The Excalibur Wreck

The Excalibur — also known locally as the Susannah — is Hurghada’s most accessible wreck dive, a small steel-hulled motor-sailor lying upright on a sandy bottom reachable by a short swim from shore.

Overview

The vessel was a twin-masted motor and sail craft approximately 22 metres in length with a white and light blue hull. It sank in late 1995 or early 1996 — the exact date is undocumented — reportedly as the result of an electrical fire while in Hurghada harbour. The wreck settled upright with a slight starboard list on a flat sandy bottom at 18–22 m. Its bowsprit remains in place and the pilothouse and some accommodation areas can be penetrated.

Because she rests at Open Water depth and lies perfectly upright, the Excalibur suits divers of all levels: beginners can work the upper deck and superstructure while more experienced divers can explore the holds and engine room.

Dive Profile

A short shore swim leads to the wreck. The deck sits around 15–18 m; maximum depth on the sandy bottom is 22 m. Visibility is typically 10–20 m. No boat is required, making this a popular second or third dive of the day for operators based in Hurghada.

Marine Life

The wreck supports a healthy resident community. At least three lionfish guard the bow; scorpionfish and moray eels shelter in the ironwork. Large schools of glassfish fill the wheelhouse windows. Day octopuses are regularly seen on the structure. Soft corals colonise the deck rails.

Tips

• Shore entry — no boat required
• Suitable as a confidence-building wreck dive before deeper Red Sea sites
• Penetration of the pilothouse is straightforward; engine room penetration requires torch and experience

Photography

The upright intact hull makes a satisfying wide-angle subject. The glassfish cloud in the wheelhouse is a favourite macro and wide-angle target. Carry a torch for the interior.

Sources: Dive RED — Excalibur Wreck, The Scuba News — Featured Red Sea Wreck: Excalibur. Last updated 2026-05-17.