wreck

Log This Dive

QING CHUAN 1

Qing Chuan 1 isn't your average wreck dive. This is deep, serious stuff, pushing down to 55m, so it’s one for the experienced tech divers among us. We love the sheer scale of her: 107 metres of steel, resting upright, exactly where she sank in 1989 after a collision. You really feel the history when you descend onto her deck. The visibility here can be temperamental, but on a good day, the outline of the stern, with its impressive propeller, comes into view first. Then, as you follow the deck forward, you start to see the life that's colonised her – huge schools of barracuda often hover over the bridge, and we've spotted some impressively large groupers tucked into crevices. The currents can be tricky, so good dive planning is essential. Our favourite part has to be exploring the cavernous cargo holds; they offer incredible overhead environments, but obviously, penetration here requires advanced training and proper gear. It's a challenging dive, no doubt, but the reward is a truly magnificent wreck that feels like a journey back in time.