Charting the Depths: A Journey Through Sunken Shipwrecks
Published by Executive Author House
Edited by Clarissa Schmieg
Deep beneath the ocean's surface, where 95% remains a mystery, lie the ghostly remains of once most fascinating curiosities- sunken ships. From well-known vessels like the Titanic to boats sunk on purpose to help marine life, these capsules hold history in their underwater depths with awe and wonder. We are so fascinated with these wrecks, but how did they come to be? Come and take an adventure under the sea with me. Let's look at some of the top shipwrecks and see which you can explore for yourself.
The RMS Titanic
Well, I'm sure most of you reading this have heard of this one, considering it is one of the world's most significant known shipwrecks and, of course, one of the most iconic cinemas is attached to this shipwreck (I mean, hello, Leonardo Dicaprio). Located at the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean, the Titanic was meant to be one of the most luxurious passenger ships, carrying mainly wealthy individuals and immigrants. This ship, once called "unsinkable," met a sad fate: it hit an iceberg on April 14, 1912, and in the early hours of April 15, 1912, was swallowed by the depths completely. There were approximately 2,000 people on board, with over 1,500 people dying from hyperthermia or drowning in the frigid, icy-cold waters. The Titanic was discovered in 1985 at about 12,500 feet (2.37 miles) down and has since been explored and studied by many scientists and divers. Exploring this vast vessel, we are reminded of the fact that while there are breathtaking and eerie views, you can only see them with lights that you have to bring yourself. You might see a school of fish swimming throughout the corridors of this once magnificent vessel. This place serves as a place of history for what was once considered luxury and grandeur. While diving on the Titanic is not possible, if you get a chance to visit this location, be warned that it is an arduous journey. For one, it takes about 2 hours to get to the sight, and you will need to be in a submersible, which would be costly for the average person, which is why I won't focus too much on the visitation of this site as much as this being one of the most known sunken ships ever to happen. While sad, The Titanic incident has helped us make many advancements in how we build our ships today. If you are considering pursuing this, please do your due diligence and research as many resources as possible, your safety is the number one priority.
MS Zenobia
Now, let's take a trip to a place known as the city of peace; on the Greek side of the island, we will find, deep beneath its beautiful clear blue waters, The Zenobia, a ship in which one can scuba dive at, is known for being located off the coast of Larnaca, Cyprus. MS Zenobia was a ferry that sank on June 7, 1980, during her maiden voyage in the Mediterranean Sea; unfortunately, an error occurred with the technology causing it to capsize. So what went wrong? A bug in the computer software caused the wrong ballast tanks to fill with water, making the ship tilt; when they tried to fix it, things only got worse, which caused the ship to sink itself essentially. Luckily, despite a drastic engineering error, there were no casualties during this incident.
Furthermore, the Zenobia is among the top 10 diving wrecks to visit, given that it's a fully intact boat. In the compartments, they held things like cars, trucks, and other cargo, still visible on these dives. Despite the tragedy of this ship sinking before having a whole life at sea, marine life has formed around the boat, creating something beautiful. As you descend into the water, you will not only greet the massive structure of this ship but also bustling marine life and colorful fish. For more information on how to visit this location and scuba dive, click here.
The SS Yongala
The SS Yongala debuted in April 1903 and launched in Newcastle, England. After eight years, it was located on the ocean floor and is now considered one of the best diving wrecks due to its well-preserved ship. Now, what happened? The SS Yonagala sank in a cyclone during a storm in 1911 on March 23, off Cape Bowling Green, Australia. There were 122 passengers and crew on board, all being casualties. It was seen only five hours earlier but then, never heard from again. It took seven days to discover anything from the ship confirming their fears, and it was officially not found until 1958.
Now, before 2011, the ship was covered in marine life, and when diving there, corals had become encrusted on the ship; the steel was hidden under this veil of color and beauty. Unfortunately, SS Yongala would encounter yet another cyclone. This tipped the boat over on its side, removing all the marine life attached to the steel, making it look like a newly sunken ship. So, going and viewing it now is almost like a different experience.
Don't worry; despite being hit with two cyclones, the ship is still an excellent place to visit. If you plan to take a trip to this site, please be prepared for some breathtaking views. With the ship intact, you can explore the ship's decks, cabins, and cargo holds. You can also swim into common areas, such as the captain's quarters and preserved artifacts. It is also located in the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, where you can catch some fantastic sights of its beautiful marine life. There, you will see the haunting beauty of history frozen in time and how new life continues.
Click here to learn more about seeing this beautiful ship.
The SS Thistlegorm
When originally built in 1940, this ship was 415 feet long and ready for wartime action. Unfortunately, the boat only lived a year and is now located beneath the Red Sea in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. German bombers targeted this British transport ship. When bombed, it hit the ammunition storage, and the fire from the explosion led to a second massive blast, which tore the ship in two, and it sank rapidly on October 6, 1941. Luckily, only nine members on board died from the attack, and the rest escaped the burning ship before the second explosion. The wreck wasn't discovered until 1956, but it has become a popular site for diving enthusiasts. This ship holds a lot of wartime supplies, such as ammunition, vehicles, uniforms, and much more. It poses as a museum of preserved history for the underwater world, a glimpse of the tragedy of war.
But from destruction comes beauty. This has become a popular destination for experienced dive enthusiasts, not only for all of the historical artifacts but for the location's breathtaking views. What you'll find on this site will leave you speechless—surrounded by coral reefs, sponges, and many different schools of colorful fish, one will have thought they swam into a painting. If this sounds like something you are experienced in doing and are interested in learning more about, we have provided this link to help you plan your next trip!
The USS Oriskany
Last but not least, we find ourselves in the Gulf of Mexico in the USA, off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, where we see the USS Oriskany. This particular ship sinking is different than all of the others on this list because, on May 17, 2006, the decommissioned ship was sunk intentionally to create an artificial reef. It is now known as the "Great Carrier Reef, as a play on the Great Barrier Reef located in Australia, this sunken ship serves as a home for plenty of thriving marine life, beautiful pink, blue, and yellow corals, and a place for divers to learn and explore. If you ever dive into this lovely site, here are some things you can look for: the ship is fully intact, making for some terrific exploration of decks and hangar bays. Also, of course, the marine life. You can explore and look at sea turtles (remember it is illegal to touch them, so please look with your eyes only), schools of fish, beautiful plants, corals, and reefs. To find out more about how you can dive this beautiful artificial reef, check it out here.
As you can see, there is so much more to sunken ships than just the tragedies that caused them to go under. These wrecks serve as a place for bustling marine life for many plants and animals. There are stories to be told for all of these massive ships and we should be so grateful that we have the opportunity to witness firsthand what remains of true history.
Here are some tips if you consider going on any of these dives:
Please do your research first and foremost. Make sure you feel comfortable with the agency you choose for your dive.
Of course, you must ensure you have the qualifications and training to make these dives. Most of these require you to have Advanced Open Water or equal certifications. There are many resources where you can get certified in diving (cough cough Us).
Also, ensure you check for weather and only do dives within your training.