NEW PROVIDENCE
(Bahamas)
New Providence is located in the center of the Bahama islands, and
has a
population of about 140,000. The popular vacation spot of Paradise
Island
is connected to New Providence by a bridge. The island offers
everything
for tourists that want to be busy day and night. There are many
discos, luxury
hotels, casinos, cruise ships and excellent restaurants.
There is a large choice of dive sites off of New Providence that
begin at
ten feet. They range from reefs to underwater movie props left
behind by movie producers, all of which are surrounded with
beautiful Caribbean scenery.
For more information about the Bahamas visit the Bahamas Board of
Tourism’s official website –
www.bahamas.com
AIRPLANE
This Airplane wreck was a small Cessna 310 that was originally used
as a
prop in the Jaws 3 movie. The Cessna Aircraft Company was founded in
December 1927 by Clyde V Cessna. Modern day Cessna airplanes are
popular light crafts purchased for business as well as private use.
According to Ray Post, a local dive operator, the aircraft was
purposely
crashed into the sea by a stunt pilot then raised and re-sunk in her
present
location. She is now sitting close to Clifton Wall in 50 feet of
water.
ALCORA
The Alcora was a drug smuggling freighter, 130 feet in length. She
was
confiscated by the Bahamian government and sunk by local dive
operators
in 1983. She now rests on a sand bottom off Rose Island in 80 feet
of
water, upright and intact. Divers can swim through her two cargo
holds,
her engine room or just enjoy exploring the exterior of the wreck.
Visibility
on the wreck is usually good, but it can at times be a little hazy.
ANTINQUE
The Antinque wreck was another drug smuggler, 40 feet in length. She
had
been confiscated by the government and was building up a very heavy
dockage bill when a local resident decided that he wanted the boat.
After
paying the dockage fee, he pulled her into the harbor where she sank
on
him. She was later raised and re-sunk 200 yards west of
'the Tears Of Allah wreck.
B-25
The B-25 wreck was a war plane that crashed into the sea during the
Second World War. Most of the wreckage which is on the north side of
Golden Key has become scattered and flattened out. Some parts of the
Bomber can still be recognized including her wheels, landing gear,
and
engine. The plane rests on a sandy bottom in 20 to 30 feet of water.
LCT WRECK
The LCT wreck is a landing craft from the Second World War. This
site
is also known as LST or Thunderball. The wreck was used in a fight
scene
in the James Bond. Thunderball movie.
The LCT was used after WW II to carry freight to Exuma and back. One
day, while running out of Nassau Harbor, she began to take on water.
Her
crew ran her aground on the north side of the island in an attempt
to save
the cargo.
Today, she sits in only four to 20 feet of water. Her hull is
covered with
fire coral, sponges, and sea fans. This is a nice dive, especially
great for warming
up on photography skills.
MAHONEY
The Mahoney was a 212 foot, steel hulled freighter that sank during
a
hurricane in 1929. This vessel was built in the 1880's and was
renamed four
times during her sailing days. None of these names were Mahoney, and
it
is still unknown how she became known as the Mahoney wreck.
Originally
named Candance, she sailed as a private yacht, as Firequeen, she
served as
a British admiralty flagship, as Firebird, she was used as a
lighthouse tender
and lastly as Bahomian, she was used as a freighter. The vessel was
in tow
to be scuttled and sold as scrap when she broke her tow line and
sank off
the western tip of Salt Key.
Today, known as the
Mahoney wreck, she is scattered on a sandy bottom
in 25 to 45 feet of water. She actually broke in two while sinking,
so her
bow and stern have been separated by about 100 yards. She was later
blown
up since it was decided she was a possible hazard to navigation.
Water visibility
here is usually a little cloudy, but on a clear day divers will have
no problem
finding her boilers which are located on the southwest side of her
main
wreckage. This wreck is covered with fire coral, so be sure to wear
protective
clothing. Her hull plates are also covered with gorgonians and
corals and
abound with a good assortment of marine life.
ROYAL JAMES
The Royal James wreck was an old Mississippi iron ferry,
approximately 65
feet long. Her life as a ferry between Nassau and Paradise Island
ended
when the bridge was built. She was then used as a dive boat. In
November
of 1988, when old age would not permit anymore good use, local dive
operators stripped and removed her engines, towed her out to sea and
sunk
her. She now sits in 45 feet of water close to the Golden Key drop
off.
TEARS OF ALLAH
This 90 foot freighter is also known by the name of the Never Soy
Never Again Wreck, or Bond Wreck. The Tears of Allah was a drug
smuggler which
was confiscated and later sold to movie producers. She Was then sunk
as
a prop for a James Bond movie.
The wreck now sits in 45 feet of water, upright and intact, with a
slight tilt
to her port side. Al Forns, a skilled underwater photographer, says
that the
current at this site is almost non-existent, and visibility usually
ranges from
80 to over 100 feet. This wreck is a great site for wide angle
photography
and can be especially exciting if you have an underwater video.
Tears of
Allah has also been used as a prop in a few TV commercials and in
the movie
Wet Gold.
VULCAN BOMBER
Only a few hundred yards from the Tears of Allah wreck lie the
skeleton
remains of a fighter jet prop used in the James Bond movie,
Thunderball.
The movie producers created the plane from steel pipe and a
fiberglass
coating. Today the fiberglass skin is gone, leaving what looks like
a huge
erector set sitting on the ocean bottom.
WILLAURIE
Ray Post says that this 130 foot mail boat that operated between Rum
Cay, San Sal and Cat Island originally sank in Potters Key,
Nassau. The vessel
which was initially a Danish Freighter, christened the Will' Mary
was built
back in 1907. She was raised from Potters Key and was in tow when a
strong south wind picked up. While anchored, the winds became too
strong
for the mooring line which finally gave way. The WiLLaurie washed up
hard onto the rocks. The ship was patched and re-floated once again,
but
this time the damage to her hull made the vessel unsalvageable. On
December 26, 1988, Stuart Cove towed her to a spot just south of
Goulding
Key where she was sunk one final time.
The wreck is now lying in 50 feet of water. Her hull is upright,
sitting on
top of a reef. This recently sunk wreck has not had enough time to
develop
a full coat of marine growth, but it looks promising that one day
she'll
become an excellent dive site.
WRECK ON THE WALL
This confiscated drug runner was originally named the Spiyva but is
now
more commonly referred to as the Wreck On The Wall because of her
resting location or Cove's Rock Trawler. She was a 41 foot wood
trawler
that was purchased from the government and sunk due south of the
Tears
Of Allah wreck. The location and surroundings of the wreck
make this site very unusual
and interesting. As divers descend, they will find themselves on a
coral wall
that starts, at 40 feet and plunges down to over 1,000 feet. The
wreck's bow
is actually hanging over the edge of this wall. Keith Ipson, an
underwater
photographer and N.Y. based dive shop owner, says that the
combination
of the wreck, the wall, and the abundance of fish and crustaceans
makes
this site very photogenic.
Basic shipwreck
information and images for the Bahamas section of this site was
taken with permission from the book Tropical Shipwrecks by Daniel
and Denise Berg. You are invited to submit your shipwreck related
articles, images and information. As long as the text, photographs,
sketches etc are of professional quality we will showcase them. Full
credit will be provide and a same page link to your web site can be
arranged.
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