Wreck Diving in Grenada: The Bianca ‘C’
Hello again my Scuba Jedi Friends. One of the most exciting dives of my life was on the Bianca C a mile of the coast off the Caribbean island of Grenada. Sitting upright at a maximum depth of 50 metres, this 600 meter long ship never fails to impress, and is listed as one of the top ten warm water wreck dives by many authorities and magazines.
The Bianca C has had a chequered life and has actually sunk twice, once whilst being towed incomplete from the southern coast of France under the name of Merechal Petain to Port de Bouc near Marseilles in June 1944 where she was torpedoed by the Germans in August.
When the hull was raised she was renamed La marseillaise and towed to La Toulon and then returned to La Ciotat and refitted as a Cruise ship.
When completed she sailed to Yokohama . In 1957 given the name of Arosa Sky after being sold to Panamas Arosa line, refitted and became the company’s flag ship after two years the company was forced to sell her to Costa line a company known as Linea C, and the ship was renamed the Bianca C, and refurbished again its main route being from Italy to Venezuela with stops in the Caribbean.
On Sunday October 22nd 1961 the Bianca C was docked of Grenada when an explosion occured in the engine room, one crew man died immeadiately and eight others were injured. whilst 700 passengers and crew scrambled to abandon ship.
The Bianca C was in the main achorage and if sunk would block the harbour of St Georges Grenada a call was put out to HMS Londonderry and she arrived two days later a crew boarded the Bianca C to attach tow lines to tow her out of the harbour, six hours of towing and the tow lines burnt the Bianca C was only three miles from St Georges when many people watching from the cliffes saw the Bianca C sink in 50 metres of water about a mile of the tourist beach of Grande Anse.
In the 1970′s a Trinidadian company salvaged the the propellors and sold them for Scrap !!!
In the 90′s the rear third of the ship has broken off but this does not deteriate from the awsome sight as you descend down to her.
THE TITANIC OF THE CARIBBEAN THE BIANCA ‘C’
The Dive on the Bianca C is a challenging one.
I remember the dive briefing saying we might see bull sharks and myself and one other diver looking at each other with a slight concern.
We were so lucky to have her all to ourselves! (just three of us in total). We descended down on to her stern and swam quickly along her as we wanted to see all of her in one go but only really had 15-20 mins – No decompression time.
The sight as you descend and she come into view at about thirty meters is awe inspiting anda feeling I will never forget (makes the hairs on the back of my head stand up just writing this).
We swam along and went into the swimming pool and rubbed away the silt to reveal the pool tiles that was a strange feeling further along to the funnels and still swimming fast we came to the bow. Now, all I can say is: “you have to see it for yourself” . It was amazing!
A quick look at each others computers we were all about 3 minutes away from a decompression stop so a slow ascent and a swim into the blue to come to a wreef to ponder over for a few minutes and long 3 minute safety stop we surfaced with a feeling of seeing one of the worlds wonders.
I layed in bed that night with an over whelming feeling of the enormity of the ship and what modern scuba has done to bring these treasures of the sea into view for those who choose to take it up.
Next day my fellow diver and I bumped into each other and we both agreed that the Bianca C was at that point the most awe inspiring dive of our lives.
This is a great resource about the history of the Bianca C
If you can visit Grenada I know you wont be dissapointed, just let me know when your going so I can come too,
Safe diving everyone
Until Next time
Nick
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nice one mate