Carthaginian II Maui

The [http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery/Carthiginian-Shipwreck/G0000uhmxfmGxkic/ Carthaginian II], once used as a whaling museum, is a copy of a 19th century brig comparable to the ships that originally brought trade to the Hawaiian Islands. This ship was a cement carrier built in Germany in 1920 and rechristened the Carthaginian II. It sailed to Lahaina in 1973 where it took seven years for the historically accurate 18th century whaling ship rigging to be assembled. The ship functioned as a reminder of Lahaina's seafaring heritage and was docked for numerous years at Lahaina Harbor. The ship was owned by the Lahaina Restoration Foundation which operated the museum on board which displayed relics of Lahaina's historic whaling days. On December 13, 2005, following two years of preparation, Atlantis Adventures sank the Carthaginian off Lahaina, Maui, creating an artificial reef that will have lasting marine life benefits. The reefing took place off Puamana which is just outside the Lahaina harbor. The 97-foot, steel-hulled vessel, sank in 95 feet of water where it will serve as an artificial reef. Although it had no genuine historical worth, the Carthaginian II was one of Lahaina's most recognizable attractions, featured in thousands of artworks and visitor photographs for more than thirty  years. The ship belonged to the nonprofit Lahaina Restoration Foundation, that was spending $50,000 a year to preserve the decaying hulk. At what time marine engineers recommended against more repairs as a result of the mounting costs, Atlantis was approached to claim the ship and utilize it as an artificial reef which would in turn improve the existing [http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery-image/Carthiginian-Shipwreck/G0000uhmxfmGxkic/I0000QolAIWmBtLg Atlantis submarine] excursions in Lahaina.The first Carthaginian was a replica of a whaling supply ship used for the 1966 film "Hawaii",; based on the novel by James Michner. The Lahaina Restoration Foundation purchased the wooden boat, but it sank in 1972 on its way to O'ahu for dry dock. The German vessel was acquired and was rechristened the Carthaginian II and after extensive work served the city as a floating museum for many years. A fleet of approximately 20 boats was waiting when the Carthaginian II arrived at [http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery-image/Carthiginian-Shipwreck/G0000uhmxfmGxkic/I0000VsMtIqSk0zY Puamana], and spectators lined the beach or pulled over on the Honoapi'ilani Highway to observe the spectacle. Kahu Charles Kaupu offered a Hawaiian blessing, and after a 3-ton anchor was secured to the bow and the boat was in position, patches were detached from two sets of openings that had been cut into the hull about 18 inches above the water line. Seawater was pumped into the hull, and 27 minutes later the Carthaginian was headed to the sandy bottom and a new shipwreck was born. Observers let loose with applause and whoops of appreciation as the vessel quietly slipped beneath the surface. Aboard the Atlantis shuttle boat 3 air-shattering blasts were fired from miniature brass cannon to mark the occasion. The Dive The vessel was sunk around seven years ago and at the present supports a large range of marine life. As soon as you start to descend from the mooring ball you should typically be able to distinguish the outline of the wreck relatively easily. The visibility on this dive site is typically 80+ feet and much of the time over 100+ feet. The shipwreck rests in about ninety  ft of water off the shoreline of Lahina and is a great place for [http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery/Carthiginian-Shipwreck/G0000uhmxfmGxkic/ underwater photography]. There might be some current on this site so a few divers might want to descend using the mooring line. As you descend you will start to perceive additional particulars regarding the vessel and the impacts of being upon the reef for about seven years. The main mast collapsed around mid-summer 2011 and will now be seen resting upon the main deck. The main cabin roof and walls have deteriorated to some level and there are numerous holes into the hold. The access to the cargo hold itself is rather large and readily accessible. The engine room along with the forward compartment is blocked by means of a gate however you can still get a decent mix of shots from this section. The rear area of the cargo hold is fairly clear and at the present time will include various fish species or crustaceans as they happen to be moving about the shipwreck. There happen to be a number of frogfish on the shipwreck. I was able to photograph 5 different frogfish on my most recent dive. These fish are particularly well placed for macro photographs and might consume a lot of bottom time, nevertheless it is definitely worth the effort. Two frogfish were on the main deck to the rear of the main cabin and 3 were on the starboard side about the midships area. While scuba diving on the wreck, you can also discover a broad mix of fish such as, Pacific Trumpetfish, Sergeant Majors, Dascyllus, Orangespine Unicornfish, Rainbow Cleaner Wrasse, and much more. This wreck dive is best when there are less than 10 scuba divers in the water because the shipwreck itself is not very big. It is a quite interesting dive and I highly recommend