Second Expeditions (EXP2) in 2012

02/03/2012: Based on our previous dives and historical accounts and the size of the ship this wreck appears to be the SS Worcestershire which was sunk somewhere 10 miles south west of Colombo in 1917 by German mine layer Wolf. The ship was an armed merchant en route from Rangoon to London when it suffered this fatality. It is said that 2 crew members were lost in the incident.

Today we dive the ship again in the hope of photographing key features that may prove this to be the SS Worcestershire. We swim all the way from the Bow to the Stern! It is a huge distance and consumes almost all of our 20 minutes bottom time. at 57 Meters. We quickly photograph key features. However the ship is in a bad state of deterioration. The size of the ship certainly matches the Worcestershire and if indeed it has been lying for almost 95 years undersea, then this could explain why the most of the ship is completely gone. The stern side of the ship certainly bears a strong resemblance to the Worcestershire and the next expedition will aim to measure the hull width and draft of this huge ship.

First Expeditions (EXP1) in 2011

03/04/11: After two years of arduous search for its location we had found the Hermes of the West Coast!

As usual the wreck marked on the admiralty charts were way off. But two years later tenacity and a fish finder had finally unraveled the deep grave of this mysterious ship we call B2633. A name denoting its depth as measured in local dialect.

As always, a first glimpse of a deep ship is bone chilling thrilling. As narcosis envelops your senses what seem to be a large and hazy shadow slowly develops details. Then, at 50 meters we are at the ship and in a strange, deep, lush paradise seen by few.

As we swim over the hull and slowly descend to 57 meters of maximum depth on the port side of the ship and near the bow, shoals of fish envelop us. Gray Snappers, Yellow Fin Trevally, Giant Trevally and Groupers surround us. This is a true wilderness rarely disturbed by man.

Dived by aquarium fish collectors over 15 years ago this ship has hitherto been forgotten and un dived for decades. We are the first on location after years and the first to photograph this ship in its all its derelict glory.

We swim towards the stern. The ship is largely broken up in side; though maintaining its ship shape on the exterior. Its almost bowl shaped. Here large shoals of Yellow fin Trevally descend on the bowl to escape the marauding Giant Trevally. The soft coral growth is prolific. However its all devoid of color at this depth everything looks so gray.

We swim about 7 min's towards the stern and arrive at amidships. We still cannot see an end to the ship. However now its time to go back and find refuge in the anchor line. A moderate current pushes us back towards the stern as we swim arduously towards the bow.

As we ascend up the anchor line to our first deep stop, a school of pick handle barracuda surround us! What a magnificent sight. As we rise, they swim below us in a vortex and disappear from sight.

The hanging has begun and a long spell of decompression is now on us for the next seventy five minutes.

It seems that this ship has already cast its spell over us, for as we hover above its vague shadow again, we are already planning the next dive in our elated minds.

B2633. We will return to your fold again.

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