Wreck
Diving
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Wreck diving, diving
instruction, wreck dives, wreck diver, diving
wrecks, ship wreck diving, diving trips, wreck
diving, wreck divers, Adrienne rich diving into the
wreck, dive wrecks, Florida
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Scuba diving
wreck or wreck scuba diving has always some
mysterious components.
Do I find
a treasure below there, gold, pearls, ancient
pottery, or simply a few relics from long time ago.
Or will I only find a few curious fish
similarly astonished over me like me over them, or
what else ?
Maybe a rotten
Spanish galley, a
ancient Chinese treasure wreck or a old metal war ship wreck from
the second world war, incredible things can happen.
Wreck Scuba Diving in
Florida
Some of the most enjoyable
diving you may ever do is wreck scuba diving. Because travel
by ship was the main way of going from continent to
continent prior to development of air travel, and |
because
the technology used on ships and in weather forecasting was
not advanced at all, many ships sank in waters around the
world providing dives that are interesting and fun. There
are so many wrecks that only the Florida wreck diving will
be covered in this article.
In fact, there
are so many Florida wreck scuba diving spots
available, you'll have plenty of difficulty choosing
which ones to dive. Hurricanes, coral reefs, shoals
and pirates all help sink
the ships that are often
quite near the shores. During the Spanish colonial period, the Florida
Straits were the most frequently used passage for
ships to access the Gulf Stream to get the boost of
these fast-flowing currents for their trip home
across the Atlantic Ocean. Some of these ships were
never to return safely home but were trapped into
one of the many tragedies that happened to the then
ill-equipped vessel when challenging Mother Nature.
Many of these unfortunate victims of the sea have
been excavated and are awaiting your arrival.
One great wreck scuba diving destination is
Pensacola in the Panhandle of Florida. There are
lots of ships within a small area. In Pensacola Bay,
eleven ships were to become victims of a hurricane
during 1500. The colonists that were becoming
settles on the shore at what is now known as
Pensacola Bay were unloading vessels when the
massive storm overtook them. Of course, there were
no storm warnings like we have today and they were
taken unaware. The result of the loss of the eleven
ships was to soon become the demise of the colony
which only lasted 60 years.
The Trinite is another great wreck scuba diving
spot. This French wreck lies off St. Augustine and
went down during a storm in 1565 while the Frenchmen
were preparing to attack the Spaniards who had
colonized this section of the northeast Florida
coastline. After the vessel sank, the attack did not
occur. Today you can not only scuba dive the wreck
at St. Augustine but you can also see other sights
like the nation's oldest school house and oldest
drug store, tour the fort as well as get in some fun
in the sun. Wreck
diving photo by cwhiting
You can do some wreck scuba diving
at the resting
place of the Tierra Firme fleet. Two ships from the
fleet of 27 vessels, the Atocha and the Santa
Margarita, went to their watery graves along with
380 sailors during a hurricane in 1622. The fleet
had more than $250 million in cargo among them and the Atocha
proved to be quite a profitable salvage job once it
was located and now you can see it for yourself along with her sister ship in the
Florida Keys.
In 1700 the Henneta Marie, a slave trade vessel that had
unloaded slaves in Jamaica and was in the Key West to load
sugar from the plantations sank. Today you can visit Key
West during your wreck scuba diving vacation and see the
oldest know wreck of a slave trading vessel that has been
identified by name
 .
While you are in the Florida Keys for wreck scuba diving, go
see the San Pedro which was one of the last vessels from the
New Spain fleet to cross to what is now the United States.
In 1733, this ship was taken victim by a hurricane along
with several other ships traveling with her. There are
wrecks covering over 80 miles of the Florida Keys oceanscape
from this storm. The Spanish salvaged this ship only to find
that she had been burned to the waterline so that pirates
could not loot her.
In 1713 a vessel named Urca de Lima owned by the Spanish ran
aground on a shoal off Florida's Atlantic coast during a
hurricane. There were nine other ships lost during this
hurricane but because the Urca de Lima was grounded and did
not sink like the others, she was used as a supply ship to
provide for the survivors of the other shipwrecks as well as
the one remaining French vessel that had been accompanying
the Urca de Lima. Over 1,000 men lost their lives in this
tragic hurricane.
You can find still dive and find shipwrecks under the waters
of the Atlantic Ocean on Florida's eastern coast as well as
some in the calmer waters of the Gulf of Mexico which run
along the western shore of Florida and the southern edge of
the Florida Panhandle.
Florida is a great place to go wreck scuba diving
and you
will find the waters warm enough to dive even in the winter.
In fact, the winter is the peak season in this southern
state. You can obtain discount rates if you choose to travel
to Florida during the off-season which is May through
November. You'll also enjoy less crowded areas and beaches
with fewer visitors.
As you plan your wreck scuba diving in Florida, be sure to
have all your dive equipment
 checked by a professional so
that you won't experience any problems while visiting a
wreck. If you do not want to take your own dive gear, there
are many dive shops located along the coastlines of Florida
ready to provide for your every need.
Spiegel grove wreck photo by cwhiting
If you want to ensure that finding the wrecks, scuba diving
with a charter boat that specialized in wreck diving is
practical. These captains know exactly where to visit
quickly and easily locate the wrecks you want to visit.
These locals can also point out other places of interest to
see and things to do in the area during your holiday.
While wreck scuba diving, remember that safety must always
come first when in the water. Don't take unnecessary
chances. Be sure to stay with your dive party and your trip
will be a great success.
Author J Aubin -
Wreck Scuba Diving and other Scuba Diving Vacations
3 Popular Wreck Diving Sites in Britain
While the mention of scuba diving generally brings to mind the image of some exotic tropical dive locale, the United Kingdom has a number of exciting dive spots just waiting to be explored by divers like you. If you have no issues with cold water diving, the following destinations will leave you breathless. Or something like that?
One of the best dive sites in the U.K. is located in Scotland, in the Sound of Mull. The Sound of Mull is located between the Isle of Mull and the Morven Peninsula. It is an extremely popular destination for U.K. divers because it offers an unparalleled range of diving in very reasonable conditions. The area is cursed with bad weather, which has resulted in countless shipwrecks over the years. Most dives in the area are launched from Tobermory, Lochaline, or Oban. The Hispania is, by far, one of the most popular wrecks in the area, due to the fact that it is still relatively intact and awash in marine life. It is shallow enough to get a good long dive, and visibility is generally very good.
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Another phenomenal dive spot is located on the south coast of England, in the waters of Sussex. The Alaunia, a steamship sunk by a German mine in 1916, is one of the more popular diving destinations on the south coast. Although the wreck is considerably broken up, there are still significant parts of the ship left intact. Be on the lookout for a series of portholes to help navigate the site. If you can manage to find the bridge area, you will undoubtedly be pleased to find the anchor still hanging from its chain. The size of the wreck is overwhelming to some degree, and it would take a few separate dives to explore the entire ship. Shoals of bib, spider crabs, and massive lobsters are sure to keep you entertained. See if you can spot a dead man's fingers while you are down there.
Another extremely popular dive is located near Plymouth, where the wreck of the steamship Maine found its final resting place. It can be found approximately a mile off Bolt Head. It was highly noticeable for a number of years, as the masts of the ship broke the surface of the water. The wreck has since been cleared of its mast, with most of the debris swept to its port side. It rests in water that is approximately 30 meters deep. The ship was torpedoed in March of 1917 and, after a noble rescue effort, came to rest in waters within easy reach from Salcombe. While this would be an amazing exploration for any diver, it is not recommended for novice divers due to the strong current. There is a good representation of undersea life, and this destination is sure please anyone who visits. |
Author Ian Scott is an experienced diver, and he has recently discovered the joys of cold water diving. He is also a contributing writer for thescubaguide.com an excellent website with extensive information about
wreck diving,
dive planning,
equipment and more. | |
Great Wreck
Dive Sites- Chuuk Lagoon in Micronesia
Although not strictly a specific dive site,
Chuuk Lagoon is arguably one of the finest locations for
wreck scuba diving to be found anywhere in the world.
When considering what wreck dive sites should be considered
amongst the worlds best, we are really looking for those
few dive sites which consistently deliver a 'unique and
special diving experience.' Without doubt, Chuuk Lagoon sits
comfortably amongst a list of the world's best dive sites.
Whilst its volcanic origins have brought about an
abundance of marine life and fauna to Chuuk Lagoon, what
really elevates it from other decent dive sites are the
48 shipwrecks which are scattered across the seabed of
the lagoon.
These shipwrecks are a result of a fierce battle called
Operation
Hailstone, which took place during the Second World
War in February 1944. During this two day battle,
the US Naval forces launched a major assault on the
Japanese Fleet which had made its base in Chuuk
Lagoon, and by the end of the assault, three
cruisers, six destroyers, three other warships and
over 30 merchant ships had been sunk. In total over
220,000 tonnes of shipping in just over two days.
Today, these wrecks form the basis of what has
become one of the world's best wreck diving sites,
and over the course of the past 50 years the wrecks
at Chuuk Lagoon have gradually become encrusted with
a wide variety of coral formations, becoming home to
a stunning array of marine life.
There are a number of excellent wreck dives
within Chuuk Lagoon including the Nippo Maru,
the Hoki Maru and the Shinkoku Maru; however it is
the wreck of the Fujikawa Maru which is widely
considered to be the best wreck dive in Chuuk
Lagoon.
There are a number of excellent dive operators
who offer diving in the Lagoon, and they are
typically well equipped, with extensive knowledge of
the various wrecks. For fans of liveaboard diving,
there are also a number of liveaboards who visit
Chuuk Lagoon as a integral part of their itinerary.
Diving is possible year round at the Lagoon,
although the best time to
visit is during the dry period between January to
March. Visibility can also be severely reduced by
run off during the monsoon period which runs from
July through to October.
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If you are looking for that extra special dive
location, then Chuuk Lagoon ticks many of the
boxes, and although for the majority of people of
divers it is a long journey, the standard of the
diving makes it all worthwhile.
About the Author
Mark Burns is Director of
www.Scubaworld.tv a
large scuba diving holidays and scuba diving courses
web site.
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Wreck diving, diving
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