Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine April 2017 | Page 236

“Veronica L” is a small freighter with a length of
approximately 40m. It lies at a maximum depth
of 15m, close to Grand Anse. The Veronica used to
lie at the location of the cruise dock, until it was
transported to its current position. Usually a gentle
current hits the wreck coming from North East. She
is a favourite of most Grenada dive centers because
of her shallow depth and her beauty.
Here you will find schools of damselfish, sergeant
majors, Creole wrasse and a few bigger horse
eyed jacks in the middle of them, hunting - a real
fish soup. On a regular basis great barracudas will
be around, checking out the divers. At the stern
there’re two anchor chains lying on top of the reef.
Following them you’re coming after a few minutes
to a depth of 20m and a little drop off, descending
to about 30m.
On the way back to the shipwreck you might
spot lobsters or huge spider crabs hiding in the
reef. Porcupine fish and French angel fish are
seen on nearly every dive. Apart from that moray
eels are to spot, as well as fire worms, shrimps,
arrow crabs and beautiful coral growth covering
the wreck and most of the crane, which used to
shift the cargo. The Veronica is a great dive for
beginners and advanced divers, but particularly
for night dives and all underwater photographers.
Built in 1963, the “Hema 1” is a 170 feet / 50m
freighter which was on its way back from Grenada
to Trinidad. In rough seas the ship started to take
on water and as the bilge pump wasn’t working
properly and the Captain couldn’t make it back to
the protected harbour of Grenada. The Hema 1 sank
on the 5th of March 2005, approximately 4 miles
off the south coast of Grenada and in consequence
straight out of Prickly Bay.