"ISTRA", HANS SCHMIDT
Depth: 28-42 meters
Curiosities: sunken merchant ship
Allowed to
- Divers beginners
- Expert divers
- Nitrox
Description
An Austro-Hungarian merchant ship built up in 1882. Te ship was sailing from Venice to New York and sank on 06.12.1898 after a crash with Italian ship Capraia. During sinking the ship got cut in two. The bow is situated at the depth of 28 meters and the rest of the wreck at the depth of 42 meters separated from the bow by a narrow passage few meters long. Some parts of the wreck are wrapped up with fishing nets looking out for incautious divers like traps. Diving through the wreck is possible thanks to its size and being passable.
An anchor of type not produced for the last 100 years may be seen on the wreck. Most probably this is the rest of some other ship from which it dropped away and remained stuck in the wreck. Diving should be planned after north-eastern wind ceases to blow as visibility is greater then enabling to see the complete sunken ship. Recently we came to know that the true name of the ship was Hans Schmidt.
Note
Location ideal for nitrox diving. Attention should be paid to fishing nets and sometimes strong north-eastern wind.