Bianca C
Grand Anse, Grenada
Walk the Carnage next to Saint George's Harbour in Grenada, and you'll likely come across "Christ of the Abyss," a statue given by the Costa cruise-ship line to the people of Grenada in appreciation of their assistance after the loss of the liner Bianca C. The 600-foot ship, known as the "Titanic of the Caribbean," now lies on a sandy bottom off Grand Anse Beach.
In October 1961, the Bianca C suffered a boiler-room explosion while it was anchored in Saint George's Harbour. A fire erupted and, thanks in large part to a fast response by the people of St. George's, all but one of the ship's 673 occupants were rescued (one crewman died ashore later). The fire was still raging when the Royal Navy arrived two days later; the Bianca C was taken in tow, but sank in 167 feet of water.
Today, the Bianca C is the Caribbean's largest divable wreck. While several of its fire-weakened decks collapsed, and some parts of it are unrecognizable, other details remain quite distinct - visitors usually begin their dive with a dip in its midship swimming pool.
Although the rear third of the majestic ship has fallen away due to more than 40 years of storms, the Bianca C remains worthy of several dives. For those so trained, penetration possibilities still abound. And even if they don't have wreck training, advanced divers will still be fascinated by the microenvironment created by the big wreck - it is now well-decorated and hosts a community of residents, including large, green sea turtles.
Quick Guide:
The Grenada Board of Tourism (grenadagrenadines.com) has information on a wide range of activities, as well as lodging and water-sports operators. Aquanauts Grenada (aquanautsgrenada.com), situated on six acres of gardens at the Blue Horizons Garden Resort (grenadabluehorizons.com) offers two locations (True Blue Bay and Grand Anse Beach) with a full-range of diving experiences and packages.
POST A COMMENT