Wreck Diving

Wreck diving is all about shipwrecks exploration. Each wreck is considered a time capsule into history waiting to be explored. Divers make interesting artifact finds while exploring the remains of sunken ships, enabling the diving community to make its own contribution to historians and archaeologists by giving them the information needed for wreck identification and further research.

Wreck Diving Hazards

Wrecks may pose a variety of unique hazards to divers. Wrecks are often snagged by fishing lines or nets and the structure may be fragile and break without notice. Penetration diving, where the diver enters a shipwreck is an advanced skill requiring special training and equipment. Many attractive or well preserved wrecks are in deeper water requiring deep diving precautions. If penetrating a wreck, a guideline (similar to the one being used in cave diving) helps a wreck diver in finding the way out easier in case of low visibility due to stirred up sediments. In addition, because of the potential fragility of the wreck, the likelihood of disturbing sediments or disturbing the many marine animals that take advantage of the artificial habitat offered by the wreck, extra care is required when moving and finning.

Benefits of Wreck Diving

A shipwreck is attractive to divers because it is an artificial reef, which creates a habitat for many types of marine life. It often has an exciting or tragic history and it is part of the underwater cultural heritage and may be an important archaeological resource: it provides a first-hand insight into context for the loss, such as causal connections, geographical associations, trade patterns and many other areas, providing a microcosm of our maritime heritage and maritime history.