ARISTO
Protected Area
Castle Harbour Islands Nature Reserve
Why dive here
With 328+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, blue sharks, bull sharks, dolphins and eagle rays - ARISTO offers some of North Shore's richest wreck diving.
The ARISTO, a passenger freighter that went down in 1937 while being towed, lies just off Bermuda’s North Shore. We love this site for its accessibility and how much of the old ship remains distinct, not just a pile of scattered metal. Sitting upright at a shallow 12 metres, you can spend a full hour exploring the bow and stern sections, even poking your head into some of the cargo holds. Our favourite time to dive ARISTO is mid-morning, when the sun angles just right through the water, illuminating the main deck and revealing the schools of sergeant majors that flit around the superstructure. Look closely and you’ll spot parrotfish munching on the coral growth, and often a moray eel peeking from a crevice. It’s a gentle dive, perfect for photographers wanting to capture the ship’s moody silhouette against the blue, or for anyone who enjoys a leisurely wreck exploration without strong currents or deep depths.
Typical ARISTO Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Always perform a 3-minute safety stop at 5m before surfacing.
ARISTO Wreck History
Year Sunk
1937
Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
storm
Tonnage
3,467 GRT
The vessel known as the Aristo began her life in 1901 as the British steamship SS Induna. Built in Port Glasgow, she served for decades as a typical cargo freighter of her era. By the 1930s, she was sailing under the Norwegian flag, continuing to ply the Atlantic trade routes.
Her final voyage in March 1937 was cut short by severe engine trouble, forcing her to be taken under tow towards Bermuda for essential repairs. As she neared the islands, a powerful storm struck the area. The violent seas and high winds put immense strain on the tow line, which eventually snapped. Helpless and without power, the Aristo was relentlessly driven by the storm onto the treacherous reefs of Bermuda's North Shore, where she broke apart and sank.
Resting at a depth of 12 meters, the Aristo is now a classic Bermuda wreck dive. The wreck is scattered across a wide area of the reef, with her massive boilers and triple-expansion steam engine standing as the most prominent and recognizable features. Divers can navigate through the debris field, which has been thoroughly colonized by vibrant corals and is patrolled by schools of parrotfish, angelfish, and sergeant majors, offering a perfect blend of maritime history and marine life.
Nearest Dive Centres to ARISTO
Dive shops near ARISTO
Dive Bermuda Limited
Fantasea Diving and Watersports
Blue Water Divers & Watersports Limited
Reviews for ARISTO
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for ARISTO
ARISTO Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for ARISTO, sourced from NOAA buoy data - nearest station: Open-Meteo grid (32.32, -64.84) (0km away)
August Averages
Air Temperature
27.53°C
82°F
Wind Speed
7.06 m/s
13.7 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1019.4 hPa
Based on 5 years of monitoring data · Data sources: NOAA NDBC
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