10.
Destroyer #356
Built in 1984, Destroyer #356 was a Russian-built frigate, or warship, that was given to the
Cubans.
But the Cuban government had no use for the 330-foot-long (101 meters) vessel and sold
it to the Cayman Islands during the mid-’90s.
It was renamed the MV Captain Keith Tibbetts, or “Captain Keith,” and it was deliberately
sunk off the island of Cayman Brac as an artificial reef.
Famed diver and wreck explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau was there for the sinking of the
vessel and the filming of a documentary about it called Destroyer At Peace.
The film reveals the cleaning and preparation process that the ship underwent before it
was submerged at its final resting place beneath the waves.
Since then, Destroyer #356 has become one of the most popular diving sites in the Cayman
Islands.
Many Americans view the sunken ship as a symbol of capitalism’s ultimate triumph over the
Soviet Union.
It sits on its side between two coral reefs near the island’s north shore, where it’s
become home to numerous fish species including groupers, barracudas, turtles, and angelfish.
9.
American Star
The SS American Star was built in 1940 with plans to operate as a luxury cruise ship.
Instead, it transported U.S. troops overseas during World War II.
The ship was also camouflaged and used to evacuate 483,000 soldiers throughout the conflict.
After the war, it was converted into a luxury cruise ship as it was originally intended.
The American Star embarked on its maiden voyage as a cruise vessel in 1946, when it traveled
from New York City to Southampton, England.
From there, the ship changed hands numerous times, underwent several renovations, and
operated under many different names.
But time took its toll on the American Star, as it does on all maritime vessels.
In 1993, a Thai company bought the ship for $2 million after it went 16 years without
maintenance.
By then, its engines were unusable, but the new owner didn’t have much use for them
anyway, since the plan was to turn the vessel into a luxury hotel.
Things nevertheless went horribly awry in early 1994 while the ship was being towed
to its new home.
The American Star encountered a rough storm off the Canary Islands, and the tugboat that
was pulling it lost control of the vessel.
A few days later, it ran aground and broke in two near the island of Fuerteventura.
The ship was declared a total loss and left behind.
Soon enough, looters had stripped it of its valuables.
For 13 years, the front half of the vessel sat partially submerged near the beach.
It sank beneath the waves in 2007.
8.
Giannis D
Originally named the Shoyo Maru, the Giannis D was built in Japan in 1969.
It sailed as the Shoyu Maru until 1975, when it was sold and renamed as the Markos.
In 1980, a Greek shipping company bought the vessel and gave it its current name, the Giannis
D.
While traveling full-speed ahead from Croatia to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with a load of timber
in 1983, the ship crashed into a treacherous reef in the Suez Canal known as Sha’ab Abu
Nuhas, which sits at the edge of an extremely busy shipping lane.
Despite being well-known and present on most maps, the reef is difficult to spot, especially
in the harsh sunlight.
And it often goes unnoticed until it’s too late, which is exactly what happened with
the Giannis D.
Today, the ship sits in three pieces on the northern end of the reef.
Divers can go inside certain parts of the wreck, including the engine room, mess hall,
and bridge.
Because the vessel is tilted, it can be very disorienting, and is therefore only open to
advanced divers.
7.
Bismarck
Built during the late 1930s, the German battleship Bismarck was Europe’s most formidable warship
for a very brief period.
Yet it sank just eight days after it hit the seas.
The vessel’s maiden voyage was a mission to intercept Allied cargo ships that were
carrying supplies to Britain.
During the first few days of the trip, the Bismarck sank the legendary English flagship
the HMS Hood.
But the victory came at a huge cost.
The English were furious and retaliated against the Nazis with full force by sending the British
Navy after the Bismarck.
An all-out battle ensued and ended with a British victory.
The Bismarck sank to the ocean floor and remained missing until 1989, when famous oceanographer
and explorer Robert Ballard rediscovered the wreck.
Based on the warship’s pristine condition, it was clear that it was incredibly well-built.
The swastikas that had been painted on its exterior shortly after its construction were
still visible.
What’s even more surprising is that the vessel was intact even after landing on an
extinct underwater volcano and tumbling two-thirds of the way down the 3,300-foot (1,000 meters)
slope.
The Bismarck’s hull was still in one piece, indicating that it was flooded completely
before it sank.
If it hadn’t been, it would’ve imploded under the pressure of the surrounding water
once it plunged below the waves.
6.
MV Rozi
Built in Bristol, England in 1958, the tugboat MV Rozi originally went by the name Rossmore.
In 1969, she was sold to new owners, who changed her name to Rossgarth.
The vessel continued to operate out of Liverpool until it was relocated to Malta in 1972.
Rozi spent the rest of her career sailing out of the Port of Valletta.
Also known as Grand Harbour, it’s one of Malta’s natural harbors.
The tugboat received her current name in 1981 when she was sold to the company Malta Tug.
She continued to work for many more years until she was decommissioned and sold to Captain
Morgan Cruises.
Even after her days as a tugboat were over, the vessel remained useful.
In September 1992, its new owners scuttled it off Malta’s northernmost harbor, Cirkewwa,
as a diving attraction and an artificial reef.
It was part of the company’s Underwater Safari Tours, which no longer operate, but
it still remains popular among divers to this day.
Hundreds of visitors travel to the site every year to catch a glimpse of the rusting vessel.
5.
Karlsruhe
When the Nazis invaded Norway in April 1940 through the port city of Kristiansand, to
aid in their conquest, the Germans used a repurposed ship that was built during the
1920s.
Known as the Karlsruhe, the 571-foot-long (174 meters) swastika-bearing vessel was struck
by a British submarine torpedo shortly into its return journey.
The crew evacuated and the Nazis deliberately sank the ship 15 miles (24 km) off the Norwegian
coast, where it came to rest 1,607 feet (490 meters) below the water’s surface.
The Karlsruhe is detailed in historical accounts, but the wreck’s whereabouts were a mystery
for around 80 years according to maritime archaeologist Frode Kvaloe.
It was finally rediscovered last year by the Norwegian power grid operators with the help
of an expert, who identified the submarine in images and sonar scans.
Spotted during a routine inspection, the sunken vessel was found just 50 feet (15 meters)
from a subsea power cable that the company has been operating since 1977.
The Karlsruhe was the last large missing World War II era vessel belonging to the Germans.
It may contain thousands of liters of oil and other hazardous materials, which experts
have warned could lead to an ecological disaster in the event of an attempted salvage.
In other words, it would be extremely dangerous to even try raising the wreck.
Although most of the Karlsruhe’s crew was evacuated before it sank, it’s unclear whether
the wreck will ultimately be classified as an underwater grave.
What do you think should be done with wrecks like these?
Should cleanup attempts be made, or is the risk of disaster too great?
Share your opinions in the comments, and be sure to like and subscribe to the channel!
4.
Hilma Hooker
The crew of the Dutch-built freighter Hilma Hooker had no idea they were being watched
by law enforcement back in 1984 when the vessel ran into engine problems in the Caribbean
Sea.
Unaware of the problems they were about to encounter, they had the ship towed to the
port city of Kralendijk on the island of Bonaire.
The captain failed to furnish all the proper registration documents, prompting the authorities
to search the Hilma Hooker.
They found 25,000 pounds (11,000 kg) of marijuana hidden in a false bulkhead and detained the
suspects.
But the vessel’s owner was never identified, perhaps because they knew that there might
be trouble and were smart enough not to come forward.
In the meantime, the ship deteriorated as it sat, neglected, as evidence, and it began
taking on water.
By then, the authorities had grown sick and tired of continuously pumping water out of
it, and they were worried that it would sink and disrupt maritime traffic near the city’s
main dock.
They towed the Hilma Hooker elsewhere, and within days, it began to list.
Shortly after that, the 236-foot-long (72 meters) vessel rolled onto its side and sank
to the seafloor.
Today, it sits 95 feet (28 meters) underwater on a sand flat between two coral reefs.
The Hilma Hooker is one of the most popular Caribbean dive sites due to the water’s
crystal-clear visibility, although most of the wreck’s interior is off-limits.
3.
Patrol Boat P29
Built in East Germany in 1970, the Kondor I-class minesweeper that eventually became
known as “patrol boat P29” originally sailed under the name Boltenhagen.
It served under the East German naval force, known as the Volksmarine, which was disbanded
in 1990 when Germany reunified.
But the Boltenhagen found new life serving under the German Federal Coast Guard until
1996.
In 1997, the 171-foot-long (52 meters) vessel was sold to Malta and renamed P29.
It was used as a patrol boat until it was decommissioned in 2004.
The Malta Tourism Authority bought the boat the following year.
In 2007, the agency scuttled it off the port of Ċirkewwa as a diving attraction and an
artificial reef.
The wreck sits roughly 115 feet (35 meters) beneath the waves, but is just 39 feet (12
meters) deep at its highest point.
Since Patrol Boat P29 was submerged relatively recently, it has yet to attract the variety
of marine life that can be seen at Malta’s other iconic wrecks, like the MV Rozi.
But it is home to a growing array of creatures, including sea anemones, squid, rays, and a
fish species known as flying gurnards.
2.
Jenny Lind
While traveling from Melbourne to Singapore in 1850, a small sailing ship called the Jenny
Lind ran aground on a coral reef in the South Pacific.
All 28 passengers aboard, including three children, thankfully survived.
But their journey to safety was just getting started.
They spent the next 37 days living on a quay of sand while building a makeshift vessel
from the wrecked ship.
The group then made the harrowing 370 mile (600 km) trip to Moreton Bay near the Australian
mainland.
A maritime survey that was performed in 1987 found that the wreck was still visible.
But archaeologists concluded in 2017 that what was left of the ship had been destroyed
by the ocean, and literally nothing remained.
During the expedition, the team found the remains of four other sunken vessels including
cannons, anchors, and ballast stones.
They believe that the ships all sank sometime before 1850, which was around the same time
that the reef first appeared on navigational charts.
Located along a major trade route between Australian and several French and Dutch colonies
in the Pacific, the reef was reportedly “strewn with wrecks” as early as 1857, according
to historical records.
The region is also notorious for the powerful tidal currents that are known to ravage what’s
left of wrecked vessels.
Additionally, archaeologist James Hunter explains that the reef is dangerous because it’s
easy not to notice at high tide.
In fact, some ships have sailed right into it at full speed.
Taking all this into consideration, the Jenny Lind’s sinking and disappearance aren’t
too surprising.
Researchers hope to identify the recently discovered wrecks that they investigated during
the 2017 expedition, which could help them learn more about the trading history of the
area’s early European colonies.
1.
Abiah
Launched from Irving, New York in 1847, the wooden schooner Abiah spent its short-lived
career carrying wood and grain across the Great Lakes.
It was sailing from Wisconsin to Chicago in 1855 when it was hit by a sudden gust of violent
wind and capsized.
Waves overtook the boat while it was being towed upside-down, and it sank less than 15
miles (24 km) off the city of Sheboygan.
The wreck was rediscovered in 2019 at the bottom of Lake Michigan, where it sits 220
feet (67 meters) beneath the water’s surface.
It was found mostly intact, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society, which announced
last year that the Abiah was added to the State Register of Historic Places.
The agency also noted that the wreck has given researchers a valuable opportunity to learn
about the early construction of wooden schooners on the Great Lakes.
As a designated historic site, the wreck is protected by law.
It’s illegal for divers to remove, destroy, or otherwise interfere with the ship and its
artifacts.
Thankfully, due to its depth, it’s unlikely that the wreck will receive many unwelcome
visitors.
The Great Lakes are notorious for their ferocious waters, which have taken down thousands of
ships over the centuries.
Every year, a dangerous weather pattern called the “gales of November” causes massive
storms that come with 50 mile per hour (80.5 km/hr) winds and gusts of up to 100 miles
per hour (161 km/hr), creating the perfect conditions for sinking a ship.
And that’s precisely what happened to the Abiah.
There are many more wrecks waiting to be discovered in the Great Lakes, and which will probably
be found in remarkably intact condition owing to the dark, frigid conditions of their watery
graves.
Have you ever thought about shipwrecks that can be found in lakes rather than the ocean?
Ever done a shipwreck dive yourself?
Tell us about it in the comments!
That’s all for today and thanks for watching!
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