Tug 2 is a good example of why a wreck guide should never be treated as permanent. The boat was deliberately placed on sand. Then the sea decided it preferred a different arrangement.
Site at a glance
From working tug to artificial reef
The tug was built in Malta in 1975 for the Chinese government and originally carried the name Tuo Lun Er Hao. She worked locally during the construction of Dock No. 6, the project often remembered as the China Dock, and later continued her working life around Malta.
She was cleaned and scuttled off Exiles in June 2013. A strong storm in October 2016 moved the wreck roughly thirty metres and turned it towards the reef. Subsequent weather has continued to change the details around her.
The long swim
Exiles offers convenient urban shore access, usually using the platform and ladder when installed. The wreck itself is a long way offshore compared with its depth, so the travel portion of the dive is significant. I plan gas for the swim, not just for the minutes spent on metal.
The reef on the way out and back is useful navigation structure and can make the return more interesting than a featureless sand crossing.
Boat traffic
This is one of the practical issues I take most seriously at Exiles. Sliema is busy and summer boat traffic can cross areas divers would prefer to think of as protected. Marker buoys help but do not create an invisible wall around divers.
A DSMB, controlled ascent and awareness of propeller noise are part of the site, not optional extras.
Why it works
At roughly low-twenties depth, Tug 2 gives enough time for a proper wreck dive without the tight NDL of deeper sites. The wheelhouse and open structure are photogenic, and the surrounding reef adds a second environment to the dive.
Where it is
GPS reference: 35.92050, 14.49880. Coordinates identify the site area; they do not replace underwater navigation, a current local briefing or an assessment of access on the day.