River Taw.
The River Taw was a 44 m (144 ft) inter-island cargo ship that now lies in two sections on a flat sandy bottom off Frigate Bay. The decks and superstructure are covered in sponges and coral, and an anchor chain leads to a sunken bulldozer and a vehicle nearby. It is one of the most popular sites on St Kitts and is well regarded as a night dive.
What's down there.
- Hull in two sections after Hurricane Hugo
- Coral- and sponge-covered decks and superstructure
- Anchor chain leading to a sunken bulldozer and vehicle
- Popular night dive with abundant macro life
- Good site for photography
- Octopus
- Seahorses
- Stingrays
- Turtles
- Moray eels
- Porcupinefish
- Schools of yellowtail and glasseye snapper
Sandy bottom at about 12–13 m (40–42 ft); some sources give a maximum of 15 m (50 ft). Decks from about 8 m.
Shallow, sheltered wreck on sand, suitable for all levels. Penetration is no longer possible because of storm damage.
How it got there.
An inter-island cargo freighter of 144 ft (44 m) that sank in a hurricane in 1981 off the leeward coast close to Basseterre harbour, coming to rest upright on sand. Hurricane Hugo broke the ship in two in 1989. It was not deliberately scuttled. A bulldozer and a van (described variously as a Dodge van, minibus or school bus) were sunk nearby.
95 dives.
From the reconstructed log — the dates follow the pattern I dived, so read them as representative rather than exact.