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"The British Virgin Islands have been blessed with easily
accessible world-class wrecks and artificial reefs," shares Joe
Giacinto, President of the BVI Dive Operators Association.
"Divers and snorkelers have been exploring and enjoying the wreck
of the RMS Rhone and the Chikuzen for years and years."
Visitors to the BVI now have another wreck to explore: the M/V Inganess Bay. The BVI Dive Operators Association sank the 136- foot island freighter as an artificial reef in August 1996. The ship rests just south of Cooper Island. The Inganess Bay sits flat on its bottom in 95 feet of water, with 45 feet of water over each masthead. The site allows quick access from all points in the BVI and provides protection from swells and wind-driven seas. The steel Inganess Bay was built in Holland in 1950 for a Scottish company. In 1988, Captain Hugh Bailey of Antigua sold the ship to Captain Cosmos Sealey. From 1988 to 1996, the colorful red ship plied Caribbean trade routes from Puerto Rico to Trinidad. The incarnation of the Inganess Bay as an artificial reef began in July, 1996. During a storm, the island trader snapped her anchor chain and grounded in Road Harbour, Tortola in front of The Moorings. After assessing the damage and repair costs, Captain Sealey graciously offered the ship to the BVI Dive Operators as an artificial reef. The BVI Dive Operators Association met with the BVI Ports Authority, Department of Conservation and Fisheries, and local police and fire brigade to consider the final resting place for the lnganess Bay. Joe Giacinto, recommended sinking it just south of Cooper Island, out of shipping lanes and away from points where yachtsmen enter and exit the BVI. To prepare the Inganess Bay for its one-way trip to the bottom, workers emptied fuel tanks and then removed the main engine, all loose wood, and most doors. Many thanks go to Captain Sealey and his crew--who provided a tremendous amount of labor--and to Kevin Rowlette of Shanty Maritime Services Ltd, who provided the knowledge and equipment to pull the Inganess Bay off the shoreline in Road Harbour. Extricating the vessel took a great deal more effort than anticipated. The job started at 6 a.m., and the ship was not floated until noon. Workers needed ten pumps to keep the Inganess Bay afloat during the one-hour tow from Road Harbour to Cooper island. At 3:30 p.m. the ship made her final trip, this time to the bottom. The BVI National Parks has installed moorings for the new dive site. The BVI Dive Operators Association is covering the costs incurred by Shanty Maritime Services Ltd. A video documenting the sinking of the Inganess Bay is in the works. Said Joe Giacinto, 25-year resident of the BVI and owner/operator of Dive BVI, "The British Virgin Islands have gained an incredible diving attraction. The ship will soon teem with a huge variety of fish and invertebrate life. The BVI can now add the Inganess Bay to its list of world-class, wreck dives. To learn more about diving and vacationing in the BVI, contact: The British Virgin Islands Tourism Board 370 Lexington Avenue Suite 511 New York, NY 10017
San Francisco office (800) 835-8530
On the World Wide Web: https://www.caribbean-on-line.com/bv/bv.html https://www.britishvirginislands.com
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