Photo by Chuck Guthrie

Local Diving - Virginia Beach and General Area
Bay Area.

64th Street/Broad Bay, Virginia Beach, VA.

Sea Shore State Park, Virginia Beach, VA.

Local Quarries:

Fantasy Lake, Wake Forest, NC. (90 ffw) Fantasy Lake is a 52 acre quarry that over time has been converted into a unique scuba diving recreational park. The deepest point is 90 ffw with other areas average 30 to 40 ffw. There are five underwater dive platforms. This is for divers only. Air and diving accessories such as straps, glow sticks, weights, log books, etc. are available at the Lake’s shop. For more information call (919) 556-1803.

Lake Rawlings, Rawlings, VA. (63 ffw) Lake Rawlings is a 20 acre quarry mined for granite rock used in the construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, I-85, and others. The lake water is very clear, great for recreational scuba diving, swimming, and kayaking. There are several underwater training platforms and many interesting ruins, sunken boats, bus, and cars. Visibility ranges from 30 to 50 feet. Support includes air fills, camping, rentals, lessons, and more. Located 2 1/2 miles from Exit 39 on I-85. For more information call (804) 478-9000.

Local Diving - Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Islands. (32 fsw) Also known locally as CBBT, it sits within the view of the Atlantic from the Chesapeake Bay. The series of four islands supports the bridges and tunnels for the CBBT to the Eastern Shore of Virginia from Hampton Roads. It provides an interesting diving experience with the great variety of marine life. There are always mussels, oysters,, and clams on the bottom or around the islands.

Chesapeake Light Tower. (42 fsw) Also known locally as "The Tower", it is located approximately 12 miles east of Rudee Inlet (Virginia Beach) and north west of the Virginia’s artificial reef. The structure consists of four huge legs extending into the bottom.  The legs and cross members are teeming with various types of marine life including muscles, soft corals, octopi, tropical fish (summer),, and many others. Many varieties of fish are found around the tower, especially schools of spade fish.

William D. Sanner. (60 fsw)  This 260 ton Maryland Pilot Boat sunk after colliding with the British freighter Levernbank on December 1, 1938 just inside the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay.  Prior to being a Pilot Boat, the William D. Sanner was the luxury yacht Carmina.  Many interesting artifacts have been recovered including the helm, two telegraphs, and numerous portholes. Although the conditions are generally not great, this is a great dive.

 Virginia Wrecks

The following is a list of some of the Virginia Beach area wrecks.  It is by no means a definitive list.  If you wish to share and are familiar with these or other wrecks in this area, please send information, diagrams, or photographs. We will make the information available via the web for everyone to appreciate and enjoy.

Anglo African. (25 fsw)  A 4,186 ton freighter sunk after being stranded on Cape Charles on January 5, 1909. Although seldom dived because of the usually less than favorable conditions near the Cape, this can be a very interesting wreck.

Brass Spike. (85 fsw)  A wooden hulled steam assisted sailing vessel that we discovered in 1994. A Brass sexton was found laying in the sand.  This vessel has brass spikes (thus the name) in the hull and contains some of the biggest tautog you will ever see.  The treasure of this wreck is waiting to be discovered.

Buarque. (250 fsw)  A 5,152 ton passenger freighter sunk after being torpedoed during on Feb. 15, 1942. This is an extremely interesting wreck and has only been dived a couple times.

Cuyahoga. (120 fsw)  A 320 ton USCG Cutter that sank after colliding with the 12,762 ton MV Santa Cruz II near Smith Point, Va. on October 20, 1978. Eleven men lost their lives in the collision. The Cuyahoga was raised and later sunk as an artificial reef.  The wreck is upright, intact and interesting to explore.

David Atwater. (70 fsw)  A 2,438 ton collier torpedoed by the U-552 on April 2, 1942. The wreck is on it’s port side and is most frequently dived from Chincoteague or Ocean City, Md.

Doxie Girl. (60 fsw)  An intact clam boat that sank during the 1970s. Although frequently dived, the bell, complete with the clapper and davit, was recovered not long ago by Dave Etchison.

Ethel C. (190 fsw)  A 2,847 ton freighter sunk on April 16, 1960 after it’s cargo of scrape iron shifted while en route from New York to Newport News, Va.  The wreck is upright, intact, and visually spectacular. There are three levels of superstructure amidships.  The navigation bridge rises to 140 fsw.  The engine room is located in the stern and is now accessible through the skylight, which collapsed sometime during the winter of 1994/1995.  As of October 1995, most of the portholes in the stern superstructure are still there.  Because the amidships section is so interesting, the stern is explored less frequently.  There are still many interesting artifacts to recover.

Eureka. (115 fsw)  A 3,531 ton four masted steam schooner sunk after colliding with the British steamer Benison on May 6, 1888.  The Eureka was en route from New York to New Orleans with a cargo of general merchandise.  Some of the artifacts recovered include porcelain dolls, miniature sets of china, numerous types of bottles, steam gauges, deadeyes, portholes, a small bell, a silver lantern, a gold pocket watch, and an ornate capstan cover.  This is a fascinating wreck.

Gulf Hustler. (75 fsw)  A fishing trawler that sank during high seas in 1974.  The wheel house is open, fun to explore, and great for u/w photography.  The upper portion of the wreck is coated with mussels and a number of large Atlantic green eels live in the engine room.

Hanks. (70 fsw)  A clam dredge that sank in rough seas southeast of Rudee Inlet.  The wreck is intact and upright with a slight list to port.  This is a fun wreck to dive.

Kingston Ceylonite. (60 fsw)  A 448 ton British ship that was loaned to the USA at the beginning of WW II for escort and mine sweeping duty.  The ship sank on June 15, 1942 and it is unclear as to whether she hit a German mine or was struck by a torpedo from the U-701.  The wreck is largely broken up but still an interesting dive.

Kurn. (85 fsw)   A US Navy ocean-going tug, the Kurn was sunk by the Navy as an artificial reef.

Lillian Luckenbach. (105 fsw)  A 6,369 ton freighter sunk on March 27, 1943 after colliding with SS Cape Henlopen.  The wreck lies on it’s port side.  The bow and stern are recognizably intact, the amidships section is more broken down.  The superstructure is scattered in the sand.  This a very interesting wreck but often overlooked in favor of the nearby John Morgan.

Merida. (210 fsw)  A 6,207 ton passenger freighter sunk on May 12, 1911 after colliding the SS Admiral Farragut.  The Merida is rumored to have gone down with a significant amount of silver and copper.  Over the years there have been numerous attempts to recover treasure, one reportedly dating back to 1917.  If any of the attempts were successful, it was kept quiet.  In recent years, with sport divers venturing ever deeper, the Merida is easily accessible but seldom dived.

John Morgan. (110 fsw)  A 7,176 ton Liberty ship sunk on it’s maiden voyage on June 1, 1943 after colliding with the SS Montana.  The John Morgan was loaded with lend-lease cargo which included trucks, motorcycles, P-39 airplanes, 10 Valentine tanks and tons of assorted weapons.  This is one of the most interesting wrecks off of the Virginia coast to explore.

Ocean Venture. (170 fsw)  A 7,174 ton freighter sunk after being torpedoed by the U-108 on February 8, 1942.  The hull is basically upright, the stern is listing to port.  The engine and boilers are most impressive. The bridge is upside down just off of the port side.  The helm, telegraph, numerous portholes, and many other artifacts have been recovered.  The Ocean Venture is one of the best dives off of the Virginia coast.  This is a dive for experienced divers only due to the depth (170 fsw).

Francis E. Powell. (90 fsw)  A 7,140 ton tanker torpedoed by the U-130 on January 27, 1942.  The wreck is broken into at least two sections.  The stern section is off of Parramore Island in 90 fsw.  The section frequently dived off of Virginia Beach is almost unrecognizable as either the bow or amidships section.  If, in fact, the wreck is in more than two sections, one section remains to be found.

Rick’s. (80 fsw)  An intact fishing trawler sitting upright.  The wreck is covered with all kinds of marine life. This is a good wreck for u/w photography.

Santore. (60 fsw)  A 7,117 ton bulk cargo carrier sunk after striking a mine laid by the U-701 on June 17, 1942.  The starboard gunwale was awash after sinking and subsequently the wreck was reduced to an enormous pile of debris.  Although there is little resemblance to a ship, the Santore is frequently dived.  Interestingly, the helm was recovered only a couple of years ago by Mike Boyle and Lynn Castaganola.

Tiger. (60 fsw)  A 5,992 ton tanker sunk after being torpedoed by the U-754 on April 1, 1942. Except for the point of the bow, there is very little that remains recognizable as a ship.  However, the Tiger typically has good conditions and is a popular inshore site, particularly for new divers and students.

Tower/Reef. (50 - 80 fsw)  An area south east of the Chesapeake Light tower that was created as part of Virginia’s artificial reef program.  This reef contains a variety of barges, tanks, ships, and other items.  There are too many wrecks to list individually.  The wreckage is a combination of small ships and large barges donated by the US Navy and local industry.  All of the wrecks attract a wide variety of fish.

Triangle Wrecks. (95 - 120 fsw)  This is an artificial reef composed of four liberty ships that were stripped of all superstructure to the main deck.  The typical depth to the main deck is 100 ft.  The following are the names of the ships and the dates that they were sunk: George P. Garrison - January 20, 1984; Edgar Clark - March 13, 1977; James Havilon - March 19, 1976; and Webster - August 28, 1974.

USS Washington. (290 fsw)  A 32,600 ton US Battleship sunk as a target on November 25, 1924.  The Washington is upside down and, to my knowledge, has only been dived twice.  Once by Gary Gentile’s group and the second time in August 1998 by J.T. Barker’s group out of Lynnhaven Dive Center.

Winthrop. (60 fsw)  A 189 ton tug foundered on July 20, 1920.  The wreck is upright and listing slightly to port.  Many interesting artifacts have been recovered from the wreck including the helm, portholes, a sextant, a vintage camera, the builders plaque, and one anchor.

North Carolina Wrecks - Hatteras and Morehead City Areas

Aeolus. (120 fsw)  An American Cable Layer 439 ft long was sunk as an "Artificial Reef" & is fully intact sitting upright on it’s starboard side with the upper decks rising to within 60 ft. of the surface. Depth of dive is approximate.

Abrams,F.W. (90 fsw)  The F.W. Abrams was an American oil tanker built in 1920.  She completed forty voyages from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean loading ports to various refineries and distribution points in the Americas prior to sinking.  She sunk on June 11, 1942 from Allied mines.  Captain and 34 crew survived the ordeal after rowing 9-10 miles ashore in lifeboats for 5 hours.  The wreck lies on a soft silty bottom with steel hull plates overgrown with a thin coating of marine encrustation.  Patches of fan corals with deep purple tint and yellow corals occasionally  litter the wreck.  The stern is the highest relief and the wreck is divided by a 40 ft. gap.  Three boilers lie touching side by side forward of the engine.  The bow is broken with huge links of anchor chain visible and steel ladders lie everywhere on the bow and stern.

Amaganzette. (125 fsw)  A 140 ft. long menhaden boat sank during a storm.  She was intact & laying on her starboard side.  In June of 1995, this vessel was torn apart somehow & the bow section now sits pointed upward.  Large grouper can be found here as well as many tropical fish.

Ashkabad. (55 fsw)  A Russian Oil Tanker 400 ft. long was torpedoed & sunk by the German Sub U-402 on April 29, 1942. This wreck was demolished by explosives to a depth of 40 ft. making this a most picturesque dive.

Atlas. (125 fsw)  An American Oil Tanker 430 ft. long was torpedoed & sunk by the German Sub U-552 on April 9, 1942.  The vessel is upright & semi-intact as it is broken into 3 pieces with the upper parts of structure rising to within 90 ft. of the surface.

British Splendour (100 fsw).  A British oil tanker 441 ft. long also torpedoed & sunk by the German Sub U-552 two days prior to the Atlas on April 7, 1942.  The explosion caused the Splendour to sink immediately tilted stern down & almost at once slid from view.   Most of the aft superstructure was destroyed & the engine room skylight was blown off.  Twelve duty personnel lost their lives & 41 survived.  The ship capsized before plunging to the bottom & lies completely upside down.  The bow is intact & the height above the bottom is about 15 ft.  The stern rises nearly 20 ft. from the sand and offers a variety of valve wheels, gauges, thick coral growth & permits easy access through a large, cavernous hole.

Caribe Sea. (80 fsw)  An American Freighter251 ft. long was torpedoed & sunk by the German Sub U-158. The wreck is upright but attack by depth charges have leveled most of the wreck except for the Bow section. This is one of the best dives in the area.

Chenango. (140 fsw)  A wreck believed to be the Chenango lies upside down just south of the Virginia / North Carolina border.  The wreck is broken into two sections.  The stern section is mostly intact.  The prop has been salvaged.  The forward section is broken down with little relief.  This wreck is infrequently dived and deserves further exploration.

Chilore. (60 fsw)  A 8,310 ton ore carrier torpedoed by the U-576 off Cape Hatteras, then struck an allied mine, and finally foundered near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay while under tow.  The wreck was a hazard to navigation and subsequently reduced to an enormous unrecognizable pile of rubble.  Consequently, the Chilore is seldom dived.

Dixie Arrow.(90fsw)  An American Oil Tanker built in 1921 was 468 ft. long and sunk on March 26, 1942 when torpedoed by the German Sub U-71. The Dixie Arrow was constructed as a near sister ship of the F.W. Abrams.  Without warning a torpedo detonated against the starboard side of the boat. Eight men were believed instantly killed with a total of eleven.  Two torpedoes immediately followed causing the vessel to buckle amidships.  Huge billowing clouds of smoke rose thousands of feet high & burning oil slicks engulfed the ocean.  Luckily, the U.S. Destroyer, Tarbell was in the area & saw the mountainous columns of smoke.  Fourteen men were plucked out of the ocean & eight more from lifeboats. The bow rises nearly 25 ft. from the bottom but all the decking has rusted through leaving a skeleton like appearance to the interior. Wreckage consisting of twisted angle iron & bent hull plates extend all the way to the boilers which lie side by side.  The blade of the bronze propeller protrudes from the sand and the rudder stands straight up.  Marine life consists of large sea turtles, tiger sharks, rays, grouper, cobia, & amber jack.

U-352. (100 fsw) A German Submarine (VII-C Class) 218 feet long was sunk April 9, 1942 by the United States Coast Guard Cutter "ICARUS". The vessel is intact.

Manuela.(155 fsw) An American Freighter built in 1934 at Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company.  She was torpedoed in 1942 by the German Sub U-404.  It took the Manuela over 24 hours to sink after a valiant struggle to tug her to shoal water at Lookout Bight.  The wreck is visually impressive. The hull lies disjointed in three separate sections & ten ft. away lies the huge center section that contains the forward cargo holds, boiler rooms, & engine room . Sinks, toilets, tiled ceiling, galley artifacts, & bronze propeller blades remain  visible to divers.

Hardees. (100 fsw) A Yard Oiler 174 ft. long was sunk as an "Artificial Reef." The vessel is upright & intact. It is considered a very easy dive.

HMS Bedfordshire. (105 fsw) A converted British armed Trawler 162 ft. long was torpedoed & sunk by the German Sub U-588 on May 12, 1942. While this ship is upright, the force of the explosion leveled this wreck & deck plates can be found as far away as 300 ft. from the main wreckage.

Hutton. (70 fsw) An American Oil Tanker 435 ft. long was torpedoed & sunk on March 18, 1942 by the German Sub U-124. Although the ship is upright, it was destroyed to a depth of 40 ft. Depth of dive is approx. 110 ft. Depth of dive is approx.

Naeco. (140 fsw) An American Oil Tanker 411 ft. long was torpedoed & sunk by the German Sub U-124 on March 23, 1942. This wreck is broken in two making each section a separate dive. Although it is sitting upright & diving is excellent, due to the depth & distance from shore this is not normally dove. Special charters can be arranged. Advanced computer divers are preferred.

Papoose. (125 fsw) An American Tanker 412 ft. in length was torpedoed & sunk on march 3, 1942 by the German Submarine U-124 Vessel is intact & upside down with the hull rising approx. 30 ft. off the bottom.

Portland. (55 fsw) A Panamanian Freighter 289 ft. long sank after running aground. The vessel is intact & considered a World Class dive but due to the vicinity of the shoals at Cape Lookout, visibility can range from 50 ft. to as little as 5 inches depending on the wind direction. This is an excellent dive when the winds are from the N.E. or the N.W.

Proteus. (120 fsw) An elegant US Passenger-freighter 390 ft. in length built in 1900 sunk on August 19, 1918 due to a collision with the SS Cushing. The Proteus lies in an area where visibility is seldom less than seventy-five feet.  It has its share of coral, sponge, tropical fish, large skates, sea turtles, sand tiger sharks, & the occasional shovel-nosed lobster.  The wreck is contiguous from bow to stern with the bow rising some ten feet high.  Forward of the three immense boilers are the remains of the panty.  Divers have found china, silverware, & other various pantry items.  Near the edge of the main boilers lies a dislodged donkey boiler that sometimes provides a hiding place for octopi.  Pipes, fittings, valves, electrical cables, & ancillary machinery are scattered about in the midship section.  The most visually impressive part of the Proteus is the extreme stern rising to a height of thirty feet topped by the steering quadrant. A four-bladed bronze propeller eighteen feet across is framed by the arch produced by the upsweeping hull & vertical rudder turned to port.

Senateur Duhammel. (fsw) A converted British armed Trawler 192 ft. long sank after colliding with the "USS SEMMES" on April 6, 1942. this vessel was destroyed by the U.S.C.G. "VIGILANT" relatively flat to the bottom as she was a hazard to ship navigation.

Shurtz. (110 fsw) A WW1 German Cruiser 225 ft. in length was captured & repatriated by the U.S. at the outbreak off the war On June 21, 1918 it sunk after colliding with the S.S. FLORIDA. Time & tides have taken a heavy toll on this vessel. The deck cannons, boilers,& engines are the remaining structures visible making this an excellent dive.

Suloide. (65 fsw) A Brazilian Freighter 338 ft long sank on March26, 1943 after colliding with the sunken hull of the "HUTTON." The vessel is upright but "Cable Dragging" by the U.S.C.G. "VIGILANT" brought this ship to 40 ft. below the surface.