Maceió & Praia do Francês · Brazil · Wreck
Draguinha
A capsized 50 m dredge at 27 to 30 m, with an old boiler among the wreckage
The Draguinha is the wreck of a Brazilian dredge, 50 m long, lying broken up and capsized to port at 27 to 30 m about 7 miles off Maceió. It flooded and sank in bad weather while under tow to Recife. Divers descend and ascend on a safety line, and a giant moray has been seen watching them from a crack in the hull.
Also known as Naufrágio Draguinha.
Where it is and how deep
9.7774° S, 35.6489° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The Draguinha lies about 7 miles off Maceió at 27 to 30 m. Divers descend and ascend on a safety line, which gives a fixed reference on the way down and for the stop on the way up.
The dredge is 50 m long and lies broken up, capsized onto its port side, with an old boiler among the wreckage. A giant moray has been seen watching divers from a crack in the hull, and divers look at it with care and leave it alone. Visibility runs from 10 to 30 m.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Draguinha
- Type
- Dredge without its own propulsion
- Length
- 50 m (164 ft)
- Cause
- Flooded in bad weather while under tow to Recife
- Lies
- Broken up and capsized to port at 27-30 m
The dredge had no engine of its own and travelled under tow from Salvador to Recife. The tow stopped at Maceió for the tug to refuel, and when the voyage restarted the sea was very rough: the dredge flooded and sank about 7 miles off the city. The date of the loss is uncertain, and the style of its construction points to a vessel from the 1930s.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Maceió & Praia do Francês: October to April is the season; June to August brings rain and strong wind. December to February books up weeks ahead.
Know before you go
- The wreck lies at 27 to 30 m; descend and ascend on the safety line and complete the safety stop on it.
- The hour-long ride out can be rough; divers prone to seasickness should prepare before boarding.
Dive videos
Mergulho vespertino no naufrágio Draguinha (Maceió, Alagoas) · Dive Soul on YouTube
Mergulho noturno no naufrágio Draguinha (Maceió, Alagoas) · Dive Soul on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Draguinha wreck?+
The Draguinha lies at 27 to 30 m and is 50 m long. Divers descend and ascend on a safety line, and the Maceió operators take advanced divers only.
How did the Draguinha sink?+
The unpowered dredge was under tow from Salvador to Recife when it flooded in rough seas after a refuelling stop at Maceió, and it sank about 7 miles off the city.
Sources
- Trip Scuba em Maceió, Tatuamunha e Maragogi (Parte I) — Trip Scuba
- Paju Scuba - Mergulhos — Paju Scuba
- Naufrágio Draguinha — Brasil Mergulho
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