Marie Celeste - Bermuda Diving

Site Overview

The Marie Celeste is Bermuda most photographed wreck featuring a massive intact sidewheel paddle wheel that has become the iconic image of Bermuda wreck diving. This sidewheel paddle steamer sank in the 1860s and the enormous iron paddle wheel remains remarkably preserved at ten to sixteen metres depth. The wheel structure rises several metres above the surrounding reef creating a dramatic underwater monument that attracts divers and photographers from around the world. The surrounding wreck field includes boiler sections hull frames and scattered machinery all heavily colonised by soft corals and sponges. Moray eels shelter in the dark spaces between paddle wheel spokes while schools of glassfish fill the interior hull sections. The Marie Celeste paddle wheel represents the single most recognisable underwater feature in Bermuda and serves as the flagship site for the entire Wreck Alley diving experience. The wreck diving environment at Marie Celeste supports a productive marine ecosystem where nutrient-rich Atlantic waters sustain diverse coral communities and tropical fish populations throughout the diving season. Underwater photographers will find excellent compositions combining the natural beauty of the reef structure with abundant marine life in clear Atlantic waters. The site contributes important biodiversity value to Bermuda diving portfolio offering experiences that complement the more commonly dived locations while providing equally rewarding underwater encounters for visiting divers. Seasonal visitors including green sea turtles spotted eagle rays and migratory pelagic species add excitement to every dive with the possibility of unexpected encounters keeping divers engaged throughout their exploration of this productive wreck diving site.