CARAQUET - North Shore

The Caraquet, a colossal steamship, sits broken but beautiful at just 11 meters. It’s an ideal wreck for a long, relaxed dive, especially if you’re into history you can actually touch. We love drifting over its scattered remains, imagining the 1923 storm that drove it onto the North Shore. You'll find yourself gliding past massive plates of twisted steel, the triple expansion engine still impressive even after a century underwater. Our favourite spot is exploring the stern section, where we’ve often seen big green moray eels tucked into crevices, watching us with lazy eyes. The sheer scale of the Caraquet, even in pieces, is striking; its 121-meter length means you’ll want to take your time. Look out for schools of snapper darting in and out of the rusted hull, or the occasional hawksbill turtle munching on sponges near the bow. It's a remarkably accessible wreck, perfect for divers who appreciate the atmospheric remains of a grand old ship and the marine life that has made it home.

Location
North Shore, Bermuda, Caribbean
Coordinates
32.463080, -64.835070
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
11m

Wreck History - CARAQUET

Year Sunk
1923
Vessel Type
passenger ship
Cause
grounding
Tonnage
4,971 GRT

The RMS Caraquet was a handsome steamship built in 1894 by the legendary Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, the same builders as the Titanic. Serving the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co., she plied the routes between Canada and the West Indies, carrying passengers, mail, and cargo. On June 25, 1923, while on a passage from Halifax, Nova Scotia, the Caraquet was caught in a storm and ran hard aground on the treacherous northern reefs of Bermuda. Despite the perilous situation, a swift and heroic rescue operation ensured that all 117 passengers and crew were brought safely to shore, but the ship itself was a total loss.

Lying in just 11 meters of water, the wreck of the Caraquet is now a fantastic dive site, broken apart by a century of Atlantic storms. While the hull is scattered across the reef, the most impressive remains are the ship's enormous triple-expansion engine and her massive boilers, which stand upright on the seabed, dominating the underwater landscape. These colossal structures are now encrusted in coral and surrounded by schools of fish, offering a dramatic centerpiece for divers and a tangible connection to Bermuda's maritime past.

Marine Protected Area: Lambda Island

Nearby Dive Sites in North Shore

Nearest Dive Centres to CARAQUET

Marine Life in North Shore

Home to 339 recorded species including 286 reef fish, 17 hard corals, 10 sharks & rays, 8 seagrass & algae, 5 other, 3 octopus & squid.

Notable Species