Diving The Superior Producer, Curacao Nights Magazine by Sue Campbell

Activities

Activities

Diving the Superior Producer

by Susan Campbell

The mysterious misfortune of the Superior Producer now offers good fortune to those who wish to discover the most fascinating shipwreck in the Caribbean!

A very short journey

It seems the gods just weren’t smiling upon this 200-foot freighter on that November day back in 1977. Laden to the hilt with Christmas goods bound for Colombia, the Superior Producer ventured out a few hundred feet from St. Annabaai Harbor, began to turn, listed... then sank.

Some say she was seriously overloaded with clothing, perfume, luggage, and alcohol... but no one really knows for sure just what went wrong.

Almost immediately after she went down, locals began donning scuba gear to salvage any precious cargo they could get their hands on. Imagine a feeding frenzy of flippered opportunists, underwater skirmishes, and the island’s only decompression chamber working overtime to save many inexperienced divers, and you’ll have a good picture of what went down that day.

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Stripped of all her finery (even her portholes and brass fittings), the Superior Producer refused to plummet peacefully to a watery grave. Instead, she planted herself upright in the sand, straining to­ wards the sunlight, hoping to get a second chance to prove her seaworthiness.

Today, she still sits in that current-defying position, providing a highrise condo of sorts for all kinds of marine life. E

Top photo by Richard Carey. Bottom and facing page photos by Michael DeFreitas

Photo by

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Activities

Activities The current is very strong, so it is best to explore this wreck with an experienced dive operator. Skilled divers may want to investigate the inside of the ship, but are cautioned to keep a close check on bottom time and bring a rope and flashlight to find their way out.

The wreck is accessible by shore, with a bit of a swim, or by boat. It is marked by a buoy off the harbor, and the entrance is located between the power plant and the Veneto Casino Holiday Beach Resort.

Important to keep in mind is the fact that you cannot dive this wreck if there is a cruise ship or other large vessel at the Mega Pier. K

For a list of dive operators, please see Take a Dive on page 50.

Free-falling into a unique experience

Your voyage to the bottom of the sea begins with a 90-foot free fall to a sandy bottom, a unique experience in itself.

A sharp turn to the right and you will soon see the ghostly shadow of the ship’s skeleton appearing in the distance. On closer inspection, you’ll marvel at how the ship defies gravity in that position, standing upright with the wheel house at approximately 80 feet, the bridge at 90 feet, and the hull resting about 100 feet under water. You’ll also appreciate the way that red, orange, black, and pink coral have embraced her masts and decks to turn it into a virtual work of underwater art. Adding to the picture are plenty of 48 Nights

tropical fish making their home here as well as curious barracuda that pose no threat to divers. If you opt for a night dive, you’ll be treated to a beautiful display as cup corals put on a show.

Left photo by Michael DeFreitas. Right photo by Jon Milnes. Bottom photo by John Anderson

Left photo by Michael DeFreitas. Right photo by Dreamstime

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