Caribbean's newest Artifical Reef?
Article written by Brian Olson, Sunchaser SCUBA, June 25th, 2008
To the future delight and benefit of divers everywhere, the British Virgin Islands SCUBA Organization is currently working hand in hand with the British Virgin Islands government, Tourist Board, National Parks, International Philanthropists and Local Citizens to bring the newest artifical reef, "Windjammer Flying Cloud" to the warm, clear waters of the BVI! Long hailed by sailors of all skill levels as the place to cruise, the BVI are also well known for the attributes of their diving sites such as the world famous wreck of the "RMS Rhone".
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At Anchor at Great Harbor, Peter Island, British Virgin Islands
Anchored off Cooper Island, British Virgin Islands
Anchored off Cooper Island, British VIrgin Islands
Deck Plan of the Flying Cloud
Aft anchored in Trinidad
anchored in Trinidad
Anchored in Trinidad again
Under Motor
Under Sail
Bell on the Oisseau Des Islaes
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Launched in 1935 as a training vessel for the Frenchy Naval Academy, the Oisseau des Iles or Bird of the Isles began her career at sea. in the early 1940's, she began a humble career in the Pacific where she dutifully carried phosphate under the french flag to her customers in the Western Pacific.
She was commissioned as a warship in early 1942 to keep an eye out for enemies and associated dangers in the waters of Tahiti and Fiji. Narrowly escaping the fate of being sunk in order to block hostile warships from entering the harbour at Papaete, she plied the local waters to watch for the enemy. She was armed with only a few small machine guns and rifles, but she did her duty until she returned to civilian service carrying cargo in the Mexican Caribbean
In early 1968, she was purchased by the Windjammer Cruising Fleet as the jewel in their crown. She was taken to Florida and, after an extensive re-fit and re-rig of her sails for safety and ease of handling, she was put into service plying the waters of the Caribbean carrying sailors, adventurors, honeymooners and would be pirates alike.
During the decades to follow, she carried tens of thousands of people over the waters of the BVI and surrounding territories on occasions of all kinds.
She has formed the memories and been the foundation of fun and adventure for generations.
She now returns to her home in the British Virgin Islands with the dignity befitting an old friend and comrade.
Studies have shown over the years in areas where artifical reefs have been placed, fish populations benefit. Tourism benefits as new sites for divers have always attraced the adventurous nature of divers. Sunken ships with an intriguing story and long history have always been the best dives especially if there is a significant tie to the territory she is ulitmately laid in.
She is to be respectfully placed between Ginger Island and Cooper Island after a complete cleaning and environmental checkup. She was recently in the hands of professional scrap dealers and a majority of the cleaning process was accomplished. Anything that has been salvaged off of her has in no way taken away from her value as a historic wreck-dive.
The date of her arrival in the territory, and pending placement is still not klnown. There will be many events and celebrations that will accompany her final days and hours on the surface. All of us in the BVI invite you to participate in this historic event as it will only happen once.
