The Eleni K is one of the largest and most impressive shipwreck dives in South Australia, and the Marine Life Society calls it one of the best in the state. She was built in Baltimore in March 1943 as the SS Johns Hopkins, one of the mass-produced Liberty ships that carried supplies for the Allies in the Second World War: a single-screw steamer 134.6 m long. After the war she passed through several owners and, as the Greek-flagged Eleni K, arrived at Thevenard in mid-1966 to load wheat.

She was already considered unseaworthy. The Society records that about 90 minutes after departing with 7,776 tons of wheat, she broke her back because of design faults common to the class. She was refloated in November and grounded in her present position between Goat Island and St Peter Island, where she was abandoned.

Today the wreck is a relatively intact vessel sitting upright in 11-13 m, with the top of the bridge about 2 m under the surface. That combination – a huge ship in shallow, often clear water – makes it accessible to Open Water divers, and the Society describes it as very scenic and teeming with marine life. The hull and superstructure are encrusted with sponges, algae and ascidians, and schools of fish fill the holds and shade of the structure, with crayfish and octopus in the plating.

Nearby Goat Island hosts a shearwater colony of about 94,000 birds. The main obstacle is remoteness: Ceduna is nearly 800 km from Adelaide, and there is no dive shop in town. For divers who make the trip, it is a genuine bucket-list wreck.

Ceduna is about 780 km from Adelaide. Launch at the Ceduna or Thevenard boat ramps and run south-west out of Murat Bay to the waters between Goat Island and St Peter Island (roughly 30-45 minutes depending on boat). Obtain local marks; the bridge top lies just 2 m under the surface, so approach slowly and watch for the structure.

There is no dive shop in Ceduna, so bring full cylinders or a compressor; local fishing charter operators may be able to provide transport.

The west coast of Eyre Peninsula faces the Great Australian Bight and receives almost constant south-westerly Southern Ocean swell; open-coast sites need swell under about 1.5 m and are only diveable a handful of days a month, usually after several days of northerly or easterly winds, which blow offshore. The large sheltered bays (Coffin Bay, Waterloo Bay, Venus Bay, Baird Bay, Streaky Bay, Denial Bay) are protected from swell and can be dived in most conditions except strong onshore winds. Summer brings strong afternoon south-easterly sea breezes; winter brings cold fronts with big swell but also calm, clear spells.

Water is cool: about 14-15°C in winter and 17-21°C in summer. The wreck lies among islands off Ceduna that give some shelter from the south-west; strong winds make the boat run uncomfortable.

Descend onto the bridge at 2-4 m, work down the superstructure to the deck at about 8-10 m, then swim the length of the hull at 11-13 m along one side and return on the other; explore holds from outside only.

Large steel wreck – penetration of holds and superstructure not advised without wreck training, line and redundancy; much can be seen from outside.

No resident dive operator in Ceduna; dived by locals and visiting expeditions with private boats. Local fishing charters may assist with transport.