry, you swim through the corridor (length 8-10 m, daylight visible the whole way), then we recover the line on exit. Light, controlled, the foundation skill. Dive 4 at Carnatic (22-26 m) · you lay the penetration line yourself through the cargo bay, lead the team through, and recover on exit. Card issued at the surface.
✓ What's included
- PADI Wreck Diver eLearning (sent on booking)
- PADI-certified Wreck instructor (max 4 students per group)
- All scuba equipment for the duration of the course
- 4 boat dives at Abu Nuhas wreck sites (Giannis D + Carnatic primary)
- Wreck reel and slate for the duration of the course (yours to buy at cost · €45 · if you want to keep)
- Hot lunch on the boat each day
- Long-transit boat fees (Abu Nuhas runs 1h 50min north of Hurghada)
- Hotel pickup and dropoff
- PADI Wreck Diver Specialty certification card (lifetime)
Not included
- Nitrox tank fills (€5/tank · highly recommended for 22-26 m)
- Travel insurance
- Personal torch if you want to keep one (€60 for our recommended Tovatec)
“Best decision of our trip. Got my Open Water in three days with Karim, then we did two daily-dive days · the captain picked the sites and we ended up on quiet reefs with almost no other boats around. Pickup was on time every morning.”
Maria R. · EN
“Finally a dive center that does exactly what it says. My guide spoke perfect German, small groups, well-maintained gear. Abu Nuhas was a highlight.”
Thomas K. · DE
“A genuinely international team. No deposit required, transparent prices, and a different dive site every day. We'll definitely be back next year.”
Sophie M. · FR
Common questions about the PADI Wreck Diver Specialty
Yes, on dives 3 and 4. Both are 'pass-through' penetrations with daylight visible from the entry · we don't run zero-visibility silt-out scenarios on the recreational specialty (that's the cave/tech equivalent). The Giannis D bridge corridor and the Carnatic cargo bay are both well-known safe-penetration routes for the specialty.
Penetration without training is one of the most dangerous things you can do underwater · entanglement, silt-out, lost direction, gas exhaustion. With the training (line use, light protocol, gas planning at 1/3-1/3-1/3 for in/out/reserve), penetration of recreational-friendly wrecks like Giannis D and Carnatic is well within the recreational risk envelope. The course teaches the line work specifically because that's what makes it manageable.
Yes · PADI Wreck Diver is the standard prerequisite operators ask for to penetrate the Thistlegorm cargo holds. The Thistlegorm sits at 17-30 m, multiple holds, intact cargo (motorbikes, lorries, ammunition crates) · the most famous dive in the Red Sea. We run a 2-day Thistlegorm trip from Hurghada (€220, request only) and you'll be fully qualified to do the cargo-hold penetration.
The line is the answer · you laid it on the way in, you follow it on the way out, you don't lose it. The course drills line-following with eyes closed (in shallow water, controlled) so you can do it on instinct if visibility drops. We also drill 'lost line' recovery procedure. The honest answer is: with training, you don't get stuck.
We lend you one for the course. If you plan to dive wrecks regularly afterward, owning your own (€45 for our recommended model) is sensible · operators don't always have spares and a reel you've practised with is faster to use. If you only dive occasionally, rent at most operators (€5-10/day) or share with a buddy.
Does this fit you?
Set it once · every card below then tells you whether it fits you.