Wreck diving has become the buzzword amongst explorers who are leaving no stone unturned to sea some shipwrecks!
The magic of scuba diving is accentuated
by leaps and bounds when you are immersed in the carnage of historical significance. Experts of deep-sea diving have woven poetry with the description of wrecks and their layout and chaos as you hover around them in semi-darkness. In India, wreck diving is raging like a wildfire in destinations including Pondicherry, Lakshadweep, Kovalam, Udupi, Goa, and Malva.
Suzzy's Wreck, Goa
A 426-foot cargo known as Suzzy's Wreck catastrophically lodges near Grande Island. The ship was ferrying railroad tracks when it was overturned by a storm and capsized during the colonial reign in the mid-20th century. As you dive, you see mollusks and corals clinging to the structure as baby lobsters, Moorish idols, moray eels, and rays temporarily inhabit the ruin. Goa is dotted with many shipwrecks, but this 30-metre-long devastation certainly wears the crown!
Chidiya Tapoo, Andaman and Nicobar Islands
About 25 km away from Port Blair, the infinite Indian Ocean shelters the Chidiya Tapoo or Vinnie's Wreck is a century-old site best explored during slack tides. At a stone's throw is Corruption Rock, wherein a Japanese warship remains submerged with exposed views of the hatch and cargo load. On further probing, you can also tour the engine room and boilers that remain undamaged.
Bheemunipatnam, Vishakhapatnam
The mystery is still in the process of unfolding at Bheemunipatnam, where the 200-year-old wreck was discovered recently in 2017, and ever since, the place has witnessed a steady flock of curious divers. The ship measures around 150 metres and is now a repository of marine fauna and flora: moray eels, parrotfish, lionfish, and ribbonfish.
Historians have speculated that the Santhapalli Rocks were the catalyst for the immersions and destructions of ships, which prompted the British Raj to erect a lighthouse in the 1840s. After a series of mishaps, the place becomes a newfound interest for explorers.
Sunken vessels could be surveyed in three ways: non-penetration, limited-penetration, and full-penetration driving. Make sure to be guided by certified experts before you swing by.
Trawler Wreck, Pondicherry
Pondicherry is teeming with scuba diving sites, and Trawler Wreck is one of those explorations that lets you cherish the moments transcending space and time. One of the easily accessible sites, Trawler's Wreck, has quite a few sunken ships belonging to the Dutch and French settlement era. Besides brilliant visibility, the site has an abundance of aquatic life, including lionfish, barracuda, and cobia.
