Willaurie Wreck Nassau

A 130-foot Bahamian mailboat that sank accidentally in 1988 and was resettled as an artificial reef off Nassau’s southwest coast — an accessible wreck now colonised by sponges, corals, and large resident groupers.

Overview

Sources disagree on the Willaurie’s origins. DreamWrecks and Scuba Diver Life describe her as a 130-foot (39.6 m) steel freighter built in the Netherlands in 1966, which served the Bahamas from 1980 as an inter-island mailboat — transporting mail and freight between Nassau and the outer islands of Rum Cay, San Salvador, and Cat Island. Two other independent sources — Wannadive and Ash Underwater — instead describe her as built in Denmark in 1907, with Ash Underwater additionally giving her length as 140 feet and calling her a barge rather than a mailboat. This audit could not resolve the conflict; both pairs of sources are established dive-site references, so both versions are recorded here rather than one being silently chosen.

Bahamian maritime historian Eric Wiberg (writing in The Tribune) states that the Willaurie sank three separate times over her working life. On the final occasion, she was under tow from Nassau, heading out to be deliberately scuttled, when the towline parted and she grounded off Clifton Pier — so the vessel’s demise was not a simple binary of “accidental” versus “deliberate”: the tow itself was undertaken with the intent of scuttling her, but the sinking that actually occurred happened prematurely, before she reached her intended site, when the tow parted in heavy seas. On Christmas Day 1988, Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas patched the hull at low tide, partially refloated the wreck, and moved it to its current resting position on the southwest side of New Providence, where it settled for good. The Willaurie now sits on the sandy bottom; sources give depths in the range of roughly 15–21 metres. Its most distinctive feature is the open cargo hold — the metal support bars of the original hold now form an underwater scaffold-like structure that soft corals have colonised; divers are advised not to swim inside the scaffolding, since exhaled bubbles can dislodge the coral growth. The site has been a popular Nassau wreck for over three decades. Visibility is 20–30 metres. Water temperature 25–28°C.

Site Information

Detail	Value
Depth Range	10–19 m
Difficulty	Beginner
Entry Type	Boat
Site Type	Wreck
Visibility	20–30 m
Current	Light
Water Temp	25–28°C

Marine Life

Site-specific sources confirm soft corals colonising the wreck’s open cargo-hold scaffolding (Ash Underwater), plus reef fish such as pufferfish and spotted drumfish observed on dives there, along with general “bright coral life” in reds, oranges, purples, and greens (Ash Underwater). Wannadive’s dive-log comments mention only “lots of marine life” and notably colorful coral without specific species. The previous version of this page listed resident Nassau and black grouper, grunt and snapper schools, spotted moray eels, Caribbean spiny lobster, sea turtles, angelfish, parrotfish, and blue tang as characteristic of this wreck; none of these could be traced to a site-specific source during this audit. They are plausible as general Nassau reef fauna but are not confirmed sightings at the Willaurie specifically, so the claim has been narrowed to what sources actually document.

Dive Profile

Descent via mooring line to the main deck at 10–12 meters. Exploration works bow to stern along the main deck before visiting the interior sections accessible from deck hatches. The deeper sections of the hull at 17–19 meters can be visited at the end of the dive before a safety stop at the upper deck. Total dive: 45–55 minutes.

Entry and Exit

Boat dive with permanent mooring. Operated by Nassau-based dive operators. Entry by giant stride or backward roll. Exit is standard boat pickup after safety stop.

Tips and Recommendations

The Willaurie is one of the best wreck dives in Nassau for beginner wreck divers — the accessible depth, upright position, and clear water make it a comfortable introduction to wreck exploration. Carry a torch for the interior sections where the groupers and moray eels shelter. The upper deck in 10–12 meters is well-lit by natural light and ideal for close-focus wide-angle photography.

Safety Considerations

Interior sections should not be penetrated beyond light penetration without wreck diving training. Silt in the interior spaces can reduce visibility to near zero if disturbed. The accessible depth of 19 meters means no decompression concern for a standard dive duration. DSMB recommended for the ascent.

Photography

The accessible depth and clear water make the Willaurie an excellent introduction to wreck photography. The upper deck in natural light at 10–12 meters allows wide-angle photography without strobes in the Bahamas’ clear water. The resident groupers inside the superstructure are large and approachable. Wide-angle shots looking along the main deck from bow to stern capture the ship’s scale.

Additional Resources

• Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas: includes Willaurie on Nassau wreck dive packages
• Typically combined with other Nassau dives as part of a two-tank itinerary

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Sources: DreamWrecks - The Willaurie Bahamas, Wannadive - The Willaurie Wreck Nassau, Scuba Diver Life - Willaurie Nassau, Ash Underwater - Diving Nassau Wrecks (Willaurie and Anthony Bell), Eric Wiberg via The Tribune - Mailboats which sank in Bahamas over 200 years. Last updated 2026-07-17.