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, once used as a whaling museum, is a copy of a 19th century brig similar to the ships which initially introduced trade 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 nautical heritage and was docked for numerous years at Lahaina Harbor. The ship was owned by the Lahaina Restoration Foundation that operated the museum on board which displayed relics of Lahaina's historic whaling days.

Atlantis spent around $350,000 on the Carthaginian shipwreck project, including preparation of environmental studies. American Marine Services was hired to handle the reefing 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 vessel and held signs bidding it aloha. To prepare for the reefing, 10 tons of concrete had been loaded on board, adding to the 35 tons of material the ship already was carrying. Atlantis' small tugboat Roxie pulled the Carthaginian II out of the harbor before transferring the operation to the bigger American Islander tugboat.

A flotilla of approximately 20 boats watched the Carthaginian II as it arrived at Puamana along with many spectators lining the shore. A blessing was given in Hawaiian and a three ton anchor was secured to the bow section and seawater began to be pumped into the hull. Twenty seven minutes afterward the ship sank to the bottom amidst applause from the viewers and the blasts of three tiny brass cannons.

Dive Overview

The vessel was sunk about 7 years back and at this time supports a wide range of marine life. Once you commence to descend from the mooring ball you will as a rule be able to observe the outline of the shipwreck quite easily. The visibility at this dive site is regularly 80+ feet and a great deal of the time in excess of 100+ feet. The shipwreck is located in approximately 90 feet of water off the coast of Lahina and is a good place for underwater photography.

The main mast collapsed in mid-summer 2011 and may currently be viewed resting upon the deck. The main cabin roof and walls have deteriorated to some degree and there are copious holes into the cargo hold. The access to the hold itself is very large and readily accessible. The engine room and forward compartment is blocked by a gate however you can still get a decent mixture of photographs in this vicinity. There are several frogfish upon the shipwreck. Smeltzer was able to photograph five different frogfish on my most recent dive. These fish are very well positioned for macro pictures and can consume a lot of bottom time, nevertheless it is definitely worth the effort.

it 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...