There’s nothing quite like the thrill of diving a wreck for the first time. Descending, you gaze downward, trying to catch a glimpse of it. At first, nothing. Then a hazy outline appears, and for a moment you’re confused as your eyes try to sort it out. Then the wreck dissolves into clear view as you arrive on it.

What you find next depends on the wreck and where you are. In cold, fresh water like the North American Lakes, you may find sunken ships nearly intact after more than 100 years underwater.

In the tropical waters of Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon, Micronesia, you would find the remains of the Japanese Imperial Fleet, thickly encrusted with coral since they sank in World War 2.

In the Mediterranean, what might appear to be nothing more than a mound of old jars to the inexperienced eye may be a ship that sank when the Roman Empire dominated the West.

It’s no wonder wreck diving is popular. While most dive sites are natural habitats, a wreck is a work of mankind. Because of this, wrecks offer diversity, attractions and opportunities not found in “natural” dive environments – but nature encroaches as the underwater world changes it into an artificial reef teeming with life.

As a result, diving wrecks is an adventure in exploring humanity’s loss and nature’s gain.

Why wreck dive? If you’re reading this section, you probably already have an answer. With many diving opportunities on wrecks, wreck diving may interest you for any of several reasons.

Four of the most common are curiosity and adventure, history, aquatic life and photography. Curiosity and adventure. Wrecks are enigmas, especially the first time you dive them.

When exploring a fairly intact wreck, you may find yourself wondering where it comes from, who worked on it, what ports it called on, and why it sank. When visiting a well-known, researched wreck, it’s easy to imagine the captain standing on the bridge battling the fatal storm or trying to evade a torpedo, and wonder what it was like.

There’s a moment of anticipation each time you look in, around or under something because, who knows what you’ll find?

Wrecks are not just lost ships, but tangible historical resources to humanity’s past. As such, many wreck divers work with or are archaeologists and historians looking for clues about our cultural past when the ship still sailed. Some wrecks contain irreplaceable historical resources, which you must respect and leave undisturbed.

Aquatic Life. As mentioned in the introduction, wrecks quickly become artificial reefs, attracting underwater life and providing new habitats (something to grow on and hide in).

In some regions, the best place to find aquatic life is on wrecks. In these areas, you may engage in wreck diving not so much for the wreck, but because it is the best place to find nature.

Photography. Thanks to standing structures and the aquatic life commonly found on them, wrecks tend to be photogenic. Fairly intact wrecks present a background that nondivers recognize, making it easier for them to relate to what they see. If you’re fond of underwater photography, don’t leave your still or video camera behind when you’ve diving a wreck.

You’ll notice that neither this section nor the Wreck Diver Specialty course covers removing artifacts or other objects from shipwrecks.

There are several reasons for this, but the two most compelling are:

1. Once a popular wreck has been stripped of artifacts, it’s a much less interesting dive site for other divers. As you’ll see for yourself, the more complete or intact the wreck, the more picturesque and compelling it is.

2.You need to leave wrecks with historical significance undisturbed for research by archaeologists. Archaeologists uncover the past by examining how objects in a wreck lie in relation to each other.

You can permanently destroy some secret about our ancestors simply by moving something; therefore, only a trained archaeologist (or those working under the guidance of one) should disturb such wrecks.

Of course, not all wrecks are historical, but in any case, the actual techniques for securing and raising heavy objects require special training beyond the scope of this section.

And, objects require special treatment and preservation after you get them to the surface. If these kinds of activities interest you, seek further training and diving opportunities with marine archaeological institutions and groups.

Shipwrecks have been subject to national and international law for hundreds of years. Originally, these laws determined who owned any valuables recovered from a wreck (especially an abandoned one), but more recently laws have been passed to protect those wrecks that are submerged cultural resources.

It’s important that you be aware of and heed all local laws pertaining to shipwrecks. In some areas, particularly those with many historically important wrecks, you may need a permit before you can dive on one.

Other locales may allow you to dive without special permission, but it may be illegal to touch or take anything from the wreck. In yet other areas, you may dive some wrecks with virtually no restrictions, and yet others will be entirely off limits.

Because in the past divers plundered and destroyed many historically important wrecks through ignorance (and sometimes greed), today governments tend to enforce antiquities laws quite vigorously.

Old movies portray hardhat divers battling the giant octopus that inevitably hides in every sunken ship, guarding the treasure chest. If that’s what you’re expecting, sorry.

You’ll find recreational wreck diving adventurous and exciting, and like other areas of diving it has a few hazards and considerations to keep in mind. These don’t generally include giant octopus, but more routine potential hazards commonly found around wrecks.

You’ve got some considerations for diving wrecks deeper than 18 metres/60 feet, reasons why you’ll want orientations to new wrecks, and you should recognize the significant hazards of entering a shipwreck.


Five Potential Wreck Hazards.

There are a few hazards common to almost all wrecks that, with awareness, you can avoid pretty easily.

Sharp objects.
Rusted metal, splintering wood, broken glass, coral encrustations and other objects can cut a careless diver. Although intentionally sunk wrecks tend to have fewer of these, over time a rusty edge can become knife-sharp.

Use good buoyancy control to minimize contact with the wreck, and always wear heavy-duty protective gloves when wreck diving. It’s also wise to keep tetanus immunizations current in case you do accidently get a cut.

Entanglement.
Entanglement is rare, but wrecks often have old ropes, monofilament and other line on them. Because wrecks attract fish, they’re popular fishing grounds. Monofilament line and sometimes fishing nets end up ensnarled on the wreck.

Avoid these by watching where you go. Look up as well as around to avoid swimming into or under a potential entanglement. When wreck diving, carry a sharp knife with a smooth and serrated edge in case you encounter entanglement too difficult to handle by hand.

Aquatic life.
A wreck quickly becomes an artificial reef, so expect to find any aquatic life that can bite or sting on local natural reefs on a wreck. Avoid these the same time as you would on a natural reef: watch where you put your hands, feet and knees, wear an exposure suit and gloves, and avoid contact with unfamiliar creatures.

Unstable structure.
As a wreck ages and deteriorates, portions weaken, support give way and walls shift. In some wrecks, this presents a hazard from collapsing walls and falling objects. Avoid diving around wrecks with unstable structures.

If you encounter a portion of a wreck that seems unfirm and could possibly fall, get clear of the area. Don’t swim under anything that could fall on you.

Surge pockets and suction.
Surge and water movement through a wreck can cause periodic suction or fast currents through restricted areas and hatches. If you find surge present, be cautious for this kind of water movement and stay away from tight spaces, hatches and restricted areas.

Better yet, postpone your visit to the wreck until you can do so without surge or high current conditions.

Many wrecks lie below 18 metres/6o feet; it’s one reason many divers become interested in deep diving. Before diving on such a wreck, there are four planning and equipment considerations to take into account:

PADI Deep Diver training.
Diving deeper than 18 metres/60 feet is an activity that’s best learned under professional supervision. You do this in the Deep Adventure Dive and second in the PADI Deep Diver Specialty course.

These provide you practical experience in the challenges of deeper diving, while supervised by a PADI Instructor.

Extra tank at 5 metres/15 feet. As mentioned in the Deep Diving section, it’s a good idea to hang a spare tank and regulator at 5 metres/15 feet in case you need to make an emergency decompression stop, or to permit a safety stop with a low air supply. Be sure you have any other equipment necessary for a deep dive in the local environment.

Nitrogen narcosis.
Take this into account when planning your wreck dive. For example, you may be less coordinated, making it easier to bump into objects.


Short time limits.
As you go deeper, you have shorter no decompression limits and you use air faster. Keep these in mind when planning the dive.

You can gain no decompression time by following a multilevel profile with your computer or The Wheel on some wrecks, but many wrecks offer insufficient relief to allow this. If you’re a PADI Enriched Air Diver, wrecks in particular make good sites to take advantage of the added no stop time you get from enriched air.

When diving a wreck for the first time, particularly in a new area, it’s a good idea to get a local instructor, DiveMaster or experienced diver to orient you to the wreck. Wreck diving techniques vary from area to area and wreck to wreck, and this is a good way to find out the best techniques.

Your instructor will show you the best technique for the Wreck Adventure Dive.

Another reason for a local orientation is that a wreck may have unique hazards and points of interest. A diver experienced with the wreck can help you plan your dive by letting you know what to expect in advance.

Shipwreck Penetration.
Intact shipwrecks can have open hatchways and passages that seem to invite exploration. Going into the wreck may seem harmless, and you may see no immediate danger, but entering a wreck without special training and equipment places you in an extremely hazardous situation.

The techniques for shipwreck penetration are beyond the scope of this section. You face five serious hazards when you enter a wreck overhead environment; it’s important to understand why you should not enter a wreck without the proper equipment and training.

Loss of direction.
While it may look safe from the outside, merely entering a wreck can cause confusion, made worse if the wreck is leaning on its side.

Collapsed passages and obscured doorways block logical travel passages and open others. The wrong way out looks “righter” than the right way out. It’s very easy to lose your sense of direction inside a wreck.

No direct access to the surface.
Should you have an air supply problem or other emergency, you must exit the wreck before you can ascend. The emergency swimming ascent and buoyant emergency ascent are no longer options.

Restricted passages.
Inside a wreck, you may find yourself in a passage so tight turning is difficult. This raises the possibility of hitting sharp or abrasive objects; it can even keep you from turning around to exit. It may be impossible for you and your buddy to go through a tight passage while sharing air in an emergency.

Falling objects.
Your movement can knock loose objects that can fall on you, or behind you blocking your exit.

Silt.
Most wrecks have a layer of silt (particulate matter) spread inside them that you can easily disturb with your fins, hands and even your exhaust bubbles. This can reduce visibility to almost nothing, making it nearly impossible to find your way out.

Obviously, entering wrecks is an activity reserved for those trained and equipped to handle these hazards. If you find that wreck penetration is something you have an interest in, enrolling in a PADI Wreck Diver Specialty course can teach you the techniques for limited,
recreational penetration wreck dives.

When you make your Wreck Adventure Dive with your PADI Instructor, you’ll practice assessing and navigating the wreck.

Assessing the Wreck
Assessing the wreck is an awareness rather than a deliberate process, though on some wrecks you may focus on it. There are three points to generally evaluate as you dive on a wreck for the first time, and which you will continuously reevaluate on subsequent visits to the wreck.

Possible hazards. Look for the hazards described earlier so you can avoid them, and be alert to any that may be unique to the wreck.

Points of interest.
Look for what stands out on the wreck, and what makes it interesting. Look for key features that tell you something about the wreck. Don’t forget to look closely – the most interesting parts of a wreck are not necessarily the largest and most obvious. Look for changes; what you saw last time may be gone, and something you didn’t see before may be obvious now.

General condition.
The wreck’s condition affects the way you explore it and your safety. Pay attention to the wreck’s strength – is it flimsy anywhere? Is it recognizable and intact or broken up and strewn over a wide area? This gives a feel for the wreck; after several dives, you may be able to tell a great deal even about a very broken up wreck.

Navigating the Wreck.
The method you use to navigate on a wreck depends on its condition. There are three basic ways to navigate on a wreck, and you may find it advantageous to use different techniques on different parts of the same wreck,or to combine them at times.

Following the wreck’s layout.
On a fairly intact wreck, the simplest navigation may be to tour the wreck much as you might if it weren’t underwater. For example, you can swim along the hull, or follow the deck or a rail. This is one of the easiest ways to navigate on a wreck.

Feature reference.
On a more broken up wreck, or even on an intact wreck in murky water, you may need to note unique features and their relative positions to find your way. If necessary, note these on a slate as you start the dive and use your sketch as a map for your return.

Baseline.
A baseline is used on a very scattered or broken up wreck, and is a straight line through the wreckage. In clear, calm water, the baseline can be as informal as a general direction through the wreck, and in murkier water a compass heading may be used. (Note: Steel or iron objects in a wreck can affect your compass reading by attracting your compass needle.

Don’t expect your compass to be as accurate as usual when navigating in a wreck.) In poor visibility or with a strong current, your baseline might be an actual line or rope lying through the wreckage.

You use a baseline by swimming along it, leaving it for short distances to explore the wreck. The baseline forms a known heading back to the boat anchor or exit. By keeping track of the baseline, you always know where you are and the way to return at the end of the dive.