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Complete Wreck Diving Guide: A Guide to Diving Wrecks, By Hank Keatts & Brian Skerry

Nevin — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:22:11 +0000

If you really enjoy wreck-diving or have always wanted to find your own unexplored ship wreck, then a must have classic book that needs to find a place on your scuba diving bookshelf is the “Complete Wreck Diving Guide” by Hank Keatts & Brian Skerry. This 270 page paperback originally published by Aqua Quest Publications, is a classic guide to wreck diving covering research, locating wrecks, charter boats, gearing up, diving the wreck and identification, as well as dealing with artifacts and photographing shipwrecks.

There is a wide variety of information for both beginners to wreck diving and for advanced wreck divers packed into this comprehensive volume. The book also covers topic such as the types of ships and how they deteriorate; researching and finding shipwrecks; methods of actually searching for a wreck; specialized scuba diving equipment and predive preparation; what to look for and expect in a charter boat; diving the wreck with special emphasis on hazards and navigation; clues to use for identifying a wreck; artifact recovery, conservation and legal considerations; special techniques of photographing wrecks. Also includes a section on the contribution wreck diving makes to our understanding of maritime history. Covered in the appendices are lists of research sources in the United States and overseas.

Complete Guide to Wreck Diving available at Leisurepro.com

Book Contents:

Why Dive Wrecks
Getting Started: What you should know about ships and shipwrecks
Research
Finding your wreck
The Physical Search
Charter Boats
Gearing up: wreck diving equipment and pre-dive preparation
Diving the wreck
Shipwreck identification
Artifacts
Sunken ships and salty shutters: making images of wrecks
Appendix A – U.S. research sources of shipwreck identification
Appendix B – research sources outside the U.S.
Bibliography
Index

About the Author

Henry Keatts is a Professor of Biology an Oceanography, Suffolk Community College, Long Island, NY. In addition to being widely published in his field, Keatts is the author of New Englands Legacy of Shipwrecks and Field Guide to Sunken U-Boats, and Guide to Shipwreck Diving: New York and New Jersey. He is co-author of the Dive Into History series (u-boats, Warships and U.S. submarines) published by Pisces Books. Keatts writes a column “History Submerged” for Discover Diving magazine. He is a “fellow” of the Explorers Club, an associated member of the Boston Sea Rovers and an honorary member of the Gillmen Club (Hartford, CT) and the Adirondack Underwater Explorers (Saratoga Springs, NY). He is president of the American Society of Oceanographers. His underwater photography complements both his academic and avocational pursuits.

Brian Skerry is an accomplished underwater photojournalist based in Massachusetts. Although he has worked with a variety of subjects, his primary focus has been on shipwrecks, having logged in an excess of 600 decompression dives in their pursuit. Among the wrecks Brian has documented, are the luxury liner Andrea Doria, eight German U-boats, and the civil war ironclad U.S.S. Monitor. His work has been featured by numerous national clients including Sports Illustrated, American Heritage and National Geographic television.

Complete Wreck Diving Guide: A Guide to Diving Wrecks, By Hank Keatts & Brian Skerry is a highly recommend read to anyone who is interested in wreck diving, especially if you’ve dreamed of finding that unexplored wreck site but didn’t know where to start or what resources are available. It is also a comprehensive and handy A-Z wreck diving reference guide full of best practices and safety tips to enjoy your next wreck. This book is currently available at LeisurePro.com

photo courtesy tslane888

Dive Abu Nuhas the Ship Graveyard of the Red Sea – II

Nevin — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:00:27 +0000

The Kimon M
Known as the Lentil Carrier Wreck the Kimon M was a diesel-powered 121-meter refrigerated cargo vessel was built in 1952. The vessel was carrying a cargo of lentils from Turkey on its way to Mumbai, when she collided with the reef at full speed on December 12, 1978.

The wreck is the easternmost of the wrecks at Abu Nuhas and lies resting on the seabed on her starboard side at 32m. Perhaps one of the least dived wrecks of the four, as this wreck presents a great risk of collapsing owing to its unstable sheets of metal; it is hence considered dangerous to penetrate. The Kimon has deteriorated considerably in the last three decades and her sideways resting position has caused undue pressures on its hull, expediting it’s decay. While the top of the wreck is at 15m and easily reached, the wreck is designated only for advanced divers owing to the condition of the wreck and the depth of its propeller and rudders at 32m. The wreck is home to several species of pipefish.

The Giannis D
This Japanese built 99-meter diesel-powered cargo ship was launched in 1969. She ran aground in April 1983, on her way from Croatia to Saudi Arabia and Yemen with a cargo of wood when it didn’t spot the Abu Nuhas reefs in calm weather. The ship which was left abandoned on the reefs didn’t sink for two weeks until a storm snapped it in two and sank to 24m. The Giannis D is today found in three detached parts: the bow, the remains of the amidships, and the stern.

On descending the first thing that catches your attention is the distinct A-frame deck Gantry crane that reaches just below the surface. The distinguishing funnel bearing a large letter “D” can also be clearly seen. The engine room at 13m offers easy access and is well persevered. The engine room is said to be the star attraction of the Giannis. It is also possible to explore the holds, and spot some of the timber cargo it was carrying before it sunk. The bow section is not far away, but is not often dived as the main section of the ship has so much to offer. With plenty of swimthroughs, and plentiful and easy entry and exit points, this wreck is a good site for novice and advanced scuba divers alike.

The Red Sea wreck graveyard, Abu Nuhas can be visited all year round, with a visibility ranging between 20 – 30m. Most wrecks are for more intermediate and advanced scuba divers, while no special scuba diving equipment other than dive lights are required, currents can be strong and dives can be deep. Most of these wrecks can be reached by day boat from either Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada, but the best way of diving them is to join a liveaboard vessel.

photos from flickr by: asbjorn.hansen

Dive Abu Nuhas the Ship Graveyard of the Red Sea – I

Nevin — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:00:30 +0000

Sha’ab Abu Nuhas is a large triangular shaped submerged coral reef northwest of the Red Sea’s largest island, Shadwan Island in the northern Red Sea (Egypt). It is a navigation hazard because it projects into the nearby shipping channel that provides ships access to the Suez Canal. Abu Nuhas has seen its share of shipwrecks, as evidenced by the 5- 7 shipwrecks on it including the four frequently dived wrecks of the SS Carnatic, Kimon M, Chrisoula K and Ghiannis D. Its no wonder that this reef is nicknamed the ship graveyard of the Red Sea, and is visited each year by thousands of scuba divers as day trips from the nearby Hurghada, El Gouna and Sharm El Sheikh or via Liveaboards.

The Carnatic
This British Built 90 meter long, steam engine & wind sail powered vessel was built in 1862 and owned by the Peninsula & Oriental Steamship Navigation Company (today’s P&O Nedlloyd) and sailed through the Suez mostly to India and China. On September 13, 1869, the Carnatic ran into the Reef with 34 passengers as well as a cargo of cotton, copper, £40,000 in Gold coins and wine that was en-route to Mumbai & Calcutta in India. It is said that the crew made it to the Shadwan Island nearby, but 31 died waiting to be rescued. Two months later the gold was recovered by another vessel.

The Carnatic is perhaps the Red Sea’s oldest divable wreck and also the most diver’s favorite wreck. The wreck itself lies on her port side between 27 and 18 meters, and is relatively safe for divers to explore. There are several gaps in its hull where divers can take a peek inside, and spot several cracked wine bottles and other interesting objects, still intact after over a century and a half underwater. The wooden deck of the Carnatic has disappeared over the years and allows plenty of light into the eerie iron ribbed insides.

The Chrisoula K
Built in 1954 the Chrisoula K a Greek registered 98-meter long diesel-powered cargo freighter was carrying a cargo of floor tiles from Italy to the Saudi port of Jeddah in 1981 when it hit the Abu Nuhas Reef and sunk to the bottom at 26m where its rests in an upright position. The bow of the Chrisoula is in just 3m of water and visibility on site is usually very good and this allows divers to see the whole wreck at once making this a great site for underwater photography. The wreck is penetrable and several interior areas can be accessed by scuba divers including the engine room, and the cargo hold where one can see the tiles still in place. The rest of the ship has some remarkable coral growth, and is fascinating to hunt for its inhabitants such as octopus, gobies, scorpionfish and nudibranch. Most wrecks at Abu Nuhas have strong currents and are recommended only for more advanced divers, however the Chrisoula K wreck is more protected from the elements than others on Abu Nuhas and owing to this and its shallow depth, snorkeling is possible at this site.

photos from flickr by : Markus Wollny, welshcathy, Andurinha

Wreck Diving: Dive The HMAS Hobart in South Australia

Noreen — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 16:00:00 +0000

Known as one of South Australia’s premiere dive sites is the HMAS Hobart, a World War II guided missile destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy. Decommissioned in 2000, the 133 meter (436 ft) long ship was strategically placed and well scuttled by controlled flooding into 30m of water, forming an artificial reef off the coast of South Australia, an 80 minute drive South of Adelaide in the Yankalilla Bay just two years later. It’s a wreck diving destination you don’t want to miss if you’re in Australia.

In it’s prime during it’s tours on duty off South Vietnam, the ex HMAS Hobart was known as the “Green Ghost” due to her speed, which made her appear to be able to be in several places at once. Unfortunately hit by “friendly” fire, the ship had to be decommissioned shortly after, but remains in all it’s glory underwater today.

The pride of the scuba diving scene in South Australia, the HMAS Hobart is truly a divers wreck as it was intended to be. It lies at a max depth of 30 meters with it’s bow facing towards the land. A good place for a planned multilevel dive, the decks of the ship lie at between 15 and 22 meters, the guns and bridge in around 15 meters and the top of the stacks in 5 to 7 meters, allowing divers to maximize their non-decompression dive time underwater. A well planned and thought out dive site to begin with, many holes and hatches were cut out before the sinking to allow easy penetration into the wreck, for scuba divers to navigate throughout the wreck. A number of mooring lines too are attached to the ship for descent and ascent so you can do your safety stops while stick checking out the stacks (either forward or aft). But, what makes it even more special how intact the wreck is with much of it’s original equipment, instrumentation and fittings – including filing cabinets, sinks, toilets and tools which offer divers lots to see. You can literally sit in the captains chair, look into the inner workings of the engine room or missile magazine, check out the guns, the mess deck, or even take the controls on the conning bridge. You can even do a spot of ironing in the laundry, if that’s your fancy.

Marine life too has taken to this ship making it a wreck teaming with life. From schools of snapper, whiting and bearded cod that roam the outside, bullseyes, blennies and leatherjackets moving in, almost all the ship’s surfaces are covered in rich marine life thriving in their new environment. So you the next time you’re gearing up for a diving trip to Australia, try putting a spot in for the HMAS Hobart a great wreck dive in our books!

Now plan your next dive trip and diving vacations with great deals from LeisurePro Travel

Photo credits: photos by Crouchy69 and marv4mart on flickr

Witness The Sinking Of The USS Kitiwake at Grand Cayman This December

Nevin — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:00:19 +0000

If you’re planning a visit to the Grand Caymans this winter, make sure you don’t miss this once in a life-time opportunity to witness the creation of an artificial reef with the scheduled sinking of the USS Kittiwake on the 5^th of December 2010.

The USS Kittiwake was in service from 1945 to 1994 and was a United States Navy Chanticleer-class submarine rescue vessel. Kittiwake was decommissioned on 30 September 1994 was transferred in November 2008 for an undisclosed amount to the government of the Cayman Islands who intended to sink this 251 ft (76.61 m) vessel to serve as an artificial reef off Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman.

The Cayman Islands Tourism Association has elaborate plans to convert the wreck into a private park and attraction named the “Kittiwake Shipwreck Park” that is managed by Tourism Association where Scuba Divers will be expected to pay an entry fee of $10 per visit/dive and snorkelers $5 per visit and will be issued a BCD tag or wristband for snorkelers. The funds collected will be used for maintenance of the ship wreck, safety equipment and management of the attraction and a portion of the visitor fee is paid to an Environmental Contingency Fund. The Tourism association has already printed out wreck dive slates providing visitors with detailed information about the wreck available for purchase from a Licensed Kittiwake Dive Operator.

The Ship itself is currently in dry docks is being stripped bare and being made secure for divers and environmentally sound for sinking. The sinking itself is planned to be a huge event and was originally scheduled to take place between July 24th – 27th, 2010, but was postponed due to the delay in towing the ship from the US to the Cayman’s and plus the time and work required to make the ship “diver & environmentally friendly”. The sinking ceremony on the 5^th is expected to draw huge crowds and be covered by the media fully. Several visiting journalists, guests and ex-crew members plan to attend and witness the sinking of the ex-USS Kittiwake in the Cayman Islands. Cayman resorts along the seven mile beach have almost sold out on special packages for tourist wishing to witness the sinking as well as be some of the first divers to visit the wreck once it’s in place.

To find out more about the scheduled sinking of the Kitiwake visit http://www.kittiwakecayman.com/

images from US Navy Archives & flickr by Willamor Media

Scuba Dive at Canada’s Fathom Five National Marine Park

Nevin — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 16:18:46 +0000

Located at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula, Fathom Five, Canada’s first national marine park, consists of 20 islands to the north and east of the Bruce Peninsula, and covers 130 square kilometers in roughly a triangular shaped area. The marine park covers the twenty islands, 22 shipwrecks and several lighthouses.

Fathom Five Marine Park is considered one of the best North American Dive destinations for several great reasons: The Park’s 22 historical shipwrecks are perhaps the biggest draw for scuba divers to this region. These wrecks comprising of mostly schooners, barges and steamers, are amongst the oldest and best-preserved wrecks in Canada, many dating back to the mid-1800s providing a broad historical view of trading on the Great Lakes in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

In addition to being able to explore the numerous shipwrecks at the park, scuba divers can also marvel at the natural underwater rock formations, submerged geological formations such as cliffs, caves, overhangs etc., which are formed in the soft limestone rocks. This region also is home to a “submerged waterfall” which lies between Manitoulin Island and the Bruce Peninsula which around 5000-10,000 years ago was a waterfall that drained the water from Lake Huron into the Georgian Bay with a drop of 40 meters (132 feet) and possibly carried more water down it than the Niagara Falls does today.

Some of the more popular wrecks at Fathom Five are that of the W.L. Wetmore (a 214 feet steamer sunk in 1901) accessible by divers of all experience levels and snorkelers (depth 28ft or 8.5m). The wreck of the Arabia a 131 foot barque which sunk in 1884 is a spectacular dive, recommended for more advanced divers (depth 110’ or 33m). Some of the popular geological feature dive sites include “ the Caves” with a submerged grotto entrance 6 metres (20 feet) located east of Tobermory and allows divers and snorkelers alike to explore the hidden passageways of these limestone caves. And “ Dunks Point” which comprises of interesting geological formations like overhangs, walls and even a small cave to explore.

The waters of the Fathom Five Marine Park are crystal clear offering scuba divers fantastic visibility so much that the park offers glass bottom boat trips, and snorkeling at many of the underwater shipwrecks and attractions, so one doesn’t need to be a scuba diver to experience this regions underwater treasures. Water temperature is around 60°F (15.5 C) with thermoclines constantly reducing the temperature the deeper you go, so a thick wetsuit (7mm) with a hood, gloves and boots is highly recommended or a dry suit is also preferable.

Most diving at Fathom Five consist of open water sites that require the services of a boat charter, however there are a few than can be accessed as shore dives from Tobermory. All divers are required to register themselves at the Park’s Registration Center and obtain a scuba diving permit. Most of the wrecks in the area are in deep waters and are recommended for more advanced divers, however there are several sites that are divable by intermediate and beginners as well.

photos from flickr by: *Muhammad* & Explore The Bruce

Dive Chuuk the Wreck Diving Capital of the World

Nevin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:00:02 +0000

Chuuk, (formerly known as Truk till 1990) is an island group in the south western Pacific Ocean, and is one of the four states that make up the Island Republic of Micronesia.

Chuuk has perhaps one of the most diverse and interesting histories for an Island of its size. Being colonized originally by the Spanish, then German and finally the Japanese before finally being liberated but under US administration after World War 2, Micronesia is a diverse blend of different cultural influences.

During World War II, Truk Lagoon (Chuuk) was the Empire of Japan’s main base in the South Pacific theatre. A significant portion of the Japanese naval fleet was based here. In 1944 during World War –II, the United States executed Operation Hailstorm that was one of the most important naval battles of the war at Truk. Twelve Japanese warships, thirty-two merchant ships and 249 aircraft were destroyed, in the fighting that ensued, converting the pristine waters of Truk Lagoon into a war ship wreck graveyard overnight.

With over 40 divable wrecks, rich in history and fascinating stories, Chuuk is known by Scuba Divers as the Wreck Diving capital of the world. Most of the wrecks are within recreational Scuba diving depths and several are penetrable. There are periscopes, jeeps, WWII Airplanes, cargo crates and all kinds of artifacts strewn about or tucked away inside the cargo holds of these vessels. Some wrecks still contain live ammunition, bombs and torpedoes, and the Micronesia government has strict policies preventing the removal of any of the artifacts from the wrecks and has declared the area and underwater museum. Eight airplane wrecks of Japanese Zeros, as well as other aircraft that were ditched or crash-landed into the sea are now fascinating dive sites. Though the soft coral has taken hold of most of these aircraft and ship wrecks, most of the wrecks are quite intact and well preserved.

The Fujikawa Maru, an armed aircraft cargo ferry, is perhaps one of the most beautiful wrecks in Chuuk . This 433 foot vessel was struck by several torpedoes mid-ship in 1944, and sunk in 112ft (34m) of water with its superstructure just 30ft (9m) from the surface. The Fujikawa Maru is a site that will require multiple dives to truly experience. There are several A6M Zero aircraft completely intact alongside guns and ammunition inside its cargo holds, that didn’t get destroyed when it sunk. The ship is covered with an abundant growth of soft & hard corals, as well as anemones that cover the ship’s bow & stern guns.

The best way to experience Chuuk is by Liveaboard, and the Truk Odyssey is perhaps Chuuk’s finest Liveaboard. Leisurepro Travel has a great Dive Holiday package for Scuba Divers wishing to experience the wrecks of Chuuk, onboard the Odyssey and Includes 7 nights accommodations aboard Truk Odyssey transfers to and from airport, up to 5 dives daily. The Odyssey geared for both recreational as well as technical diving, covers all of the best diving sites of Chuuk, and will give you an unforgettable experience of diving the wrecks of this lagoon.

photos from LeisurePro Travel & flickr by: mattk1979

Unusual Wreckreational Diving: Boeing Aircraft Dive Sites

Noreen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:00:32 +0000

Tired of diving regular shipwrecks? Well, how about diving some planes instead, Boeing commercial aircrafts to be specific. Here’s a look at three pretty unusual dive sites that use old Boeing aircrafts to create artificial reefs and ofcourse cool dive sites!

The first located of the coast of Miami in Florida, is a Boeing 727 jet that was sunk as part of the Key Biscayne Artificial Reef Site in 1993. The jet was meticulously cleaned, disassemble for transportation over land and reassembled for placement on a barge by its owner, Steve O’Neal. It was then lowered to the bottom of the ocean floor and anchored at depth of 82 ft. Unfortunately, the plane was hit during the Hurricane Gordon in the summer of 1995 and now lies in two sections with the main body of the jet in 82 feet of water and the tail section in 110 feet of water. Called the Spirit of Miami, the pieces of the wreck are now covered with soft corals and dotted with spiny oysters that snap their shells closed when divers approach making this dive site a favorite of Miami area divers. Another interesting story surrounding this wreck is that it’s rumored to have a time capsule hidden somewhere in the wreckage, due to be opened in 2043 or when a diver finds it whichever happens first!

Our second Boeing dive site lies in the middle of an abandoned quarry lake in Southern Illinois. The folks at Mermet Springs have more than just any Boeing 727 aircraft to boast of, the aircraft was the very same that was used in the movie US Marshals starring Tommy Lee Jone. To add to the attractions this 8.5 acre spring fed stone quarry that goes down to a max depth of 120 ft also feature a sunken school bus and ambulance to add to their repertoire underwater. While there’s no tropical fish in the Mermet Springs it does have some unusual life including some giant albino catfish as well as some crazy looking Paddlefish that even got the attention of the Nation Geographic team who have been spotted up there shooting some footage.

To top our list of airliner dive sites is the Boeing 737 in Chemainus, Vancouver- Canada. This artificial reef sunk in January or 2006, now sits at 3m/10ft off the bottom and gives the appearance of “flying” over the ocean floor. Despite rumors, the aircraft is actually in top-notch shape and very much intact with little signs of corrosion or deterioration. This recreational dive site initiated by the Artificial Reef Society of British Colombia has been rated some of the best wreck diving in North America.

*Photo credits: photo by David M* on flickr. Other picture sources- robinburr.com, deepblueadventure.com and divebuddy.com

Dive One of The World’s Best Wrecks, The Umbria in Sudan

Nevin — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:57:38 +0000

Strange though it may seem, it’s true that one of the world’s best wreck dive sites is located just off Port Sudan. This dive site is classified as one of the world best for numerous reasons; wreck depth, condition, visibility, wreck penetration ease, history and intrigue as well as one explosive reason which we will reveal later on.

The Umbria was a 500 foot long freighter built in the 1912’s in Hamburg Germany and originally known as the Bahia Blanca. It was used during World War 1 as a freighter and was ultimately sold to the Italians in 1935 to be used as a cargo and troopship.

The ship had set sail in 1937 from Italy and arrived at Port Sudan for re-supplying coal and water, when Italy which had remained neutral in the WWII till then suddenly decided to declare war. This led to officers in the British controlled Port of Sudan wanting to detain the Umbria to search her cargo and detain her as long as possible as they suspected the ship would be used once again in the war. The Captain of the vessel was well aware of how his precious cargo might now be used against his country, decided to scuttle the ship just off of Port Sudan ensuring that the ship and its cargo could never be used again.

So what was the precious cargo which would cause a captain to sink his own ship? The Umbria was carrying 360,000 individual aircraft bombs ranging in size from 15, 50 and 100 kg. The vessel also carried a large quantity of fuses, ammunition and detonators as well as other traditional cargo. The captain knew these bombs would be confiscated and used by the enemy against his country should they ever discover them which was why he made the call to sink the ship.

Lying in the shelter of the Wingate Reef, just outside Port Sudan and strangely unaffected by currents and tides, the ship is within easy reach of Port Sudan harbor. The wreck lies on its Port side at a 60 degree angle at a depth range of 5 – 36 meters (15 – 115 feet) with the maximum depth of 36m making the wreck shallow by most standards. Owing to its depth, there is plenty of natural light that streams through and the visibility of the waters is excellent, ranging from 10 – 15 meters (30 – 50 feet).

There is just so much to see while diving the Umbria, both internally and externally as the ship is relatively intact, and the shallow depth gives you greater bottom time to explore this large ship in one dive. Three holds of the Umbria are open and divers and easily penetrate the holds with one of them containing 3 large classic Fiat Laguna’s which are simply stunning to behold. The holds also contain hundreds of strewn around wine bottles which were a part of its cargo when the ship was sunk.

Finally the main attraction of the Umbria is the hold which contains the 360,000 individual aircraft bombs. The bombs are stacked one on top of the other in hundreds of rows giving you an idea of the explosive power of these devices should they ever detonate. Even though the bombs don’t have their detonators inserted in them which lies along with the fuses nearby, they are still said to be potentially lethal should they ever go off and cause great damage to Port Sudan nearby. Never has the saying “look but don’t touch” ever been as applicable as when diving the Umbria.

The Umbria is a shipwreck that is able to satisfy every level of experience and even the most demanding of Scuba Divers. The ship makes a great photo opportunity, and the wreck penetration is relatively easy yet there is more than enough to explore without the need for specialized scuba diving equipment. Besides where else in the world can you dive with the thrill of 360,000 explosive bombs always just a few feet from away from you? If that doesn’t set your heart racing then we don’t know what will.

photos from flickr by: david_salvatori

Dive the Concrete Ship Atlantus for Cape May Diamonds

Nevin — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:15:12 +0000

During the First World War as steel was becoming a scarce commodity, an experimental program sanctioned by President Woodrow Wilson approved the construction of an emergency fleet of 24 ships to be made out of concrete instead of steel. Of the 24 sanctioned a total of 12 were finally constructed towards the end of the war and were used for various post war activities. Perhaps one of the most famous of these concrete ships the S.S Atlantus is now a wreck just off the shore of Cape May in New Jersey and attracts tourist from all over to view the wreck which lies partially in as well as partly above the water line. The Atlantus is also listed as one of the New Jersey shoreline’s wreck diving spots and scuba divers often frequent these waters to get a close-up look at this marvel of World War One engineering.

The Atlantus was built in the December of 1918 a month after the end of the war and was used as a troop transport to ferry soldiers back from Europe. However its service was short-lived and the ship was sent to the salvage yard in 1920, only to be revived in 1926 when a plan to put the concrete ship back into service as a ferry resulted in its restoration. However in the same year a storm hit and the ship broke free of her moorings and ran aground 150 feet off the coast of Sunset Beach. All attempts to free the ship were unsuccessful. Since then the 250 foot Atlantis has remained grounded just off Cape May and over time the vessel has split apart in its midsection into two.

While the proximity of the Atlantus to the shore makes the wreck relatively unfavorable to dive with strong currents, cold water and poor visibility, New Jersey divers claim that when the tides are low (slack tide) and during the winter months, visibility can be astonishingly good, however a dry suit is a must. Shore diving the wreck is extremely tricky and the timing of the dive has to be planned precisely to the slack tide hours otherwise swimming back to the shore against the receding tide is nearly impossible.

The wreck itself which lies in just 20 feet of water and lists on her port side split in two. The main inhabitants of the wreck are mussels that have made every square inch of the concrete surface their home. Divers have also reported spotting large sea bass, stripers, blues, weakfish and flounder in and around the vessel.

Though there may be not much to see at the Atlantus for a recreational dive, the reason most divers brave the dangerous and cold waters around the wreck is for the simple reason that it is said to have golf ball sized Cape May Diamonds around it. Cape May diamonds are quartz crystals originating from the Delaware River, resembling translucent pebbles, found on the beaches of Cape May, New Jersey that are shiny and polished by the constant tumbling of the waves. These “Diamonds” though not worth nearly as much as a real diamond are still worth a pretty penny and usually are found in sizes not much bigger than a marble or a tooth.

photo by Mike Zienowicz, joolyasea