Treasures Under The Sea

From shipwrecks to magnificent coral formations, divers discover a magical world beneath the waters that surround Bermuda.

Text and photos courtesy of Fantasea

Divers from around the world consistently rank Bermuda among the world's best dive destinations - and for good reason. Bermuda's waters are full of wonders, from sunken ships to colourful reefs and an abundance of marine life.

For nearly 500 years, ships have run aground on the treacherous reefs that surround Bermuda. As a result, the island holds the title of "Shipwreck Capital of the Atlantic."

Since the island's discovery by Spaniard Juan de Bermudez in 1503, Bermuda's reefs have taken almost every kind of vessel: troop transports, munitions ships, treasure galleons, frigates, brigantines, sloops, schooners, and paddlewheel steamers. In fact, it was a shipwreck - the Sea Venture in 1609 - that spurred English colonization of Bermuda and inspired William Shakespeare to pen The Tempest a year later.

Today divers flock to Bermuda to explore miles and miles of reef wrecks - far more than at any other destination in the western hemisphere. Oceanographers, in fact, know of more than 400 wrecks scattered around the island.

The Constellation is one of Bermuda's most famous wrecks. An American four-masted, wood-hulled schooner, the 192-foot-long ship was built in 1918. During World War II the schooner was used as a cargo vessel. In July 1943, it wrecked in Bermuda while on the way to Venezuela, where it was to deliver building materials, medicinal drugs including adrenaline, opium, morphine, and penicillin, and 700 cases of Scotch whisky. Author Peter Benchley featured the Constellation in his book, The Deep, which was made into a movie. Today divers will discover the schooner's broken hull on a coral and sand bottom in 30 feet of water, along with petrified sacks of cement, glassware and other items.

Not more than 50 feet from the Constellation is the Montana. A Civil War blockade runner, the 236-foot-long paddlewheel steamer made trips between Bermuda, England and North Carolina until it sank in 1863. Still partially intact, the steamer lies in 30 feet of water, adorned by beautiful soft and hard corals and marked by two steam boilers and two paddlewheel frames lying on their sides.

Fully intact, sitting upright in crystal-clear water, the Hermes is considered Bermuda's most popular wreck dive. Frequented by large barracudas, its crew abandoned the 165-foot-long, steel-hulled vessel after it suffered engine damage; the cost of repairing the engine was considered to be more than the vessel was worth. In 1984, the Hermes became an artificial reef on a flat sand bottom in 80 feet of water.

The Mary Celestia, a high-speed, side-paddlewheel steamer, smuggled guns, ammunition and food into Charleston during the American Civil War. To evade monitoring by Union spies, the vessel operated under other names, including Marie Celeste and Bijou. It sank in 1864 after hitting a reef close to Bermuda's south shore. Today divers encounter the steamer in 55 feet of water, one of its paddlewheel frames standing upright like a miniature ferries wheel. The second paddlewheel lies flat on the sand alongside the boilers, anchor and part of the bow.

The Minnie Breslauer, a 300-foot-long, steel-hulled English steamer was on its maiden voyage between Portugal and New York with a cargo of wine, dried fruit and bales of cork when it hit a Bermuda reef and sank. Still visible in waters 35 feet to 70 feet deep are the huge steam boiler, parts of the wheelhouse, the steering quadrant, a four-bladed propeller and rudder.

Surrounded by Reefs

Bermuda boasts the world's most northern reef, which supports 50 species of coral, but it's surprising that any coral grows here. Coral usually grows between 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south; Bermuda is at 32.15 degrees. It's the warm Gulf Stream that makes it possible for coral to thrive in Bermuda waters.

The Gulf Stream, 260 miles southwest of Bermuda, keeps water temperatures in winter at an average 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the minimum temperature required for the hard coral that forms the skeleton of the island's reef. In summer, the Gulf Stream keeps temperatures at a steady 86 degrees.

More than 200 square miles of coral reefs surround the island. Most are easily accessible, at depths of 20 feet to 80 feet. Bermuda does not offer wall diving; the bottom just slopes away gently. But coral formations are spectacular, with plenty of canyons, overhangs and tunnels to make every diving experience unique. With no strong currents or large waves, diving is generally easy on the island. Divers also enjoy visibility of as much as 150 feet.

Marine life in Bermuda is similar to that found in the Caribbean, although fish here tend to be bigger. About 2,600 species of fish have been spotted in Bermuda. Some varieties, including certain types of angelfish, are unique to Bermudian waters. The fish here are essential to the health of the reefs. The parrotfish, for example, controls algae growth on the reef. There are about 12 species, all distinguished by their bright colours and fused teeth, which give the appearance of a beak.

Parrotfish also help to form the sand that covers Bermuda's beaches. The fish scrape the algae off the reef and, inadvertently, scrape some of the reef as well. The fish then digest and excrete the coral, which becomes sand. A parrotfish will produce a ton of sand per year.

Pink sand in Bermuda comes from a small marine creature that grows on the underside of the reef. It is only a few millimetres in diameter and has a hard, reddish coating. When the creatures die, their shells fall to the sand and are ground up by erosion.

When you consider all that lies beneath the sea, it's not surprising that divers revere Bermuda. It's one destination that is as fascinating under water as above.

Read unbiased opinions about Bermuda activities at TripAdvisor.

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