Number 11: Underwater Military Museum Jordan’s Underwater Military Museum off the
Red Sea coast is the first underwater military museum on the planet, and if you’re a history
buff who doesn’t mind getting your feet wet, it’s well worth a visit. The Underwater Military Museum
is right off the coast of Aqaba and was made on purpose to simulate the look of a battle-
just 50-90 feet below the surface. Although you can technically snorkel around the museum,
it is fairly deep down, so you might be better off strapping on your scuba gear to head down. Like
many other features on our list, the Underwater Military Museum has already taken on a life of
its own in the form of coral and sea creatures, despite the fact that the tanks, helicopters,
and troop carriers were only submerged back in July 2019. Of course, special care was
taken to ensure that no hazardous materials were sunk along with the military relics,
as to make the Underwater Military Museum a fun place for sea creatures and curious humans alike.
Number 10: Vanuatu’s Post Office The Vanuatu Post Office proves that
sending mail doesn’t need to be boring; it can be an immersive, unique underwater experience
that will honestly give you something to write home about. This submerged post office is the
only one in the world, and at only 10 feet below the waves off Vanuatu’s Hideaway Island Resort,
it’s easily accessible by snorkelers and scuba divers. This tiny island chain in the Pacific
Ocean has some of the most remarkable marine life in the world, so you might just catch a
glimpse of some dazzling creatures on the way to Vanuatu’s watery post. Given the wet conditions,
only special waterproof postcards can be sent from the Vanuatu Post Office,
but they can be shipped anywhere in the world!
Number 9: Rummu Prison Rummu prison is an old
Soviet-era prison in Estonia that was never intended to be underwater. Back in the 1940s,
it was a prison and limestone quarry complex, where inmates would be forced
to toil away in the quarry for hours a day. In the 1990s, after the Berlin Wall fell, Russia
abandoned the Rummu prison, and the limestone quarry started rapidly filling with water. No
inmates were on hand to pump the liquid out, so the situation got really out of control quickly,
flooding the prison and quarry. You can snorkel and swim your heart out at Rummu
Prison and even get up to dry land to see the remains of non-submerged buildings.
Number 8: Christ of the Abyss Christ of the Abyss sits right
off the coast of San Fruttuoso, Italy. Delve 25 feet below the surface of the Mediterranean Sea,
and you’ll find it; a ghostly rendition of Jesus that stands a full 8 feet tall. The statue was
built by Guido Galletti in 1954 at the request of Duilio Marcante, an Italian diver and art
enthusiast. The bronze Christ of the Abyss is a memorial, a tribute to Marcante’s friend who died
diving in the same spot just a few years earlier. He’s been submerged there ever since. Today,
the Christ of the Abyss is a popular destination site for courageous divers in the Mediterranean.
Number 7: Museum of Underwater Art
The Museum of Underwater Art fuses the natural beauty of the Great Barrier Reef,
with new art designed to help the reef flourish. Its out-of-the-box design is the brainchild of
Jason deCaires Taylor, who crafted his work out of special steel and metal- a great way to attract
new coral formations. This unique museum is about two hours away from the coast of Queensland,
Australia, and is a surreal and one-of-a-kind experience for divers in the Land Down Under.
The statues themselves tell the fantastic story of the reef and the First Nations people. Part
ecological adventure, part fine art swim, this submerged gallery of art is not to be missed.
Number 6: USAT Liberty This 393-foot US Army cargo ship
was the victim of Japanese torpedo fire in the Second World War, and a huge underwater attraction
in Bali today. After she was bombed, the allies tried to drag her to the Balinese capital for
repair, but she was losing water too fast. They had to beach and ditch her… but that was just
the beginning of this spectacular wreck’s story. The USAT Liberty lay on the shore for 20 years,
getting picked to the bone by scavengers, until something absolutely incredible happened. In 1963,
nearby Mount Agung erupted, rocking the coast and sending the USAT Liberty back full circle
to the sea, which is where she sits today. The USAT Liberty is only 13 feet underwater,
so you don’t need to be a full-fledged diver to access her. Snorkelers are welcome! The
remains of the wreck are teeming with tons of sea creatures, including manta rays and tropical fish.
Number 5: Silfra Fissure This epic Icelandic divide actually allows
visitors to swim between two continental plates, an experience that you can’t get anywhere else in
the world. The Silfra Fissure is the slim crack between the North American and Eurasian plates,
where you can peek deep into the heart of the planet. The Silfra Fissure was created in 1789,
when a massive earthquake split the tightly fused plates and gave us a glimpse of the ocean inside.
The water is generally cold but crystal-clear so that you can explore the cavernous depths of the
fissure with 20/20 vision.
Number 4: Sweepstakes Shipwreck The Sweepstakes shipwreck is the most accessible
wreck in all of the Great Lakes. Although the massive lake chain has more than 6,000 shipwrecks,
most of them are entirely inaccessible to people. Not so with the Sweepstakes shipwreck. You barely
need to dip a toe in the water to marvel at this behemoth. Located in Lake Huron, the
Sweepstakes sank in 1885, and it’s only through a stroke of luck that it’s so close to the shore.
The Sweepstakes was meant to be repaired in Big Tub Harbour, but it sank instead. At only 20
feet below the surface, you don’t need scuba gear to explore the perimeter of the wreck.
Snorkelers can easily check it out. If you don’t want to get wet at all, you can always take a
glass-bottomed boat tour instead.
Number 3: Sea of Galilee Mound The Sea of Galilee Mound was discovered
by accident when researchers did a sonar survey of the lake. This ancient sea, located in Israel,
is steeped in Christian folklore, and it’s the place where Jesus was said to walk on water.
The basalt rock Sea of Galilee Mound proves that miracles, or at least mysteries, happen below the
waves as well. It’s about 100 feet below the surface and cone-shaped. It’s also gigantic,
stretching 229 feet in diameter and rising up a full 30 feet. It’s twice as big as Stonehenge,
and it’s anywhere from 2,000 to 12,000 years old. The Sea of Galilee Mound is a huge
mystery. Was it a burial ground? A sacred site? A gift from ancient aliens? It’s unlikely that we’ll
know anytime soon.
Number 2: Shipwreck Trail Shipwreck Trail stretches far across
the Florida Keys, spanning the area from Key West to Key Largo and stretching a full 120-miles-long
and every last part of it is jam-packed with shipwrecks. Many of the wrecks are doomed
Spanish galleons, but you can also check out military ships or even smaller crafts during
your adventure below the waves. With coral reefs and plenty of marine life to check out,
Florida’s Shipwreck Trail is a full on lesson in ecology and history. The oldest wreck of
the bunch is San Pedro, a 1733 Spanish treasure hunting craft that carries with it the promise
of uncovering some of the rich stuff while on the trail. Some spots of the trail are perfect
for novice divers, but other ones require a lot more technical skill. There are currents,
dangerous marine animals, and other challenges along the trail, so if you want to play it safe,
stick to the shallows instead. The Adelaide Baker is a popular trail destination off Duck Key,
and you only need to go down 20 feet to visit her. The San Pedro, the trail’s oldest wreck,
is only 18 feet below the surface off Indian Key.
Number 1: Lake Michigan Stonehenge Lake Michigan’s Stonehenge is nearly
as impressive as the original, and the whole thing is submerged far beneath the surface of the lake.
The structure is 40 feet below the surface and was only discovered back in 2007.
The only clue to Lake Michigan’s Stonehenge’s age is a carved depiction of a mastodon. Since
these big beasts went extinct 10,000 years ago, we have a good idea that Lake Michigan Stonehenge
has been lurking at the bottom for a hella long time! In addition to the mastodon carving,
Lake Michigan Stonehenge’s rocks are all curiously aligned and placed at equidistant
points from one another. This means that Lake Michigan Stonehenge is definitely not a natural
formation but one created by our ancestors. The only real question is why, and scientists and
researchers are no closer to unlocking the mystery of this site as they were when it was discovered.
Thanks for watching!
Would you go hunting for incredible amounts of old Spanish treasure on the Shipwreck Trail,
or take a deep dive around Lake Michigan’s very own Stonehenge? Let us know in the comments
section below.