![]() ![]() It’s become a popular spot for scuba divers to spot shells and tropical fish like blue angels and trumpetfish. In 1984, Gary Lamb, the owner of the King, gifted the tugboat to the Bermuda Dive Association, which placed it about a half mile and at a depth of 65 feet off the island’s south shore. While most of the wreckage sites scattered around the island were the results of accidents, this Navy tugboat was intentionally scuttled to create a diving site and artificial reef. Divers can still access the stern, which sits 80 feet below the surface, and can see some of the ship’s bathtubs and bathrooms decorated in green tile handmade in Portugal.” Montana and Constellation “The story of the ship persists in locals’ daily lives, since many of them have dinnerware sets and furnishings they bought at auction. “My dad has a painting of a bookseller from Paris hanging in his home,” Rouja says. Today the wreckage is spread across 100,000 square feet of seafloor, and many of the salvaged collectibles can be found in the homes of Bermudians. There were multiple attempts to save the ship by dragging it off the reef, but when those failed, the Cristobal Colon was largely salvaged and its interiors, including ornate paintings and furnishings, went to auction. The luxury cruise liner met its fate in 1936 when it crashed into a coral reef situated about eight miles north of the island. Known as the largest of Bermuda’s shipwrecks, the Cristobal Colonweighed more than 10,000 tons and stretched nearly 500 feet in length. “This is also the wreck where divers discovered a bottle of unopened wine. “Divers can swim the entire length of the wreck,” Rouja says. Today much of the steamer, which rests 55 feet below the surface, is still intact, including its paddlewheel and engine. In 1864, on its final voyage to deliver munitions, the Mary Celestia struck a coral reef on the island’s southern shore and ultimately met its demise. ![]() ![]() As a disguise, the 100-foot-long paddlewheel steamer went by multiple pseudonyms, including Mary Celeste and the Bijou, in an attempt to throw off the Union. Smithsonian magazine had the opportunity to talk to Rouja about five of his favorite wreckage sites to dive.Ĭonstructed during the Civil War, the Mary Celestiaserved as a blockade runner for the Confederacy, transporting goods like food, weapons and ammunition during wartime. Using cutting-edge technology like photogrammetry (the science of taking measurements with photography), data processing, 3D computer models and virtual realtiy, the project will give both researchers and the general public a better understanding of what sits below the surface. Tapping into his background in anthropology and experience as a diver, Rouja joined forces in 2017 with researchers at University of California, San Diego, on Bermuda 100, a massive project whose mission is to create a comprehensive digital atlas of the many underwater wreckage sites surrounding Bermuda. Since 2004, Rouja has been responsible for not only maintaining the island’s numerous shipwrecks, but also educating the public of the importance of protecting these relics. The island passed the Historic Wrecks Act of 2001, and with it came the naming of Philippe Max Rouja, an anthropologist and Bermuda native, as the official custodian of historic wrecks. Having such a rich history lying just beneath the water’s surface made it necessary for the British territory to ensure the protection of these artifacts for future generations to enjoy. With more than 300 shipwrecks dotting its waters, the North Atlantic island boasts more wrecks per square mile than anywhere else on the planet. Bermuda is often considered the shipwreck capital of the world. ![]()
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