Ever wanted to discover a sunken ship?, well you just might get the chance, right here in Belizean waters.
It's an upcoming attraction called the Wit concrete, a sugar ship that's been trapped on the reef since the 80's soon to be submerged into the depths. Just another curious feature of this curious place called Belize, Cherisse Halsall has the story.
It's poised to become Belize's newest diving adventure, an old Sugar Ship once used by ASI/BSR to store molasses that's now getting a brand new life as a sunken ship.
Abel Castaneda, Cheif Tourism Officer
"How does this change the game for the Belize Tourism product and I did not understand that until I actually set foot on the With Concrete ship. It seems like when you go close to it like a block of concrete just floating in the sea but when you get close to it and it has the chambers still have some essence of molasses, you begin to understand the history behind this ship. Yes, this ship was very important in World War 11 but it was also very important in the sugar cane industry for Belize, in our own economic development. So there's so much to say about this vessel and like many ships, many ships end up in a shipyard or in a scrap yard, but I don't think that this ship deserves that fate so we are very happy to be able to partner with TASA and with everyone that has been a part of this process to give this vessel a new life, give it a new page in its legacy."
But that legacy wasn't ensured and this morning Director of Destination Planning Valdemar Andrade told the press that he and his team have done every bit of the necessary paperwork.
Valdemar Andrade, Director of Destination Planning and Cruise at Belize Tourism Board
"We had to do a complete study to be able to ensure that where we were putting the ship was going to be suitable in terms of not creating any adverse effects to the environment that we are protecting in the Turneff Atoll and Reserve and so we got an environmental permit after that study granted in May 25th, 2021 under the dumping at sea law. We then contracted Green Wave industries because the most important thing is to ensure that all hazardous material has to absolutely be removed. And so there's a long list that Damian Goff has prepared in terms of what has been done to date. How much material has been removed to be able to do this."
But now that they have the all-clear, The BTB and the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve, are all set to sink the Wit.
Kennedy Carillo, CEO, Blue Economy and Civil Aviation
"This exciting venture will see the sinking of the Wit Concrete, affectionately known as the "Wit" gently submerged at a site that has been carefully selected and at a depth that also been carefully chosen for exceptional snorkeling and diving opportunities."
And no one knows those opportunities like the resort owners around the atoll, this morning Blackbird Caye's Gary Simonian, explained that this destination will be much more than a one-and-done trip.
Gary Simonian, Owner/Operator, Blackbird Caye Resort
"The Wit Concrete 375 feet of Concrete. The ship is going to be sitting at approximately 90 feet on the bottom. The ship itself is about 38 feet tall and it has another 8 feet of upper building quarters. It's going to cater to every level of divers and non-divers, so you will be able to come and snorkel that entire area. The reef system is beautiful for snorkeling. There are also other dive sights adjacent to the oasis that they will be able to do, so this isn't a single trip where you go for the day and then there is nothing else to do, the ship itself in speaking with my dive instructors and dive masters and having dive the area myself and walk that deck in every compartment, you are looking at least 6 dives. There are not many wrecks out there that you say you can die more than once pr twice."
Anthony Mahler, Ministry of Tourism
"We often hear at the Belize Tourism Board about marketing the product but we have to expand the product as well, so that we have the capacity so that we could expand the carrying capacity for the entire country and that we can continue to sustain the natural resources that we promote internationally and locally like I've said before and so the Wit as it is called is going to be an important dive site for us and I commend everyone who has played an integral part in making this a reality and we will continue to support these types of initiatives as long as they can be done in a sustainable manner, while respecting the environment."
The sinking of this new reef wreck ship is far from a first in the region, it's a tried and true move toward sustainable tourism, one that will create habitats, open up a whole new environment for scuba, and bring in the big bucks too.
Andrade also told the press that they plan to manage the number of visitors based on their environmental impact.
