Scuba diving at the Gallipoli Peninsula transports you to the bottom of the Dardanelles, where you can see the underwater effects of World War One. Some ruins will be visible underwater. The Gallipoli Peninsula is the ideal place to wreck dive if you are a diver. Once you’ve finished your tour of Gallipoli, you may dive into a wreck to learn about military history underwater.
On the Turkish peninsula, Gallipoli stands out as one of the most disastrous conflicts of World War I. The tragedy experienced here is mirrored not only in the soils of her beaches but also in the nearby waterways. Regarding the allied attack of 1915, there are still a lot of unsolved questions. However, the identification and finding of over 216 wreckage provide a window into the battle and losses.
Another way to observe the conflict in Canakkale is to go scuba diving on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The Gallipoli Peninsula and the Dardenelles have 216 shipwrecks. With the exception of galleons, these wrecks include a wide range of marine vessels. 7 to 30 meters are the depths of the dives. You can perform standard dives to static lines.
The allies partially sank the Milo in October 1915To to build a wave break to guard the ANZACs’ best harbor at North Beach. It was split in half by a storm on November 18, 1915, and is presently located barely 0.5 feet from where it was then.
Where is Gallipoli Peninsula, and what makes it so special?
Gallipoli is situated in the province of Canakkale on Turkey’s eastern coast. In order to visit the Gallipoli Battlefields, people now go to this location. The region has a rich history as the entrance to the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, two of the longest-lasting unbroken empires in human history. As the only water route between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, the Dardanelle Strait has been the subject of war for centuries. Today, it links the Mediterranean with modern Turkey, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Romania, and Bulgaria.
The Ottoman Empire lasted for 624 years without interruption (1299-1923). Churchill believed that capturing the Dardanelle Strait would be essential to bringing an end to the First World War and the Ottoman Empire at the same time. Thus, the Gallipoli Campaign was fought in 1915–1916, uniting allied forces from all around the world to make that wish of Churchill come true.
The campaign was a failure, and the Ottoman Empire did not fall until two years after the war’s conclusion. Both sides suffered significant losses in the Gallipoli conflict; the allies lost 187,959 soldiers and the Turks 161,828. There are currently several memorials and exhibitions in the region to honor the victims.
Highlights of diving in Gallipoli Peninsula
In Gallipoli, there are barely over 200 wrecks, many of which are located in difficult-to-reach places. This is because the Dardanelles Strait is a busy maritime route with high currents and potentially treacherous circumstances. The main diving sites you’ll go to are: Anzac and British lighters, cruisers, and destroyers from the French and British sides of World War I.
Knowing more about these monuments’ history under the surface gives their spooky beauty a whole new depth. The entire experience—from visiting memorials to diving WWI wrecks—is among the most unforgettable diving adventures you can have since you get to interact directly with Anzac history.
After diving into Gallipoli Peninsula’s waters, you will find yourself back in 1915. You witness the sunken ships as they were 106 years ago and have a secondhand view of the horror of war. The ships transport you to the moment of their sinking. You see the destruction that brought down enormous ships like the HMS Majestic.
About May 1915, the HMS Majestic was fired and sank. It is now submerged at a depth of 18 to 29 meters, where you may explore the crow’s nest, a cannon covered in barnacles, and other fascinating features.
Lighters are another fascinating thing to witness while diving in Gallipoli Peninsula. Lighters were sheet-iron boats that the British used to land men and transport supplies during World War One. Many are still at diveable depths, although many were sunk by storms and shooting. In Morto Cove, there are two examples that are each 30 meters apart. Both draw groups of fish and rays, and one of them has a steam boiler that is adjacent and is located on the beach of Gallipoli Peninsula.
Final words about Scuba Diving in Gallipoli Peninsula
Turkey’s citizens saw the Ottoman conquest at Gallipoli as a turning point in the creation of their country and the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Despite being a small island, Gallipoli Peninsula plays an important role in Turkey’s history. Scuba Diving in Gallipoli Peninsula is double special. You get to visit a magnificent Historic site as well as experience a unique dive into the blue waters of the Marmara Sea.
