Wrecks: Admiral ship Vis (24)
The former admiral ship Vis which dates back to the time of the Yugoslav Navy, on which the former Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito often sailed, after sinking along the west coast of the southernmost part of Istria, in Kamenjak, has been turned into a unique diving attraction.
The Vis, named after the Dalmatian island, is the first deliberately sunk ship in Croatia. It lies upright under the sea, in the most attractive position, being located south of Polje Bay, close to the small bay of Plovanija, with its bow facing north, at a distance of about 250 metres from the coast and at a depth of 32 metres. Its upper decks can be reached by beginner divers who dive up to a depth of 20 metres.
The 58 metre long and 8.7 metre wide ship weighs 662 tons with a draught of three metres. It was built in 1956 in the Pula-based shipyard of Uljanik as part of Tito's fleet, designed to function as a command ship of the Yugoslav Navy. The hull is made of steel, whilst the decks are of aluminium below which there were two motors of a thousand horsepower achieving a maximum speed of 17 knots.
Instead of sailors and a number of celebrities from the world of politics and entertainment who resided on the Vis, the saloons of a once luxury ship that was given a new purpose, other than divers, are now "visited" by shoal of fish.
The attractive area of the Kamenjak peninsula is located in Premantura, 10 kilometres away from Pula. The favourable Mediterranean climate allows visitors to spend time within nature for recreation or sport throughout the year. The specific and valuable landscape of Kamenjak is a combination of forests, grasslands, maquis and rocks with a rich biodiversity.
