Imagine a shipwreck lying silent on the seafloor, its hull battered and bruised, but beneath its decaying surface lies a story—a mystery woven into twisted metal and scattered debris. This weekend, I had the privilege to dive with Grant Treloar, Roland Hügli, and Jeff Swann on the Darwin Princess, a wreck that promises much more than just remnants of a bygone era.
Our journey began with eager anticipation, but what we found beneath the surface left us more questions than answers. It was clear from the first glimpse that the Princess did not descend quietly to her final resting place. The bow tells a violent tale: the bow cleat, once sturdy, is now bent forcefully downwards along with the hull, torn down at least half a meter toward the waterline. The sheer force required to create this devastation boggles the mind. Something powerful tore into the ship, bending metal as if it were paper. Was it a wave? An impact? Whatever it was, it left scars that refuse to fade.
As we continued our exploration, another enigma presented itself—a massive dent on the port side, perhaps from an impact with a pylon or even another ship. And this damage was only the beginning. The debris field surrounding the Princess is vast and chaotic, hinting at a final descent that was anything but serene. Handrails lay ripped, the mast is missing, doors hang by splinters or are gone altogether. This was a vessel that fought her way down, perhaps rolling on her side before coming to rest on the seabed.
Diving into the wreck’s shadowy confines was no small feat. With only 1-meter visibility and a tangle of ropes, darkness, and broken structures, every step forward felt like a test of endurance and grit. Our dive on this first day lasted 2.5 hours with decompression, each second demanding intense focus to navigate the treacherous wreck safely. We partially penetrated the rear section, and the next day we hoped to venture deeper—into the upper rooms, where time and tide have kept their secrets hidden in darkness.
As if that wasn’t thrilling enough, the surprises kept coming. In the debris field, Grant stumbled upon an enormous concrete block, measuring about 2000x1200x1000. Could this have been ballast, added to stabilize the ship during the turbulent times of Cyclone Tracy? The scale of it leaves us wondering if it played a role in the Princess’s fateful journey to the ocean floor.
Another find caught our eye—a tangled propeller, the rudder missing in action. Yet, just as we thought it might be gone forever, we spotted something sticking out beneath midships, possibly our elusive rudder! Piece by piece, the puzzle of the Darwin Princess’s descent was beginning to take shape.
After hours in the deep, we came away with a sketch that offered clues to the vessel’s final moments. It appears the ship struck the seabed violently, not bow-first or stern-first, but sideways, sending her sliding approximately 10 meters across the sand before she came to rest. As she slid, the port side buried in sand, while the other side spilled remnants from her descent.
Back on shore, I poured over the footage, still piecing together each discovery, each twist of metal, each clue in this ongoing mystery. The Darwin Princess has stories to tell, and with each dive, we get closer to unravelling the truth. This wreck is far from finished giving up her secrets.
– In memory of –
Raymond John Curtain, Darwin Princess (28) Graham William Dearden, Booya (30) Gerald Frederick Thompson, Booya (31) Ruth Nazmeena Adrione Vincent, Booya (24) Gregory John Westerman, Booya (22) Terrance Carew Westwood, Booya (63)
Rest in peace, and may history never forget you.
Mark Tozer