Many of the found wrecks of sunken ships discovered are transformed into diving sites thanks to the marine life they draw becoming extremely attractive for underwater explores, for instance, the ship Salvatierra near La Paz, Baja California Sur or the Lundemberg, a freighter carrying plaster which was freshly discovered near The Arch of Cabo San Lucas after Hurricane Odile in 2014.
When ships are prepared and sunk on purpose, they become artificial reefs that after some time become tourist attractions for divers like the Fao Ming and the Lapas 03 sunk in 1999 near the island of Espíritu Santo in the Sea Of Cortés.
Oscar Ortiz, Dive Guide: “… artificial reefs are made with the help of man with different artifacts or structures. Metallic artifacts which have to be previously cleaned of all corrosive or other material that can affect the coastal zone, boats are ideal and can actually be appreciated as new attractions …”
The visit to these sunken ships helps to remove pressure applied in other dive sites and thus balancing the presence of divers in diverse sites near La Paz and Los Cabos in the Sea of Cortes.
Fabricio Mújica, Diving Instructor: “…today it’s a bare artificial reef. Immediately it began to generate organisms … Colonies of organisms and in turn, they attract a great volume of species, fish and corals … “
On the other hand, diving in and around these boats not only arouses the curiosity of divers by going through its dark corridors, decks, cabins, and other areas, but also become possible to admire the great biodiversity of organisms that attract spectacular fish colonies and marine flora.
The Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California, is a unique corner of the Pacific Ocean. This remarkable young sea is thought to be around five million years old and home to nearly 900 species of fish and the widest variety of whales and dolphins found anywhere on Earth. Some of the greatest changes threatening the world’s oceans today can be seen in this stretch of water.
Source: bbc.co.uk,cabonewstoday.com