Reefwander

Eleuthera · Bahamas · Wreck

Carnarvon

Steam engine and boiler of a lighthouse freighter in 8 m

A 55 m (185 ft) steel-hulled freighter that serviced the lighthouses of the Bahamas for the British Admiralty, aground since 1916 near Preacher's Cave. It rests in 8 m (25 ft), and its steam engine, drive shaft and boiler remain in good condition at a depth that suits photography.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Carnarvon: typical dive to 8 m (to 26 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit8 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

25.5620° N, 76.6962° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The Carnarvon rests in 8 m (25 ft) of water near Preacher's Cave. Its machinery is the core of the dive: the steam engine, the drive shaft and the boiler all remain in good condition, and at this depth there is time to work along them and look at each piece closely before returning to the boat.

The engine, shaft and boiler lie shallow, which is what makes the wreck a photography dive, and visibility in these waters runs 25 to 30 m (80-100 ft), even in the rainy season. The ship was a steel-hulled freighter that serviced the lighthouses of the Bahamas for the British Admiralty before it ran aground here in 1916.

The wreck

Vessel
Carnarvon
Type
Steel-hulled lighthouse supply freighter
Length
55 m (180 ft)
Sunk
1916
Cause
Ran aground
Lies
In 8 m (25 ft) near Preacher's Cave; engine, drive shaft and boiler intact

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Carnarvon
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
GoodGoodGoodGoodFairFairFairFairFairFairGoodGood

Season follows Eleuthera: Diveable all year. Rain falls May to October in storms of a day or two, and sharks are seen most in the cooler winter months.

Dive videos

Peacock Flounder on Carnarvon Shipwreck,Harbour Island,Bahamas · George Gross on YouTube

Questions divers ask

How deep is the Carnarvon wreck in Eleuthera?+

The Carnarvon rests in 8 m (25 ft) of water near Preacher's Cave, with its steam engine, drive shaft and boiler still in good condition.

Sources

  1. Diving in Eleuthera: wrecks, reefs, walls and drifts — Dive The World

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