Wreck diving always have this wonderful mixture of history, mysticism and eeriness as they rise up from the ocean floor. Wreck diving in the Caribbean does not fail to impress. Each wreck has a truly unique story from the vessel confiscated for drug smuggling to the ship that was turned into an underwater art exhibit. Read on to find out about the wonderful wrecks that you can dive in the Caribbean.
- Hilma Hooker
Where: Bonaire.
About the wreck: Customs officials found nearly 12 tons of marijuana hidden on the Hilma Hooker in 1984. The vessel had lost power and was towed to shore where it was inspected and the marijuana discovered. The captain and crew members were arrested and the vessel was left moored at the pier. The ship was in a poor condition and started to take in water. It was decided to move her to a permanent anchor point between two reefs, where she subsequently sunk.
What can you see: Pristine coral, sponges, sea fans and schools of tropical fish.
The vessel lays on her starboard side. At the stern you can see the rudder and propeller. There is a large deck, two deck houses, a galley, crew quarters, wheelhouse, chart room and an empty cargo hold. The Hilma Hooker was evidence in a criminal case which means that nothing was allowed to be removed from the vessel prior to sinking. Some objects like furniture, debris and heavy steel doors makes penetration hazardous. Below the aft deckhouse is the engine room. Penetration here is particularly dangerous with a number of entanglement hazards, low visibility and a lack of natural light. Penetrating the engine room is strongly advised against.
Depth: 15-30m
Conditions: Visibility is often more than 30m with average water temperatures ranging between 26-32°C.
Qualifications Required: Open Water. A Wreck specialty qualification is required for penetration.
When to go: Bonaire has good diving all year round, with hurricane season being between June and November.
Best accessed via: You can either take a dive charter or reach the wreck via a shore entry. The shore entry could be a bit tricky as there is a small ledge that needs to be navigated which could make exiting especially difficult.
- The Odyssey
Where: Roatan, Honduras
About the wreck: The Odyssey is a 90m long freighter, sunk in 2002. It is the largest wreck in the Caribbean and had to be sunk in an area in Honduras called ‘the Mud Hole’ due to its size.
What can you see: You can see a huge wheelhouse, many stairs and ladders and the captains’ head with its original tiling still intact. The wreck lays between two reefs housing many tropical fish species. You could see some barracuda, groupers and tuna above the wreck. Although the wreck is still fairly new there is some coral growth visible.
Depth: 34-36m
Conditions: Visibility is between 25-27m with water temperatures ranging between 24-29°C.
Qualifications Required: Advanced with deep and wreck qualifications.
When to go: The best months to visit is April and May when the weather is warm and dry. The rainy season is between July and January with the peak rainy season being between October and January.
Best accessed via: A short boat ride from shore is the best way to access this site.
- Kittiwake
Where: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
About the wreck: The Kittiwake was a submarine-rescue vessel, with many of its exploits still being classified. It played a part in a number of record breaking achievements, including conducting the deepest submarine rescue exercise in 1959. The Kittiwake and her crew recovered the space shuttle The Challenger’s black box from the Atlantic Ocean in 1986. It launched in 1945 and was decommissioned in 1994.
She was taken to Virginia where decommissioned ships are kept and properly disposed of. The vessel was donated to the Cayman Islands Tourism Association to use as an artificial wreck provided that they cleaned the ship, towed and sunk it properly and responsibly in an approved location. She was finally scuttled in 2011.
What can you see: The Kittiwake has an abundance of marine live, including a huge resident grouper that hangs around the propeller. There is a mess-hall to explore and the propeller shafts are large with natural light for easy penetration. You can see the smoke stack, two recompression chambers and a head with the mirror still intact. Although the panels of the wheel house has been removed, the captains wheel is still present.
Depth: 5-18m.
Conditions: Visibility is usually 30m+ and water temperatures range between 25-29°C.
Qualifications Required: Open Water. Advanced with wreck qualifications are required for penetration.
When to go: There is good diving year round but hurricane season is between June and November.
Best accessed via: Kittiwake is considered a private park and requires an admission fee and that you visit the site with a licensed operator.
- Felipe Xicotencatl C-53
Where: Conzumel, Mexico.
About the wreck: Also referred to as ‘The Conzumel Wreck’, the Felipe Xicotencatl was served the US Navy in WWII – then known as the USS Scuffle. Mexico bought the vessel in 1962 and used it to patrol the Caribbean for 55 years. The Felipe Xicotencatl was sunk in 1999 as part of the Conzumel underwater park.
What can you see: There is a large diversity of marine life and divers can explore the engine rooms, galley, officers’ quarters and radio room – all of which are still intact.
Depth: 6-25m.
Conditions: There could be strong currents at times. Visibility is usually 30m+ and water temperatures range between 25-29°C.
Qualifications Required: Open Water with Advanced and Wreck qualifications for penetration.
When to go: There is good diving year round with May to October being the rainy season.
Best accessed via: There are both liveaboard and day trip options available for this wreck.
- RMS Rhone
Where: British Virgin Islands.
About the wreck: The RMS Rhone was a British mail ship. During the San Narciso hurricane in 1897 the vessel was thrown into Black Rock Point and sunk. 123 passengers lost their lives that day.
What can you see: The bow is mostly intact. In the stern you can see the propeller, drive shaft and engine box. Most of the wreck is exposed which means it is fairly easily penetrable.
Depth: The stern lays between 12-18m while the bow lays between 22-26m.
Conditions: Visibility is usually 30m+ and water temperatures range between 26-29°C.
Qualifications Required: Open Water. Wreck speciality is required for penetration. Because a part of the wreck is so shallow, it is a perfect spot for snorkelers.
When to go: Diving is good year round with hurricane season being between July and September.
Best accessed via: There are both liveaboard and day trip options available for this wreck.
- Suffolk Maid
Where: Butler Bay, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
About the wreck: The Suffolk Maid was a North Sea trawler. She got washed up onto Frederiksted Pier during a hurricane in 1984. The next year the vessel was towed and scuttled at its present location in Butler Bay. She sits upright.
What can you see: The vessel’s name is clearly visible on the bow. There are many Creole wrasse and a green moray can sometimes be spotted.
Depth: 18m.
Conditions: Visibility is usually 30m+ and water temperatures range between 26-29°C. With a slight current being present most of the time.
Qualifications Required: Open Water with advanced and wreck qualifications for penetration.
When to go: Diving is good year round with hurricane season between July and October.
Best accessed via: The site is best dived off a boat but can be accessed by a 15-20 minute surface swim.
- Bianca C
Where: Grenada
About the wreck: The Bianca C is also known as the ‘Titanic of the Caribbean’ due to her vast size. She is 180m long and sits upright on her keel. She was a cruise liner owned by the ‘Italian Costa Line’, also known as ‘Linea C’ which sunk in 1961. An explosion in the boiler room led to fire spreading throughout the vessel. The fire lasted two days.
A British vessel attempted to tow her to Point Salines but while underway the tow line snapped. The Bianca C’s rudder was seized full to starboard, causing her to turn and move out into the open ocean before a new tow line could be attached. She sunk at the base of Whibbles Reef.
What can you see: The collapsed funnel with the ‘C’ for Costa Line still visible, lifeboat davits, and the swimming pool. The bridge has collapsed but from there you can see the fore deck with broken stairs, winding winches and fallen spars all covered in soft coral. You can also see the remains of the forward mast.
There is a variety of tropical fish and barracuda often hang around. Black Tip and Bull sharks have been seen in the area, as has eagle rays and Nurse sharks.
Depth: 30-50m
Conditions: There usually is a gentle current.
Qualifications Required: Advanced with deep and wreck certification for penetration.
When to go: Diving is good year round with peak hurricane season between September and October
Best accessed via: There are a number of shore based dive concessions that do day trips to the Bianca C
- Kodiak Queen
Where: Necker Island, British Virgin Islands
About the wreck: The Kodiak Queen is one of only five vessels that survived the Pearl Harbor attack. After WWII she went on to become a Kind Crab fishing vessel running out of Kodiak, Alaska. In 2012 The Kodiak Queen was saved from a junk yard through the efforts of historian Mike Cochran, photographer Owen Buggy and entrepreneur Richard Branson. Today she rests just off of Richard Branson’s Necker Island.
What can you see: The reef is an underwater art exhibit with the main feature being a huge Kraken sculpture wrapped around the vessel.
Depth: 17m.
Conditions: Visibility is usually 30m+ and water temperatures range between 26-29°C.
Qualifications Required: Open water with advanced and wreck qualifications for penetration.
When to go: Diving is good year round with hurricane season being June to November.
Best accessed via: Shore based excursions.
- Superior Producer
Where: Curaçao
About the wreck: The vessel was overloaded with Christmas cargo and sunk soon after it left port at Williamstad, on the way to Venezuela
What can you see: The vessel sits upright and is covered with a variety of colourful sponges and coral. Barracuda and blackbar soldierfish can often be found on the wreck.
Depth: 30m
Conditions: 30m+ visibility with strong currents at times. Water temperatures range between 26-29°C.
Qualifications Required: Experienced, advanced divers with wreck certification for penetration.
When to go: Diving in Curacao is good year round, with the rainy season falling between October and February.
Best accessed via: The Producer is usually reached via a shore entry with a 5-10 minute surface swim.
- M.S. Antilla
Where: Aruba
About the wreck: The M.S. Antilla is a 122m long German freighter.
What can you see: The wreck is covered in sponges, fire coral, anemones, yellow frog fish and other tropical marine species.
Depth: 18m
Conditions: 30m+ visibility with strong currents at times. Water temperatures range between 26-29°C.
Qualifications Required: More experienced to advanced divers with wreck qualification for penetration.
When to go: Diving in Aruba is good year round, with the rainy season falling between October and January.
Best accessed via: Shore based concessions and liveaboards.
As always with wreck diving proper qualifications and experience is important, especially if you plan on penetrating the vessel. Have you dived any of these unique wrecks? We would love to hear from you!
- A version of this article first appeared at www.scubadiverlife.com
