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 The
Blanche King
The Blanche King was the classic American schooner, a design in wide use
at the turn of the century. She was constructed in Maine and launched in
1887. This great sailing ship was a four-masted, two-deck vessel measuring
192 feet. Her most unusual feature was a retractable centerboard that allowed
her to navigate shallow waters. She was coming to Bermuda from Virginia
with a load of coal, when she crashed into the reefs and sank in 1920. Today,
she lies in 35 feet of water near the North Carolina. The wreckage is marked
by rigging, deck machinery and the box that housed the retractable centerboard.
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The
Caraquet
The Caraquet was a combination British mail packet and passenger steamer
of 200 feet. She cruised the Atlantic at the turn of the century. Originally
built in Belfast, Northern Ireland, she was launched in 1894. Her most often
traveled route was Nova Scotia to Bermuda to the West Indies and onto South
America. In the summer of 1923, the steamer was coming into Bermuda from
St. John, Nova Scotia when she crashed into a reef. Rough seas, strong currents
and poor visibility had pushed her off course and made it difficult to obtain
land sightings. Her wreckage lies in 40 feet, of water marked by enormous
steam boilers, a large anchor, winches and deck machinery.
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The
Constellation
The Constellation was a four-masted, wooden hulled schooner originally built
in 1918 and measuring 192 feet in length. During World War ll, she was pressed
into service and used as a cargo vessel. In July 1943, she was bound for
Venezuela, carrying a general cargo of building materials, medicinal drugs
and 700 cases of Scotch whiskey. Today, her hull lies broken apart on a
coral and sand bottom in 30 feet of water, exposing sacks of petrified cement,
cups, nail polish bottles and a vast assortment of small items. The Constellation
was one of the key shipwrecks in Peter Benchley's book, THE DEEP and later,
the movie of the same name.
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The
Cristobal Colon
The Cristobal Colon is Bermuda's largest shipwreck, measuring 499 feet in
length and three decks high. This Spanish trans-Atlantic luxury liner was
completed in 1923 and operated between New York and Central America. She
was wrecked on October 25, 1936, when she crashed into a coral reef at a
speed of 15 knots. Today she lies in 55 feet of water and has become a haven
for large groupers and a variety of reef fish. The Cristobal Colon is one
of the few wrecks that has rectangular portholes. Her wreckage is scattered
across 100,000 square feet of sea floor, offering endless hours of fascinating
exploration.
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The
Darlington
The Darlington was a sturdy iron hulled steamer built in 1881, at the beginning
of the age of steam driven ships. She was constructed at the Swan &
Hunter Shipyard in Newcastle, England. She measured 285 feet long, with
a 36 foot beam and a hull displacement of 1,990 tons. The wrecking of this
proud vessel was caused by negligence and inexperience. She was en route
from New Orleans to Bremen, Germany, carrying a cargo of cotton and grain.
Her captain failed to assign a lookout while navigating in unfamiliar waters.
On February 22, 1886, she crashed into Bermuda's western reefs and could
not be refloated. The wreck lies in 30 feet of water, with her steam boilers,
propeller shaft and deck winches still visible.
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The
Hermes
The Hermes is Bermuda's most popular wreck dive because this USCG buoy tender
is still fully intact. Built in Pennsylvania in 1943, the small ship is
165 feet long, with a displacement of 825 tons. She was enroute to the Cape
Verde Islands when she experienced engine trouble near Bermuda. She was
eventually abandoned by her crew because repairs were estimated to cost
more than the ship was worth. In 1984, the derelict ship became an artificial
reef. She lies one mile offshore at Horseshoe Bay. The small ship sits upright
in 80 feet of water with her mast pointing toward the surface. She is exceptionally
photogenic because of excellent visibility in the area and visitors can
examine her engines, galley, cargohold, pilothouse, deck winch and propeller.
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The
Iristo
The Iristo was a most unlucky ship, wrecked because of another shipwreck.
Unfamiliar with Bermuda reefs, her captain was surprised by the sight of
the wreck of the Cristobal Colon and ordered his ship turned away. The course
change caused the Iristo to crash into a submerged reef and subsequently
sink in 1937. The Iristo, a 250 foot Norwegian freighter, was carrying a
cargo of gasoline drums, a fire engine and steamroller. The wreck lies in
50 feet of water, with the bow coming within 18 feet of the surface. Points
of interest include the engine, boilers, propeller shaft, propeller and
the fire engine.
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The
L'Herminie
Bermuda's most impressive warship wreck is the L'Herminie, a
60 gun French frigate that sank in 1838. This three-masted, wooden hulled
sailing vessel was returning to France from a skirmish in Mexico when she
crashed into a reef. Approximately some 25 giant cannons remain scattered
across the sea floor, partially buried in the sand. In depths of 35 feet,
visitors can see the ship's timbers, hull sheathing, copper nails, the fire
hardened bricks used for ballast and a pair of crossed cannons that serve
as a monument to this unique wreck site. L'Herminie was one of the last
French fighting ships that used sail power before European powers switched
to steam.
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The
Lartington
The Lartington was an early vintage freighter that crashed into Bermuda
reefs on December 14, 1879. The old steamer had departed Savannah, Georgia,
for Russia with a cargo of cotton. Her voyage was not an easy one; she encountered
numerous storms and heavy seas. A giant wave cracked her hull, causing a
massive leak. The ship's waterpumps could not keep ahead of the incoming
sea and the captain decided to make a run for Bermuda. She never made it.
Instead, the unlucky ship ran aground on the reef five miles northwest of
the Royal Naval Dockyard.Subsequent storms scattered her remains but her
bow section is fairly intact. She lies in 15 to 30 feet of water with her
steam boilers, stern section and propeller still visible.
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The
Madiana
The Madiana was built in 1877 and was a new breed of iron hulled trans-atlantic
passenger/light cargo ship, measuring 344.8 feet in length. On the night
of February 10, 1903, the Madiana was en route from New York to the West
Indies with passengers and general cargo. According to reports from passengers,
the ship was threading her way through a narrow channel leading to Bermuda's
Hamilton Harbour when she struck a reef northeast of North Rock. Near Bermuda's
uppermost reef system, the bottom of the ship's hull and keel sit 25 feet
below the surface. Atop this collection of hull plates and bulkheads, are
her two 15-foot diameter boilers and her massive 18 inch diameter propeller
shaft.
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The
Mary Celestia
One of Bermuda's most historic shipwrecks is the Mary Celestia - a side
paddlewheel steamer chartered by the Confederacy during America's Civil
War. She was utilized as a blockade runner, smuggling much needed guns,
ammunition, supplies and food to the troops in the South. The sleek, 225
foot ship sank in 1864, after hitting a reef close to the south shore of
Bermuda. The wreck lies in 55 feet of water, with one of her paddlewheel
frames standing upright like a miniature ferris wheel. The other paddlewheel
lies flat on the sand, along with other interesting artifacts such as the
boilers, anchor and part of the bow.
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The
Minnie Breslauer
The Minnie Breslauer is one of the unluckiest ships to sink in Bermuda waters.
She was an English steamer built in 1872. The 300 foot steel hulled freighter
was on her maiden voyage between Portugal and New York, loaded with a cargo
of wine, dried fruit, bales of cork and 160 pound lead ingots. Unfamiliar
with Bermuda reefs, the captain edged his new ship toward the shore, where
she collided with a submerged reef and ground to a halt. An attempt to back
the ship off the reef only resulted in it sinking. The wreck is one mile
off the south shore in depths ranging from 35 to 70 feet. Still visible
is the ship's huge steam boiler, parts of the wheelhouse, the ship's steering
quadrant and a four bladed propeller.
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The
Montana
The Montana was an elusive ship of multiple identities, often operating
under the name of Nola, Gloria, Paramount and Montana. She was a highly
successful Civil War blockade runner that made frequent trips between England,
Bermuda and North Carolina. Built in Glasgow, Scotland, this sleek 236 foot
paddlewheel steamer could run at 15 knots. The shallow reefs of Bermuda
accomplished what no Union gun boat could do and she sank in December 1863.
She now lies in 30 feet of water, still partially intact. The wreck is marked
by a huge steam boiler and two paddlewheel frames lying on their sides.
Adorned with a heavy coating of hard corals, soft corals and all sorts of
marine life, she is a beautiful sight.
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The
North Carolina
The wreck of the North Carolina is the classic vision of a sunken sailing
ship. The vessel was an iron hulled English barque that measured 205 feet
long and displaced 533 tons. The ill-fated ship sank on New Year's day 1880,
when she struck a reef. She was en route from Bermuda to England with a
general cargo of cotton, bark and fuel. Today, the North Carolina sits upright
at depths ranging from 25 to 45 feet. The bow and stern are fairly intact
while her mid-section has collapsed. Her bowsprit is exceptionally beautiful
as it points up toward the surface. A neat row of deadeyes attached to steel
rigging traces her railing and the curve of her fantail has a touch of ghostly
grace.
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The
Pelinaion
The Pelinaion was a large cargo steamer, 385 feet long with a 50 foot
beam and a displacement of 4,291 tons. She was built at Port Glasgow, in
1907, but her ownership changed numerous times before she was purchased
by a Greek shipping company and given her present name in 1939. The Pelinaion
was heading from West Africa to Baltimore with a cargo of iron ore when
she struck the reef off St. David's Head on January 16, 1940. The wreck
lies one mile offshore in depths ranging from 20 to 70 feet. She is an awesome
sight because of her large size and massive parts. Most noticeable are the
ship's giant steam boilers, huge triple expansion engine standing upright
and a spare propeller strapped to her deck.
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The
Pollockshields
Built in 1890 in Hamburg, Germany, the Pollockshields was a 323 foot cargo
steamer. With the approach of the first World War, near the end of 1904,
she was refitted into a German naval supply ship for operations in the North
Atlantic. Ten years later and known at that time as the Graecia, she was
captured by the H.M.S. Argonaut. After the capture, the British Government
named her The Pollockshields. Travelling from Cardiff, Wales for an undisclosed
port of rendezvous, the steamer ran into a "white squall" on September
2, 1915. Five days later the ship struck the near shore reef off Elbow Beach.
Among her collection of flattened deck and hull plates strewn across the
bottom on both sides of a shallow break in the reef, in depths between 15
to 30 feet, are two substantial boilers and an enormous space propeller,
as well as her immense triple expansion engine.
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The
Taunton
The Taunton was a 228-foot Norwegian streamer that was stranded on the North
East Breakers in 1920. Sitting at 10 to 40 feet, she is a great shallow
dive and a beautiful wreck.
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The
Xing Da
This 221 foot freighter became the target of a US Immigration sting operation
to capture those trying to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States.
On October 6, 1996, crewed by suspected members of the Chinese Mafia known
as the Triad, the Xing Da was to rendezvous at a pre-arranged place in the
mid-Atlantic with a second, smaller ship to transfer the "cargo"
and supposedly continue on to America. Instead, what they found 140 miles
off Bermuda was the U.S. Coast Guard and a regiment of the U.S. Marines.
After being towed into Bermuda, broken down beyond repair and destined for
a water grave, the Bermudan Government negotiated for possession of the
freighter. On May 15, 1997, the Xing Da was towed past the seaward edge
of Bermuda's northwest facing barrier reef and sent to the bottom where
she was successfully placed even keel in 104 feet of water.
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