Roatán · Honduras · Wreck · Reef · Artificial reef
Odyssey Wreck
Stairwells, cabins and an intact mess table at 12 to 33 m
Area photo: William Eburn · CC BY 2.5
The largest wreck in Roatán: a 90 m cargo ship scuttled in November 2002 as an artificial reef, sitting upright on sand beside the reef wall and since broken into three sections. Depths run from 12 m at the top of the mast to 33 m at the keel, and the hull was opened up enough that stairwells, cabins and the old mess area are the point of the dive.
Where it is and how deep
16.3523° N, 86.5543° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The Odyssey sits upright on a sandy floor next to the reef wall, and your profile is decided by where you spend the dive on her: 12 m at the top of the mast, 33 m down at the keel. She is broken into three pieces — the stern tilted about 30 degrees to starboard, the bow rolled almost 90 degrees — so most dives start deep at one end and work up and along the structure as time passes.
The interior is why people come. She was prepared for divers, and you can fin up through stairwells, look into cabins, and reach the old mess area, where an intact table and chairs is the photograph everyone surfaces with. Penetration is still penetration: the sections are large but enclosed, and going inside needs the training, the light and the line to match, particularly at the deep end of the wreck.
Marine life is limited but present. Grouper and snapper hover around the structure, large midnight parrotfish and green moray eels are regular sightings, encrusting growth including Atlantic thorny oysters has taken hold on the plating, and stingrays work the sand around the hull. Finish on the adjacent reef rather than hanging over the wreck, which puts the shallow time over something worth looking at.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Odyssey
- Type
- Cargo ship
- Length
- 90 m (295 ft)
- Sunk
- 2002
- Cause
- Scuttled as an artificial reef after a fire
- Lies
- Upright on sand beside the reef wall, broken into three sections
The Odyssey was a cargo ship of roughly 90 m, which makes her the largest wreck a diver will find in Roatán. She was sunk in November 2002 as an artificial reef after a fire, and settled upright on the sandy floor alongside the reef wall. She has since broken into three pieces, the stern tilted about 30 degrees to starboard and the bow around 90 degrees. Openings prepared for divers give access to stairwells and cabins, and the mess area still holds its table and chairs.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Stingrays
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Roatán: March to August is dry with the calmest seas; October to February is the rainy season, wettest in November and December.
Know before you go
- The keel is at 33 m and the best structure sits low on the hull, so bottom time goes quickly; plan the ascent before the deep section, not during it.
- The wreck is penetrable and inviting, but the interior is enclosed and unlit — stairwells and cabins need wreck training, redundant lights and a line.
Dive videos
Roatan Honduras Odyssey Wreck HD · Chris Holwerda on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Odyssey wreck?+
Depths run from about 12 m at the top of the mast to 33 m at the keel, so the profile depends on how much time you spend low on the hull. PADI lists Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver and Enriched Air Diver as the recommended training for the site.
Can you go inside the Odyssey?+
Yes. The wreck was opened up for divers, and stairwells, cabins and the old mess area with its intact table and chairs are part of the standard dive. It is still an enclosed overhead environment, so bring wreck training and lights to match.
Sources
- Odyssey Wreck dive site — PADI
- Roatan Dive Sites — Dive The World
- Diving in Honduras: Top Wreck Dive Sites — Dive The World
In The Logbook
- Ships sunk on purpose, and where to dive themWrecks · 14 min read
More dive sites in Roatán
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Wall
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Reef
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Wreck
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Drift
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Wall
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