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Épaves des Iles
"Brothers"
Aida
Numidia
The Aida
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C'est une plongée exceptionnelle a tous points de
vue- le plongeur peut se demander comment un bateau a pu venir
se poser dans cette position. L'Aida se trouve posée
presque a la verticale sur le récif avec la proue a
25m et la poupe a 60m. Hormis des dommages substantiels a
la proue, ce bateau est pratiquement intact.
Le bateau est tres concretionné et la varieté
des coraux durs et mous est tout a fait exceptionnelle jusque
sur les
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pieces plus profondes - Les parties moins profondes du navire laisse
entrer beaucoup plus de lumiere du soleil ce qui assure une croissance
encore plus prolifique. Ajoutez a ceci un concentration étonnante
de poissons, de gros mérou et des thons.
Apres la proue endommagée, la majeure partie de la section
suivante est intacte ; le pont en bois absent laisse la structure
en acier a nu avec un acces facile a toutes les pieces. La piece vers
l'avant est vide et, une fois a l'intérieur, le plongeur est
totalement abrité du courant - qui peut etre parfois tres fort.
Incroyablement, le mât vers l'avant est en grande partie
intact et continue de défier les lois inévitables
de la détérioration car il est positionné en
haut de l'épave et loin du récif.
Au-dessous du mât, on trouve des treuils avec une perche a
travers la plate-forme.
Au milieu du navire, il y a la passerelle centrale. Ce n'est pas
plus qu'une plateforme mais il reste beaucoup a voir - particulierement
parmi le bloc de pieces au-dessous. Il y a beaucoup de pieces a
explorer - une partie possede toujours ses hublots en laiton.
La cheminée du bateau est a 45m et se trouve maintenant couchée
sur son côté en partie rouillé. Un énorme
sifflet a vapeur, tres semblable a celui trouvé sur le Rosalie
Moller, peut etre vu sur son côté avec tous les instruments
tres concrétionnés jusqu'au plafond superieur.. Immédiatement
en dessous, on va trouver la salle des moteurs complets avec 3 cylindres.
L'Aida n'a pas été plongée dans un but de récupération,
tout est donc encore présent sur toute la longueur de l'épave.
The Numidia
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all the known laws of gravity and lies "up" the
reef at an almost vertical angle. At a depth of only 8m the
diver will find the well broken bows and a pair of railway
locomotive wheels originally carried as deck cargo. From here
down, the ship quickly takes on its original shape. The first
thing that most divers comment on, however, is the incredible
array of colours, (which only begins to fade in intensity
from 50m downwards), that now adorn this vessel. Hard and
soft corals have so colonised this ship that it must rank
as one of the most beautiful shipwrecks in the world. Apart
from the damage encountered at the bows, all metal structures
are fully intact throughout the ship; railings, masts, lifeboat
davits, windlasses and deck winches are all still in place.
Her wooden timbers have long since rotted away but her coral
growth is more dense than the Aida as she has had a 56 year
head start. Her interior is easily accessible, plummeting
down the slope to her ornate stern with |
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ornate stern with its traditional emergency steering wheel and gearing.
Strong currents persist here and it is possible to observe silky sharks
hunting at the current point. The maximum depth at the stern is 83m,
the bows rest at 8m.
In amongst the varied colours - from the lightest greens to the
deepest reds, is a fish life that has made this shipwreck "home."
The groupers are probably the most outstanding inhabitants - but
all divers have their own favourites and each is found right here.
As for the ship itself, she is able to provide every type of dive
for every type of diver. Even those who dislike wrecks will like
this one.
The decking has, of course, gone and the cargo salvaged. This,
however, provides an incredible opportunity to investigate a large
ship at whatever depth suits the personal requirement. Forward of
the central bridge are two cavernous cargo holds with ventilation
hatches along the starboard side. The decks are now a square pattern
of steel in between which is the lower half of the forward mast
Immediately behind No 2 Hold is the raised central "castle"
with its accommodation and what remains of the Bridge. Having been
constructed of wood on a steel floor, all but the basic outer framework
has rotted away. We are now at a depth of 50m and the remainder
of the ship lies in very deep water.
Immediately behind the bridge is the ship’s funnel which
has fallen over to one side. Here several lifeboat davits are swung
out. The Engine Room is immediately below. Further aft are Nos 3
and 4 Holds. Once again, the diver will find the lower half of an
equally stout rear mast - also defying gravity, along with all the
attendant deck winches.
The stern is raised and provides a beautifully rounded poop deck
below which the single large propeller is found at a depth of some
80m.
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