Salem Express Wreck

The Salem Express is a large passenger-ferry wreck lying largely intact on its starboard side; the ship is recognizable as a vessel and is notable for the tragic circumstances of its sinking and the human artifacts left behind, including luggage, toys and lifeboats, which give the site a somber character. Dives are made from a moored dive boat with depths on the wreck from about 12 to 30 m and the shallowest deck plate near 7 m. Visibility is generally good, often over 15 m, currents are usually mild, and water temperatures are in the mid-20°C range year-round. Both open-water and advanced divers may visit parts of the wreck, but the maximum depth and interior passages make much of the site an advanced dive; good buoyancy control is essential because of sharp edges and confined spaces. Entry is by standard descent from a moored boat and local guidelines forbid penetrating beyond specified cargo areas and require that human remains and personal items not be disturbed. The 115 m ferry struck Hyndman Reef in a storm and sank in December 1991. It now rests on a sandy bottom largely intact, with features such as an open bow door, windlasses on the forecastle and intact propellers at the stern, and the steel structure has become encrusted with hard corals and sponges; the site has been declared an underwater tomb and some sections are off-limits due to instability.