A tug that outlived its purpose
The story of Rozi is a lesson in how not every plan works but some outcomes are better than the plan. In 1992 a company that offered submarine trips sank a tugboat about 40 metres long to create an underwater attraction for its passengers. The submarine business faded, but the wreck stayed, and the site became something quite different: an outstanding dive.
She rests on a sandy bottom, with a maximum depth of around 34 metres off Cirkewwa, and she is among the most popular dive sites in Malta. Popularity is deserved. The wreck is compact, easy to read and large enough to fill a dive without being confusing.
What the dive offers
Rozi sits upright, and divers can swim along the hull, over the deck and around the superstructure. The size is manageable, so a fit group can see the main features in a single dive. Her condition is good enough that penetration possibilities exist, which makes her attractive to divers with wreck training.
If you go inside, plan carefully. Enter only with proper equipment, a torch and a guide who knows the layout, keep to the planned route and leave plenty of margin on gas. Many divers prefer to stay outside, where there is plenty to see: the shape of the tug, the propeller, the bridge and the way marine growth has settled on the steel.
Fish are plentiful on and around the wreck. Look in the shade under overhangs and at the edge of the sand, where shoals gather in the lee of the hull.
Cirkewwa in context
Cirkewwa is the northern tip of Malta and the departure point for the Gozo ferry. It also has a reputation among divers as one of the best places on the island, with a mix of shore and boat dives close together. Rozi is one of two wrecks at Cirkewwa; the other is the P29 patrol boat. Many dive centres plan a day that includes both.
Because the area is a major dive centre of the islands, it can be busy. Weekends and summer mornings bring a lot of divers, along with traffic heading for the ferry. Arrive early, park where the operator advises, and keep your gear organised.
Depth, time and gas
A depth of about 34 metres puts the wreck at the edge of recreational diving. Divers should hold an advanced certification or equivalent, and should plan the dive with a guide who sets turn pressures and bottom time. Nitrox can extend the no-decompression limit, though it brings depth restrictions of its own.
On a wreck at this depth, time passes quickly. Check your gauges often, avoid chasing details at the expense of your plan, and ascend slowly with a safety stop.
Winter diving at Cirkewwa is possible and often rewarding, with fewer divers and clear water, but the sea is cooler. A thicker suit or drysuit is common between December and April.
Before and after
Check in with the dive centre the day before, confirm departure time and meeting point, and ask about equipment. Bring certification card, logbook, and a surface marker buoy if the centre does not supply one.
Between dives, eat lightly and rehydrate. If you are doing a two-dive day, the second site is often shallower, and a patrol boat or reef dive nearby is a good fit.
Cirkewwa itself has little in the way of nightlife, so most visitors return to Bugibba, Qawra or Mellieha for dinner. The beaches around Mellieha Bay are a short drive away, and Ghadira Nature Reserve lies just behind them, for a calmer afternoon.
Why divers return
Wreck diving in Malta is a matter of variety. Some wrecks are large and deep, some are small and easy, and some have a story that adds context. Rozi has the advantage of being simple: a tug, a sandy bottom, a clear shape and a purpose that changed. It is the sort of dive that works for a first Maltese wreck and still holds interest on the third.
For divers staying a week, Rozi combines naturally with the other sites near the north tip. From there, the wrecks off Comino and the south-west coast give a different mood, with deeper water and bigger ships. Whatever the order, the rule is the same: dive within your limits, follow the guide, and leave the steel as you found it.
Allow half a day for the dive and a proper break after it, and plan the ferry crossing to Gozo for the following morning if you want to continue the trip.
