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Week 1: Scapa Flow, The
Orkneys, North Scotland - The scene of the greatest scuttling event
in maritime history, as the captive German fleet at the end of the First
World War opened the stop *censored*s and sent their battleships, some the largest
ever built, to the bottom. The team are guided in Scapa by John Thornton,
one of the leading authorities in technical diving in the UK.
Week 2: Zenobia, Cyprus
- An iconic wreck for any European diver, the Zenobia sits upright
on the sea bed. A fully intact vehicle ferry, she is famed for her miles
of passages and companionways, as well as her holds still packed with
lorries and cars. Guide for this stage will be Jack Ingle, a leading exponent
on wreck penetration techniques.
Week 3: The Thistlegorm,
Red Sea - Discovered by Cousteau in the 1970s, this is the wreck
of a British merchant vessel sunk in the World War II. Her holds contain
motorcycles and jeeps, boots and bullets. As well as the world class attractions
of the wreck itself, the hull and superstructure act as a beacon for the
famed marine life of the Red Sea.
Week 4: Japanese Wrecks,
Palau - The three hundred rock islands of Palau are arguably the
finest dive locations on earth - massive rays, deep caves, teeming reefs,
patrolling sharks. Dotted around this unique collection of reefs and wildlife
are the remnants of the savage fighting that took place in World War II.
Zero fighters lie on the sea bed next to American sea planes. Battleships
and frigates are only now being explored in deep wsater by the use of
technical diving equipment. The team will be guided by Sam's Tours and
Kevin Davidson, a diver leading the push into the secret wrecks of Palau.
Week 5: Truk Lagoon, Micronesia
- If Palau is the greatest dive location on earth, Truk is the greatest
wreck site for any diver. On the floor of this lagoon lie the remnants
of the Japanese Navy Fourth Fleet - submarine tenders, cargo vessels
and a host of artifacts of the battle that raged through this idyllic
atoll.
Week 6: President Coolidge,
Vanuatu - Quite simply, the world’s most magnificent shore dive.
This wreck is a monument to the days of opulent travel, and yet met her
end packed with troops and sunk by a mine from her own side. Home to the
statue of The Lady, she is worth every mile of the journye to remote Vanuatu
to see her.
Week 7: The Yongala, Great
Barrier Reef: Sunk by a cyclone in 1903, the Yongala has a justified reputation
as one of the greatest of all wildlife dives. Hovering by her largely
intact bow are four massive grouper, and vast shoals of snapper and barracuda
swirl around her superstructure.
Week 8: Lementov, New Zealand:
The largest accessible shipwreck on earth, the Lementov was a passenger
liner. A gigantic 20,027 tons, she is 578 feet long, and could hold 700
passengers. She lies on her side off New Zealand’s South Island,
her bridge wing only 30 feet from the surface. Sunk in 1986, she is one
of the most perfectly preserved wrecks the team will visit throughout
their expedition.
Week 9: The Rainbow Warrior,
New Zealand: The Bay Islands in the north of New Zealand are the last
resting place of the Rainbow Warrior, sunk by the French secret service.
A wreck rich in history, with a story of a sinking that would suit any
spy novel, she lies in waters famous for white sided dolphins. Nearby
are the Poor Knights Islands, a site Cousteau described as one of the
finest on earth.
Week 10: Bianca C, Grenada
Called the Titanic of the Caribbean, at 500 feet this hugely impressive
wreck lies in crystal clear water. Divers have the slightly surreal experience
of lounging in the swimming pool, which sits at a depth of 120 feet, as
schools of jack and Caribbean reef shark patrol the promenades around
them. A fitting conclusion to the most ambitious wreck expedition ever
launched.
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