Unforgettable Wrecks for Scuba Diving and How They Were Sunk

What is it about a wreck that touches a diver’s imagination? It could be the spine-tingling thrill of history coming alive, the excitement of a new experience, the exhilaration of exploring inside, or the fun of watching it transform to a living reef. Whatever the reason, the chance to dive a special wreck compels us to cross oceans and continents. From the Atlantic Ocean to the South Pacific and the Great Lakes to the Caribbean, here are ships (and one plane) we love to dive.

1. Sweepstakes — Ontario, Canada

With its deepest point at no more than 20 feet, the 119-foot Sweepstakes schooner belonging to Lake Huron’s Fathom Five National Marine Park in Tobermory, Ontario, is ideal for new divers — or experienced divers seeking ambient-light photography opportunities.

“It’s not challenging by any stretch of the imagination,” says Warren Lo, an underwater photographer who’s regularly dived the Lake Huron site since 2003. Also a scuba instructor, he finds that students zero in on the cargo holds.

“They’re a big attraction because you can see inside a wreck without actually going inside,” he says.

Cargo holds aside, the overall appeal is that Sweepstakes remains among the Great Lakes’ best-preserved wooden ships, with its prominent bow, windlass and largely intact hull; however, what you see is not 100 percent historical. The park has rebuilt sections in the name of preserving the wreck as a whole, and divers are no longer permitted to explore its interior.

The Day It Sank Damaged off Cove Island in August 1885, Sweepstakes was towed to Big Tub Harbour, but it sank in September before repairs could be made.

Dive Briefing
For Toronto residents, it’s roughly a two-and-a-half-hour drive to the park, making it popular at summer’s height for divers, as well as guests of glass-bottom-boat tours. Because dive trips don’t run when glass-bottom boats do, you might want to time your visit in June or after Labor Day. gswatersports.net

2. SS Atlas — Cape Lookout, North Carolina

The torpedoes that sank the 446-foot Atlas in 1948 ripped it in two, creating two sections — and two disparate dive experiences.

“Only the bow is regularly called spooky,” says Jon Belisario, training director at Olympus Dive Center. “When light hits the superstructure, it looks like an old haunted house with sharks swimming around it.”

This shallower portion also offers more structure at 80 and 90 feet, giving divers longer bottom times. It’s collected more growth, namely anemones, sponges and corals, and, in turn, become a macro wonderland — an appeal overlooked thanks to the number of megafauna that more easily fill a lens frame.

“The stern looks more like a shipwreck — like what you expect — with winches, boilers and the engine block,” says Belisario. This aft section also attracts more marine life, namely sand tiger and sandbar sharks, plus the occasional bull.

The Day It Sank
On April 9, 1942, Atlas was attacked and struck by two torpedoes fired by a German U-boat. Two crew members lost their lives; survivors were picked up by a U.S. Coast Guard cutter.

Dive Briefing
“You’ll absolutely need nitrox,” says Belisario, adding that divers can also benefit from a surface-marker buoy should they surface away from the boat. If you plan to explore both parts of the wreck or cruise the sand to study the wreckage, bring a wreck reel. discoverydiving.com

3. Nippo Maru — Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia

The Nippo Maru tells the story of 1944’s Operation Hailstone attack better than any other Chuuk Lagoon wreck. In less than two hours, the 354-foot Japanese navy supply ship sank, carrying machine guns, shells, detonators, gas masks, mess kits, shoes and beer bottles. And if the cargo alone isn’t enough to humanize the story, the galley and most of the living quarters remain intact.

The best part, says Cliff Horton — treasurer of Odyssey Adventures, whose liveaboard vessel Odyssey regularly visits — is that “a beginner diver could just as easily have a great dive on this wreck because of stellar visibility as could a seriously qualified tec diver who’s penetrating to see the engine room.”

The Day It Sank
Nippo Maru was set ablaze and sunk by a trio of 500-pound bombs from TBF Avengers during the massive naval air and surface attack on Feb. 16-17, 1944.

Dive Briefing
The wreck’s signature photo op is the wheelhouse. Says Horton, “If you’re a photographer, note that the wheelhouse is good for positioning a diver on the opposite side looking in.” trukodyssey.com

4. M/V Bianca — Grenada

Perhaps no other Caribbean wreck offers greater payoffs with as little commitment. The 600-foot passenger ship is 10 minutes by boat from the island’s southwestern tip, and the shallowest sections start at 100 feet. Visibility off Grenada is usually about 70 feet, making it likely that the magnitude will wow you. Follow guide Peter Seupel to his choice viewing spot, nestled near the anchor at 170 feet, peering up at the towering bow. Says the Aquanauts dive center owner, “It feels like being in a European cathedral: the shapes, the light, the quiet feel very much the same.” Granted, recreational divers can’t reach this spot without an upgrade; PADI’s Tec 50 Diver course will land you to 164 feet. The depth and current make this an advanced dive.

The Day It Sank On Oct. 22, 1961, Bianca C was docked off Grenada when it was rocked by an engine-room explosion; one crewman died immediately. Islanders rushed to help some 700 passengers and crew to safety; today it rests off Grand Anse Beach.

Dive Briefing
Time for recreational divers is limited to 20 minutes. Any tec rating increases that — and the likelihood of seeing eagle rays. Says Seupel, “Your chances on a recreational dive are 1-in-3, but spend an hour on the wreck, and you’ll always see a school of eagle rays.” aquanautsgrenada.com

5. Chance Vought F4U Corsair — Oahu

This World War II-era American fighter bomber crash-landed and quickly sank in 115 feet of water off Oahu’s southeast coast in 1948. Now it’s among the island’s best-known wrecks but rarely attracts a crowd.

“You imagine that historic wrecks are either protected so you can’t dive them at all, like the Pearl Harbor wreck, or you have those with lines of boats and you wait your turn,” says photographer and Hawaii local Doug Perrine.

“At the Corsair, nobody was there — we had it to ourselves,” he says.

Given the plane’s dramatic end, it’s impressively intact: The tail fins, propeller, rudder pedals, stick and seat remain.

For photographers, the white sand serves as an excellent contrast for the fuselage; for nonshooters, it’s an interest point for the seemingly endless rows of garden eels craning their necks like periscopes.

The Day It Sank On a routine mission from Pearl Harbor in 1948, the pilot had to ditch the plane when it ran out of fuel; the pilot was rescued.

Dive Briefing
After you inspect the plane, head to the channel where you might encounter sharks, mantas and other passing pelagics. Be prepared: Heavy current can affect this site. diveoahu.com

6. Charles L. Brown — Sint Eustatius

In 2002, the Dutch Caribbean island of Statia purchased the 327-foot Charles L. Brown for a symbolic $1 from AT&T, and locals immediately got to work prepping the vessel for its eventual sinking. “It’s a good example of how a small island can achieve big things,” says Mike Harterink of Scubaqua Dive Center.

Stellar viz makes the approach to the wreck spectacular. “It’s swarmed by hundreds of horse-eye jacks, turtles and sharks, and a huge resident barracuda named Charlie,” says Harterink. “After diving it, you’ll understand why every diver visiting Statia wants to dive here.”

While it’s a relatively young artificial reef, Harterink says, “like a good bottle of wine, it’s getting better and better every day.”

The Day It Sank On July 25, 2003, the former cable-laying ship was dispatched to the bottom just outside Statia’s national marine park and came to rest on its side in a sandy area; depths range from 50 to 100 feet.

Dive Briefing
Less famous but not less spectacular is Charles L. Brown’s “little brother,” the 170-foot Chien Tong. Standing upright in 70 feet of water in protected Oranjestad Bay, “this wreck is a magnet for juvenile turtles,” says Harterink. “Make a night dive when the young turtles’ moms and dads join in for a good night’s rest.” scubaqua.com

7. USS Oriskany — Pensacola, Florida

Everyone knows the Mighty O as the more accessible of the world’s two sunken aircraft carriers — the other is the Saratoga off Bikini Atoll. But what everyone might not know is that unlike most warm-water wrecks that are deteriorating daily, this 888-foot artificial reef is gaining bulk thanks to honorific visitors leaving behind tributes to passed loved ones, including a fireman’s helmet and ship’s bell. But locating those finds might better suit subsequent dives. Start first with the flight deck at 140 feet; with visibility averaging 60 feet, you can tiptoe to recreational limits and still enjoy the vantage. Then penetrate the flight control room at 80 feet to mix with the resident blennies and beaugregory fish.

The Day It Sank
Purpose-sunk on May 17, 2006, Oriskany operated primarily in the Pacific into the 1970s, earning two battle stars for service in the Korean War, and five for service in the Vietnam War.

Dive Briefing
“The cool stuff is at 110 feet and deeper,” says Kerry Freeland, co-owner of Gulf Coast Dive Pros in Pensacola. Because of this, he recommends that divers request a tank larger than the default 80-cubic-foot aluminum. Say the word and Freeland will set you up with a 95, 100 or 120. Says Freeland, “These give you as much as 50 percent more gas, enabling you to take full advantage of your nitrox mixture — you get the full bottom time allowed without being limited by air consumption.” florida-divepros.com, downunderdiveshop

8. Doc Poulson — Grand Cayman

With multiple moorings, the USS Kittiwake was rigged to accommodate several dive boats; the Doc Poulson, just one.

“It’s a more exclusive experience,” says Nicola Williams, PADI MSDT for Reef Divers scuba center in West Bay, the island’s northwest tip.

On the bottom for more than three decades, the former cable-laying ship has remained intact. Because of this, the ship has had decades to collect soft- and hard-coral growth.

Doc Poulson allows for basic penetration: Drop inside the hull, flooded with sunlight, before swimming through the wheelhouse.

But at 100 feet long, the ship is small. For most visitors, it becomes the first half of a dive, with the nearby wall providing the second.

The Day It Sank
Purpose-sunk in 1981, Doc Poulson is named for the doctor who helped establish the first hyperbaric chamber on Grand Cayman.

Dive Briefing
Thanks to the shallow depth, average visibility of 100 feet or more, and the absence of other dive boats, the wreck is ideal for video newbies. cobaltcoast.com

9. Iro — Palau

Palau’s underwater World War II gallery isn’t so much about one wreck as the entire collection, but if one ship were to be called out, that ship is the Iro.

“It’s the one everybody has to do,” says Marc Bauman, director of sales for Sam’s Tours Palau, a dive center that regularly takes guests to the 470-foot Japanese fleet oiler and supply ship — unforgettable thanks to a silhouette defined by two kingposts, rectangular like bridge supports.

“It’s impressively preserved, fully encrusted in coral, and sits in a good area,” says Bauman, referring to its location 10 minutes by boat from Palau’s capital city, Koror, and 120 feet from the surface.

Tec divers target the wreck for its vast penetration routes; recreational divers will be drawn to the forward deck, excellent for spotting cuttlefish.

The Day It Sank On March 30-31, 1944, carrier-based American planes dropped explosives on the remnants of the Japanese fleet during Operation Desecrate One. Over two days, at least 60 ships were destroyed and sank to the bottom, including Iro.

Dive Briefing
For Paul Collins, a dive instructor for Sam’s Tours, the best perch is at 20 feet among the top of the kingpost forward of the engine room. “You’ll find the largest anemone garden in Palau full of tomato anemonefish — it’s heaven!” samstours.com

10. SMS Coln — Orkney Islands, Scotland

Mention Scapa Flow, and talk turns to Coln, the 510- foot German cruiser well-deserving of the hype. Following WWI’s end in 1919, seven warships were scuttled, including three battleships, two additional cruisers and a minelayer; of them, Coln remains the most intact.

“Turn your head, and you can imagine it sailing along,” says Mark Evans, editor of Sport Diver magazine in the U.K.

Even a torpedo tube survived: It fell from the deck onto the sand where a veil of silt has settled overtop, but the loading hatch is clearly identifiable.

As are the deck guns, stern anchor and armored control tower.

“It looks like something you’d expect to see on top of a tank,” says Evans.

The Day It Sank
Sunk in late 1918, the German High Seas Fleet, including Coln, arrived in Scapa Flow; on June 21, 1919, fearing the British intended to seize the fleet, Rear Adm. Ludwig von Reuter gave the order to scuttle every ship.

Dive Briefing
Given the 118-foot depth, you’ll want at least advanced open water and nitrox certifications, plus a drysuit. Says Evans, “It’s way too cold at depth to do in a semidry.” scapascuba.co.uk

11. Ray of Hope — New Providence, Bahamas

The 200-foot former interisland freighter Ray of Hope sits upright and is located directly behind the popular Bahama Mama wreck, about 2 miles off New Providence’s southwestern coast. Its bow is at a rec-friendly 40 feet; you can fin down to her stern at 60 feet. You can penetrate her interior, cabins and gangways; the large cargo hold is also open. But like Bahama Mama, this wreck's marquee attraction is Caribbean reef sharks. "The sharks add an extra element of excitement, creating a backdrop that makes it a top wreck dive," says Liz Parkinson of Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas. "It rests next to the Tongue of Ocean dropoff, and there's a mysterious, majestic feel to the site when you descend down onto it, or come up over the edge of the wall and see it."

The Day It Sank Ray of Hope was last registered as a Haitian freighter, but she was built in Germany; on July 7, 2003, she was purpose-sunk by Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas.

Dive Briefing "There is a small entrance in the superstructure at the stern, which leads through some tight corners up to the wreck's top deck," says Parkinson. "If you take this route, be careful of tight rooms and narrow corridors, and make sure you take a light. There is a huge green moray eel that calls Ray of Hope home, and he is not afraid of popping out to see who is creeping around." stuartcove.com

12. Mary Celeste — Bermuda

Devotees of the Civil War blockade runner welcome storms and turbulent seas that churn up sand under the 1864-sunk wreck — and treasure. Recently, that’s included a bottle of perfume, whose scent was re-created by on-island perfumery Lili Bermuda, and a bottle of wine opened at a Charleston, South Carolina, food festival in March 2015. But the bottle might have been more valuable than its contents; master sommeliers described notes of crab water, sulfur and vinegar.

Not all divers who search will discover physical evidence of the ship’s complex history, but they’ll learn its fate in the briefing, starting with the fact that this 225-foot paddle-wheel ship has a twin, the Montana, sunk on the north shore.

Today, the hull’s center is broken up, but the bow, stern, boilers and paddle wheel remain intact.

The Day It Sank
One of the swiftest of its class, Mary Celeste made at least five successful blockade-running trips delivering goods to the U.S.; on Sept. 13, 1864, it ran out of luck when an overconfident pilot steered it onto a reef.

Dive Briefing
A recent site excavation revealed a parrotfish-aggregation site about 150 feet to the west. Spring is the best time for viewing the three species that rely on the site to breed. fantasea.bm

13. SS Numidia — Big Brother Island, Red Sea

The remote location — an overnight motor from Port Ghalib, Egypt — not only deters day-boat crowds, but it also promises stellar visibility.

“That’s the major difference between this wreck and those close to Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada, where you get a lot of particulate in the water off the desert,” says Wayne Hasson, president of the Aggressor Fleet. Red Sea Aggressor’s itinerary includes the Brothers islands and Numidia. “Here, the waters are crystal-clear because you’re so far offshore — you’re in the middle of the Red Sea,” he says.

The wreck itself, torn in half, lies on the sloping wall of Big Brother Island’s northern point.

“Numidia is broken up enough that you can see the big steam-engine cylinders easily,” says Hasson, adding that the ship allows for easy penetration.

The Day It Sank The pilot might have been asleep at the wheel when Numidia slammed into a shallow reef, eventually broke in two, and sank in 1901.

Dive Briefing
Allow time on the top deck to connect with the local population of anthias. “The wreck is covered in clouds of gold anthias,” says Hasson. They’ll drop close to the wreck as you approach, fearing you’re a predator. But there’s a way to get face time. “Stay still, and they’ll come back to envelope you.” aggressor.com

14. SS Benwood — Key Largo, Florida

This former Norwegian merchant freighter should be every beginning wreck diver’s starting point. Sitting in 25 to 45 feet, the structure is largely broken open, exposing its ribs and offering easy access for divers.

Most intact is the bow, now thick with tube sponges, sea fans and other growth, adding pops of color — and cover for the resident 5-foot green moray. Add schools of French grunts to the equation, and it’s understandable why Jeff Cleary, an owner of the Key Largo-based scuba center Sea Dwellers, says, “It’s a condo for marine life.”

If the dive proves easy following a day trip, Cleary recommends a night visit, which his shop offers Wednesdays and Saturdays. In addition to scores of sleeping parrotfish, a loggerhead turtle with a 4-foot-diameter shell typically makes a visit.

The Day It Sank On April 9, 1942, Benwood and Robert C. Tuttle were traveling “blacked out” to avoid detection by German U-boats when they collided; Benwood sank in the early-morning hours of April 10.

Dive Briefing
Bring a dive light to unveil what lives in the nooks and crannies of the reef, as well as the drop-off nicknamed Elevator Shaft, found by following a 170-degree compass heading from the bow. This pocket drops from 30 to 75 feet, and next to the encrusted bow, offers the greatest coral garden at the site. oceandivers.com, rainbowreef.us, seadwellers.com

Dive Into More Wrecks

• Are You Ready To Be A Wreck Diver?
• Best Locations For Easy Wreck Diving
• Wreck and Reef Diving in the Florida Keys