Diving in Bermuda

* Hermes - Perhaps Bermuda’s favorite wreck, this 50-metre/165-foot United States Navy buoy tender is still intact. Built in 1943, Hermes broke down en route to Cape Verde and the crew abandoned her in Bermuda, where she ultimately became an artificial reef in 1984. Hermes now lies in 24 metres/80 feet of clear water. * Virginia Merchant - This wreck is actually a popular reef dive, as little remains of the wooden ship, which sank in 1664, apart from some granite ballast. The ship’s remains are strewn over the shallow reef in depths up to 14 metres/45 feet, and the main attractions are now the healthy marine life and some dramatic arches, ledges and swim-throughs that link the shallows to the depths. * Mary Celestia - This iconic Bermudan wreck is still revealing her secrets. A 69-metre/225-foot steel-hulled paddlewheel steamer, Mary Celestia now lies in less than 18 metres/60 feet of water. Originally an American Civil War blockade-runner, she ran aground in 1864 while heading to North Carolina. In 2009, nearly 150 years after she went to the bottom, a massive winter storm moved tons of sand from around the wreckage revealing still-corked bottles of wine and perfume. You can even buy a replica of the perfume found on the wreck. * Barracuda Reef - A long line of breakers mark this reef which, given Bermuda’s conservation ethic, is in excellent health. Watch for schools of barracuda and groupers, which often visit cleaning stations where helpful wrasse remove parasites. Depths average 10 metres/30 feet and the site is suitable for divers of all levels. * Three Sisters - The tops of the reefs here reach to within three metres/10 feet of the surface. Schools of snapper lurk under the reef ledges. Pelagic species cruise the edges of the drop off. Lobster and octopus make use of the many crevices. Soft corals sway in the gentle surge and divers delight in the myriad reef dwellers as they enjoy the usually excellent visibility. * South West Breaker - This southernmost Bermudan reef is a popular movie location, and was featured in The Deep. The site comprises three reefs, the largest of which breaks the surface from a depth of 10 metres/30 feet. Vertical walls and overhangs shelter a diverse array of marine species, and a tunnel through the reef is home to large schools of glass-eye sweepers and occasional large groupers. Moray eels and spiny lobster love the many cracks and crevices. Eagle rays and turtles await divers who can tear their eyes from the reef itself. * Constellation and Montana: Approximately eight kilometres/five miles off the northwest tip of Bermuda are two wrecks on top of each other that sunk more than 80 years apart. The Montana, on her maiden voyage and running the blockade of Northern forces to supply the armies of the South during the American Civil War sank on 30 December 1863. In 1944, the Constellation, a four masted trading ship carrying cement, medical supplies, perfume, slate and toiletries, sank and littered her goods over the sea floor. These wrecks formed the basis for Peter Benchley’s novel and subsequent film The Deep. In just 9 metres/30 feet of water, the wrecks provide a great opportunity for a shallow wreck dive and an excellent snorkel.