Located around Cap Camarat, between Cavalaire and Saint Tropez, the wreck of the Rubis is a 'must dive' in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a mine launcher submarine that left Toulon in 1931. Measuring 66m long over 7m wide and 8m high, it could have set 32 mines in one mission... It served in Norway and then headed down to Scotland and the Med' as reinforcement during WWII. In 1945, it sailed back to Oran, Algeria, where it was stripped of its weapons and served as a training sub until 1950; eventually was set up as an underwater base. On the 31st of January 1958, Commander Riffaud sunk it 3km off Cap Camarat...
The wreck sits perfectly horizontal 40 meters deep on the sand, as if it was going to leave any second! It is unsafe to venture inside the sub but you can still see its guts through a few opened lock chambers and the collapsed upper deck... Most of the gear, instruments and torpedoe launchers are still there! The fauna is fairly abundant with big groupers or sneaky conger eels and morays that will tag alongside during your visit! Strong currents are common here but the visibility is just stunning. If you're lucky enough an eagle ray or a sunfish could be paying a visit...
Located around Cap Camarat, between Cavalaire and Saint Tropez, the wreck of the Rubis is a 'must dive' in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a mine launcher submarine that left Toulon in 1931. Measuring 66m long over 7m wide and 8m high, it could have set 32 mines in one mission... It served in Norway and then headed down to Scotland and the Med' as reinforcement during WWII. In 1945, it sailed back to Oran, Algeria, where it was stripped of its weapons and served as a training sub until 1950; eventually was set up as an underwater base. On the 31st of January 1958, Commander Riffaud sunk it 3km off Cap Camarat...
The wreck sits perfectly horizontal 40 meters deep on the sand, as if it was going to leave any second! It is unsafe to venture inside the sub but you can still see its guts through a few opened lock chambers and the collapsed upper deck... Most of the gear, instruments and torpedoe launchers are still there! The fauna is fairly abundant with big groupers or sneaky conger eels and morays that will tag alongside during your visit! Strong currents are common here but the visibility is just stunning. If you're lucky enough an eagle ray or a sunfish could be paying a visit...
Located around Cap Camarat, between Cavalaire and Saint Tropez, the wreck of the Rubis is a 'must ...