Revision 1/06/2009 5:46 AM
|
Kevin’s Wreck
 Bermuda
|
Max Depth: 51-60ft/16-18m
Average Viz: 141-150ft/43-46m
Entry Type: Boat
Bottom Composition: Sand
Aquatic Life: Plenty To See
|
|
|
|
|
32.14’.703N 64.49’.634W
1700’s - English Sailing Ship Very little is known about this wreck of an English sailing ship, which lies just a few hundred metres east of the
Virginia Merchant, on the south shore. It was a wooden sailing ship. Judging by the level of disintegration, probably sank in the 1700’s. It is called
Kevin’s Wreck, after Kevin Burke, who first discovered it. Kevin Burke was one of the first divers in Bermuda a pioneer in the recreational dive industry and the owner and founder of the dive business that would later become Blue Water Divers & Watersports.
Most of the wood on the wreck has gone, but there is still the capstan to be seen, as well as the original ballast stones and huge brass keel spikes. The size and quality of these spikes leads to the conclusion that this was not only a large vessel, but also a vessel of substantial quality and workmanship, but still no match for the reefs of Bermuda.
The wreck lies in less than 50 feet of water. Visibility varies between an average of 70 feet in the summer, to well over 150 feet in the winter. Similar to the
Virginia Merchant, in that the wreck is not really the attraction at this site. It is more the spectacular reef system that attracts divers to this site.
There are so many tunnels and caves to swim through, that it is one of our most popular sites. In these tunnels and caves, you can quite often find Glass-eyed Sweepers. There is an interesting split in a breaker to swim along. This split looks like it was formed by an earthquake and is just wide enough for you to swim in for about 80 feet. The reef is in a healthy condition as the bulk of the site is on the inner side of the breakers and outer reef line, so it has been well protected from the huge winter seas often felt on the south side of the island. Keep your eyes open for massive Grouper. This appears a favourite hiding place for them. They cleverly disguise themselves by changing their colour to closely match their surroundings, so you have to move with care to prevent an unexpected face-to-face encounter.
The sand hole by the site of the wreck is home to a vast array for marine life. Pay close attention to the sand and look out for Peacock Flounder the occasional patch of the ever-elusive Garden Eel and the trails of Heart Urchins. The reef structure can get confusing as their is no distinct pattern to the system, so frequent checks on your relative position to the boat are recommended as it’s very easy to become disorientated and end up significantly further away than you intended. For optimum enjoyment following the Divemaster is a definite recommendation on this site as it almost guarantees you will see the highlights, but more importantly, you’ll get back to the boat as well.......... We hope!!!!
REMEMBER.... THE REEF IS FRAGILE! PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH OR TREAD ON LIVING CORAL.