wreck

Log This Dive

VR-BFS

The VR-BFS isn't just another chunk of metal on the seabed, it’s a time capsule. We're talking about a genuine Augusta-Bell 206B helicopter, which ditched out here near Mubarraz Island back in '76. It’s sitting upright, mostly intact, at a comfortable 20 metres. Dropping down, the first thing that hits you is the sheer oddity of it. A helicopter, underwater. The rotor blades are gone, but the main body, the tail boom, even some of the cockpit structure, are all still there. It’s compact, maybe 12 metres long, so you can circle it several times in one dive and really get a feel for the whole thing. Our favourite view is from the stern, looking forward, with the silhouette against the blue. It’s been down there long enough for marine life to move in properly. Expect a good showing of yellowtail snappers schooling around the fuselage, and we've often seen barracuda hanging out in the slight current. Look closer and you’ll spot nudibranchs clinging to the metal, and the occasional moray eel peeking from a crevice. It’s not a deep dive, making it perfect for a long bottom time, really soaking in the history. It suits anyone with an Advanced Open Water certification looking for something a bit different from your usual purpose-sunk wrecks. Go early to beat any boat traffic, and you’ll have it mostly to yourselves.