Kimon M

Overview

The Kimon M is the "Lentils Wreck" of Abu Nuhas — the deepest and arguably the most atmospheric of the reef's celebrated cargo ships. A 120m German freighter that drove onto the reef in 1978 with a hold full of lentils, she now lies on her starboard side with her stern sunk into the sand at 32m and her bow shallow on the reef. The contrast between the broken, debris-strewn forward section and the largely intact stern makes her a rewarding wreck for divers with a little experience under their weight belt.

The Dive

The Kimon M runs deep for an Abu Nuhas wreck. Her bow section, forward of No. 2 hold, was smashed in the grounding and is now a debris field scattered across the reef in the shallows around 6–15m. The real interest lies aft: from the reef you drop down the starboard side toward the stern, which rests on the seabed near 32m, where the propeller and rudder stand clear of the sand. Rounding the stern brings you to the rear decks and the most intact part of the ship — a section solid enough to explore, with the famous view back through the remnants of No. 2 hold to the reef beyond.

The engine room is best admired from outside; ongoing deterioration makes serious penetration there genuinely hazardous, and most guides keep groups to the open, swim-through sections. Because the stern is at 32m, gas and no-decompression time are the limiting factors — this is a dive that rewards good air consumption, and on a calm day with enough left in the tank, boats sometimes link the Kimon M to the neighbouring Chrisoula K as a single drift. Current at Abu Nuhas can be strong, so a descent down the reef and an eye on the tide are standard.

Marine Life

Three quarters of a century of immersion has turned the hull into a reef. Glassfish fill the holds, soft corals coat the plating, and the wreck harbours several species of pipefish along with morays, lionfish, scorpionfish and stonefish. Snappers and boxfish patrol the structure, nudibranchs and stingrays work the debris field, and the open deck draws the usual reef traffic.

History

The Kimon M was a 120m German cargo vessel that struck Shaab Abu Nuhas on 12 December 1978 while carrying a cargo of lentils — earning her enduring nickname, the Lentils Wreck. She sat upright on the reef at first, but wind and current later pushed her down the slope onto her starboard side into deeper water. Much of her cargo and machinery was recovered after the sinking, leaving the holds open for the glassfish and the divers who followed.

Good to Know

Best dived from spring to autumn, when surface conditions over the exposed reef are most reliable; visibility typically runs 20–30m and water sits between 22–28°C. Abu Nuhas is reached by day boat from Hurghada — around 2.5 hours each way — from nearby El Gouna, or on a northern liveaboard itinerary. With the stern at 32m and currents that can run strong, the Kimon M is best treated as an advanced wreck dive: conservative gas planning, good buoyancy, and no overhead penetration into the unstable engine room.