Besides its pink-sand beaches and lavish landscape, Bermuda has more than enough to offer in its aquamarine waters—the Bermuda shipwrecks. These shipwrecks in Bermuda provide divers with pristine opportunities to journey through centuries of history. Therefore, don’t hesitate to book a Bermuda shipwreck dive whenever you visit this fantastic island in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Dive Into the Shipwreck Capital of the World
With more than 300 shipwrecks surrounding its waters, it’s not a surprise that Bermuda is considered the shipwreck capital of the world. Bermuda is also ranked at the top spot for shipwrecks per square mile.
However, how most are found in the shallow waters surrounding the island sets shipwrecks in Bermuda apart from any other place in the world. Coupled with how clear the waters in Bermuda are throughout the year, every dive into the shipwrecks is a dive into rare sightings. Therefore, you can be sure of a scenic, photogenic, and unforgettable snorkeling adventure in Bermuda.
Explore Wrecks From Every Era
You can travel through history by exploring the shipwrecks in the Bermuda Triangle. The wrecks span from as early as the 15th century through to the late 20th century, offering more than five centuries’ worth of maritime history to explore and appreciate. With each sunken vessel, you have a rare occasion to immerse yourself in the unique attributes, technology, and ideologies that characterized that age. From the American Civil War sunken ships to the wrecks of the Second World War, every ship wreckage in Bermuda has something peculiar to offer from every era.
Some of the favorite, must-see wreck sites in Bermuda include:
Mary Celestia
It’s one of the oldest wrecks still with most of its parts intact and visible. This Civil War-era, 100-foot paddle steamer sunk in 1884 when it hit one of the coral reefs in the Bermuda Triangle. Today, divers are greeted with a picturesque view of the intact engine and paddlewheel, as well as the stern, bow, boilers, and anchor. It also made headlines in 2015 when a few 150-year-old unopened wine bottles were discovered after Mary Celestia’s wreckage was exposed above the water.
Cristóbal Colón
Scattered over an area of approximately 100,000 square feet, at a depth of up to 60ft, this is undoubtedly the largest shipwreck site in Bermuda waters. The 499ft/152m long sunken vessel was a Spanish luxury liner that crashed when it hit a coral reef in November 1936, after just over a decade of colonizing the seas. While she was mostly stripped and salvaged over the years and used as the bombing practice target by the British Royal Airforce during World War II, the expansive Cristóbal Colón wreckage is breathtaking and photogenic to explore thanks to its abundance of marine life.
King
For a more modern exploration, dive into the wreckage of the King, which was intentionally sunk in 1984 after her owner gifted her to the Bermuda Dive Association. Nowadays, the site has become popular for divers to spot shells and tropical fish like trumpetfish and blue angels.
Book a Shipwreck Tour to Explore the Sites Listed Below
Today, the underwater heroes of their time in Bermuda give scuba divers, snorkelers, and other sea lovers among the best wreck diving sites in the world. These Bermuda shipwrecks open a rare window into the past maritime history and exploration of the most famous North Atlantic Island.
Besides the one already covered, other shipwrecks in Bermuda that amaze both locals and visitors include:
Ready to explore these exceptional and rare shipwrecks in Bermuda? Book a shipwreck tour now at bermuda.com to get started or to read more regarding diving and snorkeling in Bermuda.
Madiana
Built in 1877, the Madiana was a new breed of iron-hulled transatlantic passenger/light cargo ship. On February 10, 1903, while en route from New York to the West Indies with
Cristobal Colon
This 152M / 499FT Spanish luxury liner is the largest known shipwreck in our waters. Launched in 1923, Cristobal Colon was the most advanced liner design of her time. She
North Carolina
A classic sunken sailing ship, her 62M / 205FT English iron hull bark sank on New Year's Day, 1880. She was en route from Bermuda to England with a general
Pelinaion
Bermuda's best East End shipwreck - an 117M / 385FT, steel-hulled cargo steamer. Built in Port Glasgow in 1907, her ownership changed numerous times before she was purchased in 1939
Taunton
Turn of the century Danish cargo steamer that fell victim to our tricky reefs sank on November 24, 1920. The 69-meter / 228-foot, steel-hull vessel was built in Copenhagen in
Montana (Nola)
An elusive ship of multiple identities, often operating under the name of Nola, Gloria, Paramount and Montana, she was a Civil War blockade- runner that made trips between England, Bermuda
Pollockshields
A cargo steamer built in 1890 ran into a "white squall" in 1915. For years her engine protruded above the waves, inviting tourists to swim out and visit. Today, the
Lartington
A 75M / 245FT early vintage steel freighter sank in 1879. The old steamer had departed Savannah, Georgia for Russia with a cargo of cotton. Her voyage was not an
Mary Celestia
This is one of Bermuda's most mysterious shipwrecks - a Confederate blockade-runner with multiple identities. In an effort to confuse and evade monitoring by Union spies, this crafty ship operated
Apollo
This 11M / 36FT, two-masted American schooner was bound from Turks Island to Nova Scotia with a cargo of salt when she wrecked on our treacherous reefs in February 1890.
National Museum of Bermuda, Shipwreck Island, Sunken Clues to Bermuda’s Past
The National Museum of Bermuda, Shipwreck Island, Sunken Clues to Bermuda’s Past exhibit explores life aboard ship, the people who discovered the shipwrecks, marine archaeology and the importance of protecting our underwater cultural heritage for future generations.
Darlington
A sturdy iron-hulled steamer built in 1881. On February 22, 1886, she wrecked on the Western Reef while travelling from New Orleans to Bremen, Germany carrying a cargo of cotton
