Perhaps Australia's most famous shipwreck is the SS Yongala that sank throughout a cyclone in 1911 from the tropical coast of northern Australia. She attracts over 10 thousand divers annually and it is regarded as one of the best wrecks to dive and one of the greatest artificial reefs.
In america, among the best places to go freshwater wreck diving may be the storm-prone Lake Erie using its many wrecks. For individuals who want to have an infinitely more extreme diving experience, it is possible for experienced divers look around the sunken fleet at Bikini Atoll (the ghost fleet sunken in nuclear testing).
What To Know Of The Ill-Fated SS Yongala
The SS Yongala was a passenger and cargo ship and was built by Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. She was built to service routes within the new country of Australia and became the first ship to sail from Brisbane to Fremantle direct 5,000-kilometer (2,700 nmi) – a long route around australia.
- Launched: 29 April 1903
She met her waterly fate on her 99th voyage in Australian waters on 24 March 1911. It had not been until a couple of days later that they was reported missing.
She is one of Australia's greatest maritime disasters. She sank, claiming the lives of 122 souls on board, and traces of the ship weren't found until days later as cargo and wreckage washed ashore. The wreck itself wasn't found until 1958.
- Location: Off Cape Bowling Green, Queensland, Australia
- Date: 23 March 1911
- Lost: All 122 Passengers and Crew Were Lost
The wreck was first detected by the Australian navy throughout the 1940s but they didn't do anything to follow in the find. It was only in 1958 that Bill Kirkpatrick located the wreck and delivered to the top a barnacle-encrusted steel safe. There is nothing within the safe, nevertheless its serial number-9825W was traced to the SS Yongala during her construction in 1903.
The SS Yongala Wreck Today
Today the wreck of Yongala is 109 meters (358 ft) long and lies listing to starboard in an angle which is between 60° and 70°. Her structural integrity continues to be retained and she rests inside a depth of around 30 meters (98 ft). The upper sections of the wreck are in a depth of around 16 meters (52 ft).
- Depth: 30 meters (98 ft) – Upper Sections; 16 meters (52 ft)
- Condition: She's In Good Condition
She has become a man-made reef using the seafloor around her being open and sandy. She has be a complex habitat for any diverse range of marine life. She is within the central portion of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
- Protected: She's Protected By The Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976
- Permit: A Permit is Required To Dive Her
Access to the SS Yongala is by permit only and the zone round her is protected. The permits are accessible in the Maritime Archaeology Portion of the Museum of Tropical Queensland.
- Divers: She Attracts Over 10,000 Divers Annually
Today the SS Yongala is a major diving tourist attraction. She is the most popular attraction with more than 10,000 divers visiting visit her each year. She is of particular interest in that she is one of the largest, most intact historic shipwrecks.
If you do go to see her, don't forget to check out the Maritime Museum of Townsville that have an extensive display of Yongala memorabilia.
Diving The SS Yongala
One of the companies providing small group diving tours of the SS Yongala is Yongala Dive. They provide certified divers and all sorts of equipment and transportation required to dive the wreck.
To get to the wreck it requires a 30-minute boat ride. Their select few diving tours include:
- Dives: 2 Dives From the Wreck
- History: A Discuss the Good reputation for The Yongala
- Refreshments: Snacks and Drinks Are supplied On The Dive Vessel
- Lunch: BBQ Lunch (at Dive Centre)
To dive together there's a listing of minimum requirements. Divers need to hold Open Water certification with 6 logged dives and deep-dive training. Open Water divers must complete Deep Orientation dive (underwater skills) with a PADI Dive Instructor throughout the 1st dive in the wreck (expense applies).
- Minimum age: 16 years old
- Experience: That Diving Experience Is needed
Novice divers (those with under 20 dives) need to have refreshed their skills in the last 6 months and will have to be provided with a dive guide.
