From the ruins

Shipwrecks are turning into tourist destinations. The author lists some popular diving sites to explore the ruins

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A cargo vessel that sank during World War II in the Bay of Bengal, a 1930s' British steamer that found its way off an island in Goa and a fishing boat that lies deep in the ocean around the Andamans - there is no dearth of wrecks in the Indian waters. An increasing numbers of people are now looking to spend their holidays exploring the underwater ruins. Shipwrecks also act as an artificial reef, offering marine life shelter. This unique combination of historical intrigue and a lively underwater world makes a shipwreck an attractive site for diving - and touristy.

The Andaman Islands

SS Inchkeith
The wreck is from a cargo vessel that sank during World War II near the Andaman's Duncan Island. "The low visibility lends the wreck an air of mystery," says Samit Sawhney, managing director of the Andaman-based Barefoot Holiday. The bow of the ship lies on its starboard side. The hatches and cargo hold are clearly visible. A massive propeller sits at 18 metres in the water. The centre of the ship has crumbled in places, but parts of the boilers and the engine room are intact. "The fish and coral have made the coal-block carrier their home," says Vismaya Firodia Bakshi, co-founder and manager of Infiniti Live-Aboard, which scouts for sites around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Depth: 6-18 metres

SS Inchkeith wreck near Duncan Island in the Andamans

MV Mars
In 2006, a small fishing boat sank and came to rest on the sandy bottom just off the fringing reef of Sir William Peel Island, an uninhabited island in the Andamans. Today, it is a popular destination for explorers, according to Sawhney of Barefoot Resorts. The boat stands upright, fully intact and tilted slightly to the port side, with the roof of the wheelhouse rising up to 7 metres.
Depth: 8-15 metres

The south Andaman wreck
A70- metre-long wreck is one of the rare dive sites where excellent visibility and diverse marine life come together, says Vismaya Firodia Bakshi. It is believed to be a British ship from the early 1914 to 1920. The ship has three parts, and many of the bits are intact, including a bathtub.
Depth: 30 metres

Best time to dive: October to May Price: Infiniti Live-Aboard: A dive package for a five-night trip, which offers four days in the water, starts at Rs 84,999. Barefoot Holiday: Rs 5,000 for two dives to the wrecks for trained divers. Untrained divers need to do a basic and an advanced open-water course over six days for Rs 40,000.

A diver at Suzy’s Wreck in Goa; (below) divers at Goa’s Double Boiler wreck

Goa

SS Rita
Believed to be built in the United Kingdom in the 1930s, SS Rita - popularly known as Suzy's Wreck - sits in a shallow, calm, sandy-bottomed cove off Goa's Grande Island. The 130-metre vessel reportedly arrived with a cargo of railroad tracks and sank during a storm. Much of the wreck has been salvaged and many parts of the ship - divided into three sections - are clearly identifiable.

The structure is covered in molluscs, with corals providing shelter to critters such as blennies, nudibranch, baby lobsters, clams and tiger cowries. And there's abundant fish around the ruins, including the barracuda, batfish, angelfish and snappers.

Depth: 8-12 metres

Diving instructions: Since the wreck is shallow, anyone who has taken introductory diving lessons can take the plunge. AtPanjim-based Dive Goa, it begins with a one-hour session, followed by a pool dive to get used to being underwater.

Davy Jones' Locker
Slightly off Grande Island, on a rocky bottom, only the stern and a massive propeller of the ship remain, according to operators at Dive Goa. Apart from the large Groupers that have taken refuge in the fallen steamer, tuna and barracuda could also be seen.

Depth: 14 metres

Diving instructions: Due to the exposed nature of the wreck, low visibility and moderate currents, an advanced-level course is required to explore the wreck.

St George's reef wreck
It is believed that the wreckage was left behind after a Portuguese ship that carried building material sank in the 1860s. The wooden hull has now fallen apart, according to Dive Goa, which has left the cargo scattered at the bottom.

Depth: 15 metres

Double Boiler
Although little is known about the ship that was discovered in March this year, Ajey Patil of Dive Goa says the vessel is a well-preserved steam engine ship from the mid 1900s. "After a couple of dives, we eventually found it, remembering the directions by a fisherman, which were something like 'a line up the large rock with the edge of the beach visible on the shore and then go 200 metres south of that point and drop the anchor'," says Patil.

Depth: 14-19 metres

Best time to dive: From the first week of October to the first week of May
Price: For a certified diver, two dives around Grande Island would cost Rs 5,000 at Dive Goa.