Great image there.
The placed DC3 ‘plane-wreck’ is so often just given a quick glance by divers, a closer look will reveal the structure is teeming with life. For many years, i watched two Anemones move incrementally over the old airframe. A huge Eel habituated the plane’s toilet/head and also enjoyed that overturned 15’ Boston Whaler nearby.
The wings seem to be ‘the spot’ for laying eggs and patrolling their nurseries.
The DC3 is closer to the Fantasy Island silt run-off, so it is often less appealing than the nearby Prince Albert wreck which is usually much less occluded, but i always take a six minute ‘look see’ diversion when we do the CCV ‘front yard’ dive.
her last flight, so to speak….
For most divers, it’s good that they know they’re going to see a ‘plane wreck’ because it is quite large and in chunks. This disassembly occurred as she actually ‘flew’ underwater during a hurricane surge. The aft upper fuselage is quite discernible after ‘you see what you’re seeing’, that’s where the Eel’s toilet is located, The wings are pretty easy to see, but so large that many don‘t know what they are at first. The lower fuselage looks like a school bus that had it’s top ripped off. Still, a lot living there. You can actually penetrate the upper fuselage section through the port aft passenger door, but it’s a one-man at a time thing. Cool creepy stuff in there, I can assure you.
The thing about wrecks, especially these two that are just an shore dive away 24/7 from Coco View….
“Wrecks” are easy to see. This is the initial appeal for newer divers. They are a landmark, point of reference, It takes patience and time, also aided by a guiding buddy- to see the real value and use for the diver. The structures and shapes provided by ‘placed reefs’ invite many critters. At first, we see ‘the big fish’, but then, as our awareness develops, well, we see Octopus and Conch, and then even waaaay smaller treasures.
