The shipwreck capital of the Caribbean has a new addition to its collection of wrecks
Grenada is known as the shipwreck capital of the Caribbean. And that's not just hype. Divers can explore some 15 sunken vessels within a ten-mile radius of the island's southwestern coast. And unlike many artificial reef sites, the majority of wrecks in the coastal waters of Grenada sank as a result of storms, failed pumps or even fire. This combination of a good location and bad luck resulted in a varied fleet that ranges from island sloops and freighters to the 600-foot passenger liner Bianca C, which has been dubbed “the Titanic of the Caribbean.”
There's no need for double tanks, downlines and deco when exploring Grenada's wrecks. Most rests at depths of 100 feet or less and two novice-friendly ships sit in 40 to 50-foot range. Even the iconic Bianca C, which rests in 130 feet, has sections that rise above the 100-foot mark.
In the spring of 2018, yet another ship joined Grenada's ghost fleet. The vessel is a 200-foot container cargo vessel built in 1970 in East Germany under the name MS Trinwillershagen. The ship spent a decade cruising the Baltic from a home port of Rostock, and after the German unification, made its way via Holland and Belgium to St. Vincent in the Caribbean. Under the new name MV Anina, it began inter-island cargo service. Mechanical and financial troubles eventually halted operations, and the Anina became a fixture of the St. George's waterfront, where it was anchored and non-operational near the Grenada fish market.
The owner of Anina eventually volunteered to donate the vessel to the Grenada Tourism Authority. A combined effort with the Grenada Hotel and Tourism Association and the Grenada Scuba Diving Association raised funds for cleaning and sinking the ship. As preparations were near completion, the ship started taking on water and on March 21, 2018, was towed to the appointed site and sank as planned. Anina slipped below the sea without incident and came to rest on a sand bottom in 100 feet of water. It now lies on its starboard side, near the Purple Rain Reef.
A dive team from Aquanauts Grenada was first on the scene to evaluate the safety of the wreck for diving. The first group of recreational divers visited the wreck an hour later. From its years at anchor, the bottom of the Anita developed a thick growth in Orange Cup Coral, which has already become home to many fish. Large schools of silversides gather around the wreck as they shelter from the jacks, tuna and other pelagic predators.
Divers can visit the Anina and Grenada's other wrecks with Aquanauts Grenada, which is the island's premier dive center. We have partnered with Aquanauts and a number of hotels to create special packages that include both wreck and reef sites, with complementary nitrox, small groups, and valet diving services. To plan your Grenada wreck diving adventure, give our dive travel experts a call at 800-330-6611 or send a note to sales@caradonna.com.