Wreck Diving Maui
On December 13, 2005, following two years of preparation, Atlantis Adventures sank the Carthaginian off Lahaina, Maui, creating an artificial reef that will have lasting marine life benefits. The reefing took place off Puamana which is just outside the Lahaina harbor. The 97-foot, steel-hulled vessel, sank in 95 feet of water where it will serve as an artificial reef. The Carthaginian II, previously used as a whaling museum, is a copy of a 19th century brig comparable to the ships which originally delivered commerce to the Hawaiian Islands. This vessel was a cement carrier constructed in Germany in early 1920 and renamed the Carthaginian II. It sailed to Lahaina in 1973 where it took seven years for the historically accurate 18th century whaling ship rigging to be assembled. The ship functioned as a reminder of Lahaina's maritime heritage and was docked for many years at Lahaina Harbor. The ship was owned by the Lahaina Restoration Foundation that operated the museum on board that displayed relics of Lahaina's historic whaling days.
Atlantis spent roughly $350,000 on the Carthaginian shipwreck project, counting preparation of environmental studies. American Marine Services was employed to conduct the sinking operation. Before the Carthaginian II was towed from Lahaina Harbor, entertainers from the Old Lahaina Lu'au performed "Aloha" ; and members of the Lahaina Restoration Foundation placed lei on the ship and held signs bidding it aloha. To prepare for the sinking, 10 tons of concrete had been loaded on board, adding to the 35 tons of material the vessel already was carrying. Atlantis' small tugboat Roxie pulled the Carthaginian II from the harbor before transferring the operation to the bigger American Islander tugboat. A fleet of approximately 20 boats watched the Carthaginian II as it arrived at Puamana along with numerous spectators lining the beach. A blessing was given in Hawaiian and a three ton anchor was secured to the bow section and seawater started to be pumped into the ship. Twenty seven minutes later the vessel sank to the bottom amidst applause from the audience and the blasts of three small brass cannons.
Dive Overview
The shipwreck rests in roughly 90 feet of water off the coast of Lahina and makes a excellent spot for underwater photography. It is roughly a ten to 15 minute excursion from the harbor to the scuba diving site. The ship was sunk approximately seven years ago and at the present supports a wide mix of marine life. When you begin to descend from the mooring ball you will usually be able to see the outline of the shipwreck quite easily. The visibility at this dive site is typically 80+ feet and a good deal of the time over 100+ feet.
The main mast collapsed in mid-summer 2011 and can now be viewed sitting on the main deck. The main cabin roof and walls have begun to decay to some level and there are many holes into the hold. The entry to the hold itself is quite large and readily accessible. The engine room and forward compartment is blocked by a gate however you should still get a decent assortment of shots in this vicinity. There are a number of frogfish on the shipwreck. Smeltzer was able to photograph five different frogfish on my most recent dive. These fish are extremely well positioned for macro photos and can consume a lot of bottom time, but it is well worth the effort. This wreck dive is best when there are fewer than 10 divers in the water given that the vessel itself is not very big. While scuba diving on the ship, you will also come across a large assortment of fish including, Pacific Trumpetfish, Sergeant Majors, Dascyllus, Orangespine Unicornfish, Rainbow Cleaner Wrasse, and many more. It is a interesting dive and is highly recommended for your next visit to Maui.
View other underwater photography images by Steven Smeltzer on his website or visit his blog or follow him on Twitter @ images2inspire. The pool is open...
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