Page 94 - Central America
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WET DREAM - This wall is one of the healthiest and most beautiful WRECK OF THE PRINCE ALBERT - Sitting upright in 65 feet of wa-
areas on the whole island. Orange elephant ears, rope sponges, sea ter, just a few fin kicks from the resort. Extensive coral growth almost
whips, tube sponges, tunicates, sea fan gorgonians and black coral are completely covers the wreck, and eagle rays, southern sting rays, and
stacked together in a myriad of color and variety. The top of the wall squid often pass alongside. This wreck is also a popular night dive.
is at 50 feet and then drops down to 100’s of feet. Here are some of the The Prince Albert began life as a US Navy YOG. (Yard Oiler Gasoline,
most impressive overhangs full of life while shoals of creole wrasse a tanker). The ship, at the time named the “Maas”, arrived in French
and boga stream back and forth. black durgons, ocean triggerfish, dog Harbour, Roatan from Nicaragua shortly after the Somoza regime fell
snapper, grouper, barracuda, horse-eyed jack and a free swimming to the Sandinistas. The 165’ “Maas” was loaded with refugees. After a
green moray can be seen. few short years the ship fell into disrepair. She was stripped of func-
WHISKY RIVER DRIFT - Named after a dive group from Minnesota tional machinery and tied up to the mangroves near the French Har-
who just loved that area. bour Yacht Club docks. By 1984 local businessmen began to worry
WHITE HOLE - This site is named for the large white sand patch that about the possibility of the abandoned ship being tossed ashore by a
you drop in on before heading off to explore the magnificent coral storm. Calvin Bodden supervised the final stripping and clean-up of
heads nearby. Watch for shrimp, lobster, anemones and encrusting the hull. Square holes were cut in her main deck to help the air escape
sponges. This site is typically run as a wall dive with the reef dropping as she sank, hopefully minimizing the chances of her rolling over on
to approximately 120 feet, while the reef forms a plateau at about the her side, or worse – turning upside down! Doc Radawski suggested
60 foot mark. The site affords dramatic views into the open ocean in sinking her in the CoCo View Channel and ultimately chose the exact
addition to the many creatures within the wall itself. On the plateau spot.Captain Bob McNab towed her out of Old French Harbour. Af-
there are endless opportunities to explore for shrimps, lobsters, an- ter the ship cleared the sea buoy, he turned the tow over to the boat’s
enomes and encrusting sponges. Depth: 15 – 100 feet. other captain. Unfortunately when the towboat got near the Coco
WRASSE HOLE - This site is multi-leveled and at each depth has View Channel, the tow line broke. Untethered, the ship ran aground
something different to offer the diver. The reef begins just as you enter on the reef in front of Fantasy Island, high and dry. She remained in
the water and will see brain coral and black durgeon. The small wall that position for several weeks. On February 11, 1985, a sunny Sun-
goes down 30 feet. At this point there are many crevices and labyrinth day morning at high tide Captain Jerry Hynds successfully pulled the
type formations where you will see lobster and spotted drum fish. The stranded ship off the reef. He then positioned her in Coco View Chan-
reef then forms a plateau there are crevices and sandy patches at 50′, nel and she was four point anchored in place. Lastly, her pumps were
then it goes down from there. Depth: 50 – 120 feet. removed. Within thirty minutes, at 12:20 pm, she sank stern first. The
stern bounced only about 3 feet east of the planned stakeout center-
line before settling in. The bow at the keel rested in 40 feet of water,
the stern in 65 feet.
